Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Listen: NPR and KFF Health News explore how racism and violence hurt health

KFF Health News Midwest correspondent Cara Anthony and Emily Kwong, host of NPR's podcast "Shortwave," talk about Black families living in the aftermath of lynchings and police killings in their communities.

6 Jan 2025

Do GLP-1 receptor agonists increase the risk of suicide in patients?

A nationwide study confirms GLP-1 RAs pose no short-term psychiatric risk, showing a negative association with suicidal behaviors in high-risk populations.

6 Jan 2025

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Under Rhiannon White's leadership, Clue is transforming menstrual health tracking into a powerful tool for research and improved reproductive health outcomes.

3 Jan 2025

New Year, new approach to weight loss: Almost three quarters of UK women are considering using GLP-1s in 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, the new year ushers in the opportunity to set new goals for the year ahead. While weight-loss and fitness are staples of New Year resolutions they are commonly known to be the unsustainable resolutions that don't continue past January.

3 Jan 2025

Sleep deprivation disrupts brain regions that prevent unwanted memories

The link between poor sleep and mental health problems could be related to deficits in brain regions that keep unwanted thoughts out of mind, according to research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

2 Jan 2025

Urgent training needed to address growing gap in the Asia Pacific health workforce

Training for health workers, including those based in communities where access to services is limited, is urgently needed to address the growing gap in the Asia Pacific health workforce, say leaders in the sector.

2 Jan 2025

Psilocybin shows potential for treating mental health disorders in people with cancer and addiction

One or two doses of psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, may improve the mental health of cancer patients when accompanied by psychotherapy, a new report suggests.

2 Jan 2025

Smartphone app enhances retention and reduces opioid use in patients

Patients with opioid use disorder can reduce their days of opioid use and stay in treatment longer when using a smartphone app as supportive therapy in combination with medication, a new study by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) shows.

30 Dec 2024

Structural brain differences in adolescents may play a role in early initiation of substance use

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not.

30 Dec 2024

Global study highlights Singapore's top ranking in aging society preparedness

Singapore has been ranked among the world's top 10 nations - and first in Asia - for its readiness to address the challenges and leverage the opportunities of an aging population, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Columbia University.

27 Dec 2024

LGBTQ+ people relive old traumas as they age on their own

Bill Hall, 71, has been fighting for his life for 38 years. These days, he's feeling worn out.

24 Dec 2024

Twelve factors to protect brain health in the New Year

Improving your brain health in the new year can start with a simple step, talking with your neurologist or primary care physician about 12 factors to protect your brain.

23 Dec 2024

‘Waiting list to nowhere’: Homelessness surveys trap Black men on the streets

Maurice Clark huddled in his tent along dusty railroad tracks as two homeless-outreach workers began asking him questions to determine whether he would qualify for free or subsidized housing.

23 Dec 2024

Caseworkers coax homeless people out of Las Vegas’ tunnels for treatment

Case manager Bryon Johnson flashed a light into a dark tunnel beneath the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip on a recent fall afternoon. He stepped into an opening in a concrete ditch littered with trash and discarded clothing to search an underground world for his homeless clients.

23 Dec 2024

Higher daily step counts associated with fewer depressive symptoms

A systematic review reveals that walking 7,000+ steps daily is associated with lower depression risk, underscoring physical activity's role in mental health.

20 Dec 2024

Research sheds light on the ethical complexities in conducting Industry-funded cannabis studies

In the first study of its kind, research led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) sheds light on the ethical complexities and systemic barriers facing scientists conducting cannabis research funded by the for-profit cannabis industry.

19 Dec 2024

Study finds facial shape differences linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

A study published in Psychiatry Research identifies subtle differences in facial shapes that may be linked to the diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

19 Dec 2024

Vanderbilt researchers achieve milestone in Alzheimer's drug development

Researchers at the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, a clinical stage biotech within the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, have detailed the successful drug discovery of a phase I single ascending dose clinical trial of VU319, a drug for memory loss in people with Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

19 Dec 2024

Study reveals significant improvements in the health of older adults in England

A new study from the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at the Mailman School of Public Health reveals significant improvements in the health of older adults in England when compared to previous generations.

19 Dec 2024

Combining psychedelics with meditation increases mindfulness and mystical-type transcendence

Researchers assessed whether combining psychedelics, namely DMT and harmine as two active ingredients in ayahuasca, with meditation increases mindfulness, compassion, insight, and mystical-type transcendence to a higher degree than meditation with a placebo.

19 Dec 2024