Psychiatry News and Research

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Psychiatry is the treatment, study and prevention of mental disorders.

Marijuana use associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens

Using marijuana just once or twice a month was associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens, according to a large national study of adolescents led by Ryan Sultán, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

23 Dec 2025

Genes influence the gut microbiome beyond the individual

The gut microbiome - made up of trillions of microbes in the digestive tract - is vital for digestion and overall health. Diet and medication shape these microbial ecosystems, but the contribution of genetics has been more difficult to ascertain.

19 Dec 2025

ADHD linked to higher risk of criminal convictions within families

People with ADHD are at a higher risk of offending than those without an ADHD diagnosis. The same pattern appears among their relatives, according to a new study from örebro University.

18 Dec 2025

Confusing symptom questionnaires could undermine mental health diagnosis and treatment

Imagine sitting down for an appointment with a therapist – or any care provider. Perhaps it's the first time you've seen this provider, or the first time in a while. You'll likely need to fill out a form with a set of questions to ensure they know why you're there or how you're doing.

17 Dec 2025

Brain structural changes linked to chronic PTSD in World Trade Center responders

New research among World Trade Center (WTC) responders with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has uncovered measurable physical changes in their brain structure, consistent with changes in the balance of myelinated to unmyelinated neurons (fast- and slow-conducting nerve cells) across both hemispheres of the brain.

17 Dec 2025

Rethinking dopamine’s role in movement and Parkinson’s disease

A McGill-led study is challenging a popular theory about how dopamine drives movement, a discovery that could shift how scientists think about Parkinson's disease treatments.

17 Dec 2025

Combined physical frailty and depression may sharply raise dementia risk

Concurrent physical frailty and depression likely boost the risk of dementia in older people, with the interaction of these 2 factors alone contributing around 17% of the overall risk, suggest the findings of a large international study, published in the open access journal General Psychiatry.

16 Dec 2025

Alcohol-related liver disease deaths surge with widening socioeconomic gaps

Researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine say deaths from alcohol-related liver disease have surged in recent years, and the increase is hitting people without a college degree the hardest.

16 Dec 2025

Neuron structure variations impact sensory information processing in mice

Closely related subtypes of dopamine-releasing neurons may play entirely separate roles in processing sensory information, depending on their physical structure.

16 Dec 2025

Tau biology expands beyond microtubules to neurodegeneration, metabolism and mental illness

An Thought Leaders Invited Review published today in Genomic Psychiatry by Dr. Peng Lei and colleagues presents a sweeping synthesis of tau protein research that fundamentally reframes our understanding of this molecule's dual identity.

16 Dec 2025

Gut bacteria patterns differ in autism and siblings and link to social symptoms

This sibling-controlled East Asian study found that autistic individuals, their unaffected siblings, and typically developing controls differ in gut microbiota diversity and composition, with the clearest separation between autism and typical development. Specific taxa, particularly the butyrate-producing genus Anaerostipes, were modestly associated with social communication and internalising symptoms, supporting a gut–behaviour link without implying causality.

15 Dec 2025

Smartwatch alerts help parents manage children's tantrums

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a smartwatch-based alert system that signals parents at the earliest signs of a tantrum in children with emotional and behavioral disorders - prompting them to intervene before it intensifies.

15 Dec 2025

ADHD linked to higher risk of criminal convictions and family patterns

A largescale, comprehensive study has found that individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of being convicted of crimes compared to those without ADHD, and that this association extends to their relatives, suggesting shared familial factors such as genetics and environmental conditions.

15 Dec 2025

Six midlife depressive symptoms linked to dementia decades later

Six particular depressive symptoms when experienced in midlife predict dementia risk more than two decades later, finds a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers.

15 Dec 2025

FDA panelists questioned antidepressants in pregnancy. But doctors call them a lifeline.

If you are pregnant or a new mother who is struggling with depression or anxiety, you can call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 24/7: 833-TLC-MAMA (833-852-6262). Postpartum Support International can help connect you with a local mental health provider at 800-944-4773 or psidirectory.com.

15 Dec 2025

UC Irvine receives funding for clinical trial of neural stem cell therapy for Huntington's disease

Leslie M. Thompson, Donald Bren Professor of psychiatry and human behavior as well as neurobiology and behavior at the University of California, Irvine, has received an $11,999,933 grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for an unprecedented clinical trial of a novel neural stem cell therapy for Huntington's disease.

12 Dec 2025

Varenicline helps young people quit nicotine vaping regardless of cannabis use

Adolescent and young adult nicotine vaping has become an urgent public health concern, as 2024 marked the first year that nicotine vaping was the most initiated drug.

12 Dec 2025

Mass General Brigham launches AI company to enhance clinical trial matching

Mass General Brigham is announcing the spinout of AIwithCare, a company founded by researchers from the health system who developed an artificial intelligence (AI) screening tool that significantly outperformed manual screening for determining a patient's eligibility and enrolling them in a clinical trial.

12 Dec 2025

Massive genetics study shows what truly separates and unites 14 psychiatric disorders

This large-scale genomic analysis of 14 psychiatric disorders shows that most heritable risk is shared across five broad genetic factors, with only limited disorder-specific variation. The study maps where risks converge or diverge biologically, revealing distinct cell type signatures and developmental pathways that may guide future diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks.

12 Dec 2025

Study reveals shared genetic roots across multiple psychiatric disorders

Distinct psychiatric disorders have more in common biologically than previously believed, according to the largest and most detailed analysis to date of how genes influence mental illness.

11 Dec 2025