Researchers at Michigan State, Chicago, and WUSTL says sleep may reduce mistakes in memory for both the young and the old.
They studied the presence of false memory in groups of college students. Previous research has shown that sleep improves memory, but this study address errors in memory.
The study was published in the journal Learning & Memory.

References:

1. Sept. 14, 2009 — Sleep helps reduce errors in memory in the United Press International

and 4 others.

New Swiss research published in Science suggests that young animals may have a mechanism that allows them to jettison traumatic memories, but experts say it's unclear whether humans of any age can do the same. Includes comments by WUSTL psychology professor and memory specialist Mark McDaniel.

References:

1. Sept. 4, 2009 — Young Animals May Be Able to Erase Bad Memories in the U.S. News & World Report online

and 5 others.

Sharon Begley reports on new data in the debate on neurobiology and whether we are wired to believe in God.
In a paper last month in the online journal Evolutionary Psychology, Gregory Paul posits that, rather than being wired into the brain, religion is a way to cope with stress in a dysfunctional society -- the opium-of-the-people argument.
She mentions research by WUSTL anthropology professor Pascal Boyer.

References:

1. Aug. 13, 2009 — (Un)wired For God in the Newsweek

Researchers suggest that unlike money, social experiences can provide happy memories, which don't wear away as fast as the rush of buying a new possession. But WUSTL [marketing professor Joseph Goodman] and a Texas colleague have found that negative experiences can have a more negative impact on happiness than other spending of a comparable amount.

References:

1. Aug. 5, 2009 — Happiness: Staying positive in negative territory in the USA Today

and 1 others.

Eric Wolbert has been a non-smoker for 30 days. He quit his pack-a-day habit because he has watched cigarettes hurt too many people, including his grandparents, who died of lung cancer, he said. As part of his third attempt at quitting, Wolbert signed up for a seven-week group therapy program called "Freedom From Smoking" at WUSTL.

References:

1. July 5, 2009 — How to quit smoking in the Chicago Tribune

and 1 others.

Around the world, Michael Jackson was celebrated Sunday, but there was a special fervor in black neighborhoods and churches. Jackson is seen as a towering figure with crossover appeal, even if in life some of his black fans wondered if he was as proud of his race as his race was of him. Includes comments by WUSTL AFAS professor Gerald Early.

References:

1. June 29, 2009 — Black Reverence for Jackson Is Now Unreserved in the The New York Times

and 11 others.

Not taking some R&R could leave you carrying some heavy baggage down the line, bringing you and your company down. WUSTL entrepreneurship specialist Clifford Holekamp advises that shorter vacations are less stressful for small startups that are "very dependent on the founder to run the day-to-day operations."

References:

1. June 25, 2009 — Vacation: What the Heck Is That? in the MSN Money

Americans say they're still in a tunnel, but more are beginning to see a light at its end. Fewer people say they've prospered over the past year than in decades, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. WUSTL social work professor Mark Rank comments on the 'American Dream.'

References:

1. June 23, 2009 — Despite everything . . . Americans are seeing better times ahead in the USA Today

and 2 others.

Are some people hardwired to get the blues? Scientists have long believed that a tendency toward melancholy runs in families. A new study published on June 16 in JAMA now threatens to send researchers back to the drawing board. The meta-analysis of 14 prior studies concludes that the so-called depression gene may not be associated with an elevated risk for depression, as many researchers had believed. WUSTL psychiatric geneticist Alexandre Todorov, whose 2007 peer-reviewed study was included in the JAMA piece, comments.

References:

1. June 17, 2009 — Study: 'Depression Gene' Doesn't Predict the Blues in the Time.com

Doctors are testing a new kind of obesity surgery without any cuts through the abdomen, snaking a tube down the throat to snap staples into the stomach. The experimental, scar-free procedure creates a narrow passage that slows the food as it moves from the upper stomach into the lower stomach, helping patients feel full more quickly and eat less. The first U.S. procedure was done at WUSTL. WUSTL surgery professor Chris Eagon comments.

References:

1. June 2, 2009 — No scars: New obesity surgery goes through mouth in the Associated Press

and 52 others.

A new study that shows that a cellphone ring, more than just being annoying, can pose the kind of distraction that can impair learning or derail someone's train of thought. Study author and WUSTL psychology postdoctoral research scholar Jill Shelton comments.

References:

1. June 2, 2009 — Please silence your phone -- NOW! in the Los Angeles Times online

If at first you don't succeed, tell the world about it -- because Web culture has become obsessed with "failure videos," mostly on YouTube. Whatever the reason, the sharing of personal missteps has become a part of today's e-culture. WUSTL psychology professor Don Fitz comments.

References:

1. May 30, 2009 — The culture of failure in the The Boston Globe

The new science of measuring happiness has transformed self-help. Now scholars suggest it could transform society — from tort law to urban planning to medical care. WUSTL law professors Samuel Bagenstos and Margo Schlanger co-wrote a law review article in 2007 suggesting that the emphasis on lost enjoyment of life in jury awards actually makes it harder for the plaintiff to recover.

References:

1. May 10, 2009 — Perfectly Happy in the The Boston Globe

While some stores like Sharper Image have disappeared, their brand names live on. Consumers might be confused by the new products or even feel deceived by the practice. Includes comments from WUSTL economics professor David Levine and WUSTL intellectual property law professor Charles McManis.

References:

1. April 14, 2009 — Brand Names Live After Stores Close in the The New York Times

and 4 others.

Advice for parents explaining to children what changes may need to take place when a family faces economic hardship. WUSTL senior consultant and author Karen Levin Coburn.

References:

1. March 25, 2009 — Break It to 'Em Gently: Telling Kids About Financial Woes in the The Wall Street Journal

Depression almost doubles the risk of developing heart disease over 12 years, according to a long-term study of twins. It contributes to the risk of heart disease as much as diabetes, high cholesterol or obesity does, says study leader and WUSTL psychiatry professor Jeffrey Scherrer.

References:

1. March 4, 2009 — Depression can break the heart in the USA Today

The term boomerang children used to refer to young adults moving back in with their parents, but the recession is forcing people in their 30s and 40s and older--often with a spouse and kids in tow--to bunk in with the 'rents until they regain their financial footing. WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter comments.

References:

1. Feb. 19, 2009 — Bunking In With Mom and Dad in the Time online

A study conducted by Joseph Goodman of WUSTL and colleagues from the University of Texas at Austin has found that sharing an experience like a restaurant meal can be better than a material gift, but only if the experience is positive.

References:

1. Feb. 13, 2009 — What's better: A meal out, or a gift? in the United Press International

In the largest study of SSRIs in older people with anxiety disorders, a team of psychiatric researchers found the drug escitalopram improved anxiety symptoms and quality of life. The study was conducted by WUSTL associate professor of psychiatry Dr. Eric J. Lenze while at the University of Pittsburgh. His team studied 177 people over the age of 60.

References:

1. Jan. 20, 2009 — Antidepressant Eases Anxiety in Older Adults in the The Washington Post

and 4 others.

New research suggests the risk of domestic violence will rise as increasing number of veterans are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. The consequences on families and children in communities across the U.S. are an emerging concern says WUSTL social work professor Monica Matthieu, an expert on veteran mental health.

References:

1. Nov. 7, 2008 — PTSD Tied to Domestic Violence Among Vets in the PsychCentral.com (MA)

and 8 others.