Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Adolescents' genetic risks tied to psychotic symptoms

Researchers examine the relationships between neuropsychiatric and cognitive polygenic scores, attention-related phenotypes, and psychosis symptoms.

1 Nov 2024

Personalization key to patient satisfaction with AI doctors

Artificial intelligence (AI) may one day play a larger role in medicine than the online symptom checkers available today. But these "AI doctors" may need to get more personal than human doctors to increase patient satisfaction, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.

1 Nov 2024

Telephone therapy reduces mental health symptoms in refugee children

Telephone therapy delivered to refugee children results in a significant drop in mental health symptoms and a far higher completion rate of treatment compared with in-person therapy, according to a first-of-its-kind led by the University of Surrey.

1 Nov 2024

Families who ate together more often during the pandemic had more positive interactions

A study reveals that increased family dinner frequency during COVID-19 positively impacts mental health and social interactions in children and adults.

31 Oct 2024

New insights on the association between genes, gut microbiota, and mental health

The study identifies links between gut microbiota, genetic variants in IBD, and mental health disorders, offering insights into potential biomarkers for CMDs.

31 Oct 2024

Study reveals cost-effective benefits of treating depression in low-income countries

Treating people in low-income countries for major depressive disorder can also help improve their physical health and household members' wellbeing, demonstrating that mental health treatments can be cost effective, according to a new RAND study.

30 Oct 2024

Study reveals increased mental health issues among university students during COVID-19

PhD in Public Health candidate Elaine Russell and her mentor Kenneth Griffin, professor in the department of Global and Community Health, in George Mason University's College of Public Health, worked with Tolulope Abidogun, also a PhD in Public Health student, and former Global and Community Health professor Lisa Lindley, now of Lehigh University, to analyze data from the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA III) in an effort to understand how university students' mental health needs changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

30 Oct 2024

Researchers identify genetic markers linked to neuropathic pain

European researchers have mapped the most comprehensive phenotyping of neuropathic pain and identified genetic markers associated with this serious condition.

30 Oct 2024

For people with opioid addiction, Medicaid ‘unwinding’ raises the stakes

It was hard enough for Stephanie to get methadone treatment when she moved to Florida from Indiana last year. The nearest clinic was almost an hour's drive away and she couldn't drive herself. But at least she didn't have to worry about the cost of care.

30 Oct 2024

Study questions causal link between cannabis and brain changes

Lifetime cannabis use is associated with several changes in brain structure and function in later life, suggests an observational study, but these associations may not be causal, finds a genetic analysis of the same data, published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health.

30 Oct 2024

Researchers uncover link between smell and inflammation

Researchers from the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, reveal a powerful link between olfactory loss and inflammation in a staggering 139 medical conditions. This research – led by professor emeritus Michael Leon, and researchers Cynthia Woo and Emily Troscianko – emphasizes a little-known but potentially life-altering connection: the role our sense of smell plays in maintaining our physical and mental health.

30 Oct 2024

New funding boosts efforts to revitalize flint communities

The Prevention Research Center of Michigan has spent decades researching ways to create safer, more inviting, and accessible neighborhood spaces to improve physical and mental health. Now, $5 million in renewed funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will enable the center to continue its community-based participatory research projects through at least 2029.

30 Oct 2024

Positive aging expectations linked to better cognitive perception

Getting older brings certain expectations, from gray hair and wrinkles to more bouts of forgetfulness. While these beliefs may seem harmless, whether a person views these changes in a positive or negative light may influence how they perceive their cognitive abilities, according to a new study from researchers in the Penn State College of Nursing.

29 Oct 2024

Non-invasive ultrasound therapy targets brain disorders, offers hope

Ultrasound, once used almost exclusively to take images of the body, is quickly developing into a targeted therapy that can have a potentially life-changing impact on our brains, according to the authors of a new article.

29 Oct 2024

Professor Vicki Clifton shares discoveries about placenta's influence on maternal mental health

In a revealing Genomic Press Interview published in Brain Medicine on October 29, 2024, Professor Vicki Clifton shares transformative discoveries about the placenta's unexpected influence on maternal mental health, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety and depression.

29 Oct 2024