Psychotherapy News and Research

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Psychotherapy is “talk” therapy. It involves talking with a mental health professional to treat a mental illness. Psychotherapy can occur one-on-one or in a group. Research shows that support from family and friends can be an important part of therapy.

Discovery sheds light on protein's role in myelin formation and schizophrenia

Research published in the Journal of Neurochemistry has detailed the role of a protein, hnRNP A1, in the formation and stability of myelin, suggesting an important impact on neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders such as multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia.

17 Apr 2025

Can psychedelics break compulsive eating habits in obesity?

A review by Oxford researchers explores how psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD may help disrupt compulsive eating behaviors in subsets of obese individuals. The paper outlines proposed neurobiological, epigenetic, and gut-brain mechanisms while emphasizing the need for human trials.

10 Apr 2025

Relaxation methods offer temporary relief for high blood pressure

Relaxation techniques may help lower high blood pressure-at least in the short term-but the longer term effects are unclear, finds a pooled data analysis of the existing research published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

9 Apr 2025

Mindfulness and CBT provide long-term relief for chronic back pain

The list of treatments for low back pain is endless, but few offer relief for the one in four Americans who suffer from this persistent pain and leading cause of disability globally. More than 80% of those with chronic low back pain wished there were better treatment options.

7 Apr 2025

Scientists confirm neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility

For the first time, scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility, according to new research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

28 Mar 2025

AI-powered therapy chatbot shows significant mental health benefits

Dartmouth researchers conducted the first clinical trial of a therapy chatbot powered by generative AI and found that the software resulted in significant improvements in participants' symptoms, according to results published March 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine AI.

27 Mar 2025

The Colorado psychedelic mushroom experiment has arrived

Colorado regulators are issuing licenses for providing psychedelic mushrooms and are planning to authorize the state's first "healing centers," where the mushrooms can be ingested under supervision, in late spring or early summer.

24 Mar 2025

Rubber hand illusion can decrease pain intensity

Researchers conducted an experiment in which test subjects felt like a rubber hand was part of their own body. As a result, their own hand became less sensitive to pain.

18 Mar 2025

Psychological prehabilitation can significantly enhance recovery after surgery

A new analysis led by surgeons at UCLA Health finds that psychological prehabilitation can significantly enhance recovery after surgery.

17 Mar 2025

Reproductive justice principles improve perinatal mental health for Black birthing patients

Perinatal interventions guided by reproductive justice principles can have positive effects on the perinatal mental health of Black birthing patients and, perhaps, the mental health development of their infants, states a systematic review published in a special issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry, part of the Lippincott portfolio from Wolters Kluwer.

10 Mar 2025

Talk therapy delivered by non-specialists effective for pregnant and postpartum individuals

Approximately one in five of pregnant and postpartum individuals experience depression and anxiety, yet less than 10 per cent receive proper treatment.

3 Mar 2025

Hallucinogen use linked to increased risk of mortality in emergency care patients

People seeking emergency care for hallucinogen use were at 2.6-fold higher risk of death within 5 years than the general population, according to a new study published in CMAJ.

3 Mar 2025

$4.9 million grant aims to enhance PTSD treatment using MDMA and psychotherapy

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and their collaborators at Emory University have received a $4.9 million grant aimed at significantly improving treatment and recovery rates for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

27 Feb 2025

Can AI be your therapist? Study shows ChatGPT outperforms professionals in key areas

AI-assisted mental health care is evolving, with ChatGPT-4 outperforming therapists in empathy and cultural competence, raising implications for psychotherapy.

17 Feb 2025

ChatGPT outperforms psychotherapists in therapy response ratings, study shows

When it comes to comparing responses written by psychotherapists to those written by ChatGPT,the latter are generally rated higher, according to a study published February 12, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by H. Dorian Hatch, from The Ohio State University and co-founder of Hatch Data and Mental Health, and colleagues

12 Feb 2025

Depression linked to specific changes in eating preferences

Depression affects 280 million people worldwide. The mental illness has been proven to lead to changes in eating behavior.

6 Feb 2025

Social but lonely? The emotional challenges of highly sensitive people

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) experience greater emotional loneliness due to their deep need for meaningful relationships, but their social interactions are similar to the general population.

22 Jan 2025

Exploring the use of genomic classifier tests in prostate cancer risk stratification

A systematic review found that while genomic classifier (GC) tests may influence risk classifications or treatment decisions for patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa), there is a need for better data on their cost-effectiveness, clinical utility, and their impact on racial and ethnic groups, particularly Black men.

20 Jan 2025

European research project seeks faster depression treatment solutions

Depression can affect anyone. It is common, and in many cases severe. These days, there are good treatments available, typically involving a combination of psychotherapy and medication.

10 Jan 2025

Addressing loneliness in borderline personality disorder treatment

Loneliness is a key driver in the maintenance of borderline personality disorder (BPD), Harvard researchers argue. Thus, many patients cite increased social connection as a primary treatment goal.

6 Jan 2025