Here is a perfect example of a health news article that doesn’t tell the reader important disclaimers related to such animal research. While the reporter here was just copying down and rewording what the researchers themselves said, it still doesn’t make it any more truthful or factual (and one of the biggest problems with medical news reporting today).

Animal studies such as this one done on mice, while an important step to gaining a better and more complete understanding of an issue, are not automatically generalizable to humans. The research literature is littered with results of mice studies that ended up not being true or replicated in human subjects, and this could just as well likely be the case in this instance. However, the medical reporter in this instance made no mention of this fact or that these results can’t just be plastered on to teens as though they are, in fact, true of teens.

Because they’re not. The study wasn’t done on teenagers, it was done on mice. In a laboratory environment.

The study is an interesting finding. But placed into context, it offers just one more nugget of data that may or may not help us better understand adolescent brain and behavior in the future. It’s too soon to tell.

But please, don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story!

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 12 Mar 2007
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