In: Psychology
Psychological advancements in the past 10 years that I find interesting:
Brain Mapping: The ability to represent the neural pathways and the connections in the brain in order to better understand disorders is something that amazes me. Yes, this can be applied in psychopathology to make diagnosis and treatment better.
Improvements in therapy: Mindfulness is a concept that has gained clout in the recent years and seems to work. Similarly, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) that gives insights into someone's feelings is also great. This too is helpful when implemented in psychopathology.
Optogenetics: The method of highlighting neural pathways. This helps in analyzing what feeling causes the working of some neurons while others stay calm. When applied in psychopathology, it is helpful in identifying the cause of psychiatric disorders.
Citations:
Gradinaru, V. et al. (2009). Optical deconstruction of Parkinsonian neural circuitry. Science 324, 354–359.
Al-Jarf, R. (2009), ‘Enhancing Freshman students’ Writing Skills with a Mind Mapping software’.Paper presented at the 5th International Scientific Conference, eLearning, and Software for Education, Bucharest.
Han, X. et al. (2009). Millisecond-timescale optical control
of neural dynamics in the nonhuman primate brain. Neuron 62,
191–198