Anxiety News and Research

Latest Anxiety News and Research

Dopamine and serotonin balance reward learning in opposing ways

If you've heard of two of the brain's chemical neurotransmitters, it's probably dopamine and serotonin. Never mind that glutamate and GABA do most of the work - it's the thrill of dopamine as the "pleasure chemical" and serotonin as tender mood-stabilizer that attract all the headlines.

25 Nov 2024

Research identifies the brain's 'locus coeruleus' as key player in sleep cycles

Researchers at the University of Lausanne have identified a novel role for the brain's 'locus coeruleus' in sleep and its disruptions.

25 Nov 2024

Alcohol use found to be major factor in cannabis vaping among youth and young adults

Alcohol use was the most common predictor of escalating cannabis vaping among youth and young adults, independent of demographic factors, according to research by UTHealth Houston published this month in the journal Social Science & Medicine.

23 Nov 2024

Maternal health complications on the rise in Illinois, study reveals

A new study from Northwestern Medicine reveals a troubling rise in severe maternal health issues and birth complications in Illinois from 2016 to 2023, closely linked to increases in chronic health conditions affecting pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, mental health disorders and especially obesity, which saw the largest increase in annual rates.

23 Nov 2024

Study reveals how the brain connects social thinking with emotional processing

We've all been there. Moments after leaving a party, your brain is suddenly filled with intrusive thoughts about what others were thinking. "Did they think I talked too much?" "Did my joke offend them?" "Were they having a good time?"

23 Nov 2024

Anxiety and negative emotions reduced by brain circuit that consciously slows breathing

Findings on the dACC→PnC circuit show how breathing patterns influence anxiety, paving the way for new therapeutic approaches to emotional regulation.

22 Nov 2024

Advanced diagnostic kit developed for detecting highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus

The Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, in collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan, and the A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR BII), has successfully developed Steadfast, an advanced diagnostic kit for detecting the highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus (AIV).

22 Nov 2024

Do podcasts influence health behaviors?

Researchers examine the impact of podcasts on health behaviors and outcomes, use patterns, and individual perceptions.

22 Nov 2024

Saliva microbes differ in pregnant women with stress and mental health symptoms

Research links oral cavity microbes to maternal mental health, revealing potential interventions during pregnancy to enhance psychological well-being.

21 Nov 2024

Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too.

President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House could embolden Republicans who want to weaken or repeal the Affordable Care Act, but implementing such sweeping changes would still require overcoming procedural and political hurdles.

21 Nov 2024

Pregnancy stress and mental health affect the oral microbiome

The number and type of microbes present in the saliva of pregnant women differ according to whether they are experiencing life stress and symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), finds a study published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health.

20 Nov 2024

Scientists discover brain circuit for voluntary breathing control

Deep breath in, slow breath out… Isn't it odd that we can self-soothe by slowing down our breathing?

20 Nov 2024

Some parents may struggle with managing children's anger, poll suggests

Many parents are all too familiar with angry outbursts from their children, from sibling squabbles to protests over screen time limits.

18 Nov 2024

Delayed puberty in boys could lead to new follow-up healthcare routines in the future

Swedish young men who went through late puberty during adolescence are more likely to use healthcare services later in life, according to research presented at the 62nd Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting in Liverpool.

18 Nov 2024

New mindfulness therapy offers hope for teenagers struggling with depression

Researchers have developed a mindfulness therapy tailored specifically to appeal to teenagers to help them cope with increasing levels of depression and mental health problems.

18 Nov 2024

Can music therapy be the breakthrough dementia care desperately needs?

Music therapy reduces distress and improves well-being in advanced dementia by meeting unmet needs, enhancing caregiver-patient understanding, and fostering humanizing connections in institutional care settings.

18 Nov 2024

New clinical trial offers hope for patients with rare immune disease IgG4-RD

A team led by Mass General Brigham researchers demonstrated that inebilizumab reduced the risk of symptoms by 87% in patients with the rare affliction known as immunoglobulin G4–related disease (IgG4-RD)

18 Nov 2024

Growth hormone-releasing hormone transforms therapeutic potential in health and chronic disease

Researchers review the biological activities of growth hormone-releasing hormone and its analogs.

17 Nov 2024

Study shows benefits of nature for children's mental health

A team of researchers from McGill and Université de Montréal's Observatoire pour l'éducation et la santé des enfants (OPES, or observatory on children's health and eduation), led by Sylvana Côté, found that spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10- to 12-year-olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program began.

15 Nov 2024

Computer-assisted CBT and mental health apps effective in reducing anxiety, depression symptoms

Computer-assisted cognitive-behavior therapy (CCBT) and mobile mental health applications warrant continued development and ongoing efforts to increase acceptance among patients and clinicians, according to a review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, part of the Lippincott portfolio from Wolters Kluwer.

15 Nov 2024