Using data collected from over 4000 adults in the German Health Survey, a study has revealed a connection between anxiety disorders and physical disorders such as respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, allergies, thyroid diseases and migraine headaches. Although the study finds that in most cases the anxiety disorders developed first, I personally am inclined to wonder if that is sometimes because the anxiety disorders manifest themselves first (ie, the physical symptoms are slower to be recognized). In any case, I suspect the possibilities put forward by the researchers are all sometimes true -- physical illness can cause anxiety; anxiety can trigger a physical problem; a third condition can cause both.

Neurofeedback has succeeded in teaching people with chronic pain to gain some measure of control over it. Now, in a rather stunning study, neurofeedback has taught psychopathic criminals to gain more control over their emotional responses, suggesting a new (and may I say, completely unexpected) way of approaching emotional disorders.