Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life.

Clinical Depression: Diagnosis, Causes & Treatment

Depression is a clinical condition that, contrary to popular opinion, cannot simply be overcome with time and it needs to be treated.

Treatment of Depression

Antidepressants and Weight Changes

How Can I Tell if My Child is Depressed?

Food Insecurity and Depression

Treatment Options for Children with Depression

Intrusive Thoughts and Depression

Can Depression and Anxiety Occur Together?

Symptoms of Depression

5 Facts You May Not Know About Depression

How Does Your Diet Affect Depression?

The Science Behind the Winter Blues: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

See more featured articles »

Link Between Chronic Illness and Depression

Prisoner Depression and Low Mood

Genes and Depression

Situational Depression: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Causes of Depression

Depression and Sleep Length

Ghrelin and Depression

Depression in children

Contributing Factors to Post-Adoption Depression

Depression Diagnosis

How is Depression in Children Diagnosed?

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

Latest Depression News and Research

Graded physical activity prescriptions improve functional outcomes in psychiatry

Most of us have heard the advice so often that it has worn smooth, like a stone in a river: get some exercise. A new peer-reviewed Viewpoint in Brain Health, drawing on randomized trials, meta-analyses, and cohort studies, argues that this familiar sentence has been doing the wrong job.

5 Nov 2026

Brain scans reveal clues to Alzheimer's risk years before memory loss begins

Inside the brains of some cognitively normal adults, firing patterns were able to foretell Alzheimer's disease years before the onset of memory loss or the accumulation of plaques and tangles, according to new Stanford Medicine-led research.

5 Nov 2026

Exercise may improve mood and memory, and researchers say doctors should prescribe it

In a Viewpoint, researchers examined evidence that exercise can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, support cognition, and may help lower the risk of cognitive decline, although evidence for dementia prevention remains largely observational. The authors argue that exercise should be prescribed as a structured component of brain-health care, with individualized recommendations that account for medical conditions, safety, and barriers to participation.

4 Nov 2026

New digital therapy prevents maternal anxiety from escalating during pregnancy

Pregnant women or birthing people with undiagnosed anxiety could benefit from a new digital therapy, according to a clinical trial led by King's College London.

4 Nov 2026

Autism diagnosis patterns change as psychiatric profiles shift across Europe

The medical profiles of adults diagnosed with autism have changed hugely since 2010, finds a study of medical records in the UK and Sweden, published in the online journal BMJ Mental Health.

3 Nov 2026

Gq-coupled receptors activate cAMP signaling to regulate brain synapses

By studying G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) in mouse hippocampal slices, Qi Ding and colleagues provide evidence of unconventional receptor signaling that has implications for the function of synapses in the brain.

3 Nov 2026

Heart disease and depression may affect brain aging in an unexpected way

A longitudinal study of 5,423 adults in England found that cardiovascular disease was associated with faster cognitive decline, with the strongest association observed among participants with consistently low depressive symptoms. Those with persistent moderate or high depressive symptoms generally experienced poorer cognitive performance and faster overall deterioration, despite showing a weaker additional association between cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.

3 Nov 2026

1nhaler secures £2.2 million to continue late-stage development

The 1nhaler, a Scotland-based drug delivery device developer, has secured £2.2 million in follow-on funding to progress its novel pop-up cardboard inhaler towards first regulatory approval.

3 Nov 2026

Vitamin C supplements during pregnancy may support infant emotional health

New research from Oregon Health & Science University shows that additional vitamin C intake during pregnancy can be an effective, low-cost and accessible intervention to promote infant emotional well-being.

2 Nov 2026

Worldwide survey reveals declining mental well-being among young people

A survey of 50,000 people across 92 countries finds global mental health may be languishing, including in the wealthiest countries, and especially among young people, who in previous generations had comparatively higher levels of mental health.

2 Nov 2026

Sleep health expert explains how falling back affects the body clock

When clocks fall back this weekend, we'll gain an hour - but does that necessarily mean better sleep? Hannah Peach, a sleep health expert at UNC Charlotte, explains how the change from daylight saving time back to standard time affects our internal body clocks, why the fall transition is easier on our bodies than the spring change and how shorter days can affect our well-being.

2 Nov 2026

New study of 3000 adults connects symbolic immortality to stronger psychological well being

What does it mean to feel that a part of us will live on after we are gone? A new study of nearly 3,000 adults found that people who believed they would be remembered by others tended to report better mental health, a stronger sense of meaning and lower levels of problematic substance use and addictive behaviors. The findings point to a possible link between our sense of lasting significance and the way we cope with stress, uncertainty and mortality.

2 Nov 2026

Incisionless brain procedure eliminates Parkinson's tremors for air force veteran

To the untrained eye, a "ham" radio may look like a simple device. However, inside its casing, dozens of delicate wires and tiny elements perform distinct yet connected functions to deliver messages to a vast network of operators around the world.

30 Oct 2026

Circadian desynchronization: The hidden cost of daylight saving time transitions

Turning the clocks back an hour each fall can feel like a gift: an extra hour of sleep. But the tradeoff is less daylight in the evening, and the annual switch continues to earn mixed reviews.

29 Oct 2026

Most teens who used AI for mental health support wanted more help

Researchers surveyed 24,132 students in England and found that 2.7% had used general-purpose AI for mental health support during the previous year. Among users who answered the relevant questions, 55.9% rated the support helpful, yet 63.2% wanted additional assistance, with greater unmet needs reported among adolescents experiencing mental health difficulties and social adversity.

28 Oct 2026

Rutgers study highlights alarming rise in youth gambling rates

More than half (52.5%) of Americans ages 13 to 27 reported gambling in the past year, including 42.7% of teens ages 13 to 17, according to researchers at the Center for Gambling Studies at the Rutgers School of Social Work.

28 Oct 2026

Review highlights essential neurological considerations for gender dysphoria care

Gender dysphoria involves distress caused by a mismatch between a person's gender identity and sex assigned at birth.

28 Oct 2026

Pregnancy night shifts associated with higher risk of developmental abnormalities in children

Working night shifts during pregnancy is linked to a heightened risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities detected by screening in the child by the age of 4, finds research published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

27 Oct 2026

Autistic people report worse menopause symptoms and lower quality of life

A new study by researchers at Bournemouth University has shown that autistic people consistently experience more severe menopausal symptoms than non-autistic people, leading to poorer wellbeing and quality of life.

27 Oct 2026

Men with lower testosterone at 31 reported good health 15 years later

Researchers analyzed testosterone concentrations measured at age 31 in 2,691 Finnish men and assessed self-reported health, medical conditions, and quality of life at age 46. Men across testosterone quartiles generally reported good health and excellent quality of life, while differences in metabolic and gastrointestinal conditions lost statistical significance after adjustment for waist circumference.

27 Oct 2026