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New review calls for biologically grounded approach to psychiatric diagnosis

A comprehensive invited review published today in Brain Medicine confronts one of the most persistent paradoxes in modern medicine: psychiatry remains the only major clinical discipline that diagnoses complex illness primarily through conversation and symptom checklists, while fields such as oncology and cardiology long ago embraced laboratory markers, imaging, and molecular profiling.

10 Mar 2026

Using a smartwatch to detect changes in brain health

Can smartphones or smartwatches help detect early signs of neurological or mental illness? Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) monitored a group of participants wearing connected devices, and used artificial intelligence to analyze data such as heart rate, physical activity, sleep and air pollution.

10 Mar 2026

Frequent phone checking linked to weaker attention in middle and high school students

A new study from researchers at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that middle and high school students spend nearly one-third of the school day on their smartphones, checking them dozens of times, often for social media and entertainment, with frequent checking linked to weaker attention and impulse control.

9 Mar 2026

Brain rhythms may explain modern digital distraction susceptibility

Scientists may have new answers to why pop-ups or notifications grab our attention. Turns out our attention is on a cycle, shifting seven to ten times per second.

25 Feb 2026

Can mobile apps change how we eat?

Evaluating digital tools for sustainable eating, the review highlights initial positive impacts but stresses the importance of long-term effectiveness research.

18 Feb 2026

Attachment insecurity and materialism drive phubbing in relationships

New research reveals how attachment insecurity and materialistic values fuel 'phubbing' in romantic relationships.

13 Feb 2026

Wearable biosensor could improve wireless glucose monitoring for people with diabetes

A wearable biosensor developed by Washington State University researchers could improve wireless glucose monitoring for people with diabetes, making it more cost-effective, accurate, and less invasive than current models.

11 Feb 2026

Posture-induced retinal vascular response predicts diabetic retinopathy progression

Diabetic retinopathy develops through complex microvascular damage driven by chronic hyperglycemia, yet traditional risk factors such as disease duration or glycemic control explain only part of individual risk.

11 Feb 2026

Why “low testosterone” has become a profitable masculinity crisis online

Social media's portrayal of low testosterone transforms masculinity into a marketable issue, linking health interventions to male identity and performance.

6 Feb 2026

Artificial intelligence enables faster detection of substance use disorder

Diagnosing substance-use disorder can be difficult because of patient denial related to the stigma attached to addiction.

5 Feb 2026

Miniaturized ultrasound system may enable earlier detection of breast cancer

For people who are at high risk of developing breast cancer, frequent screenings with ultrasound can help detect tumors early. MIT researchers have now developed a miniaturized ultrasound system that could make it easier for breast ultrasounds to be performed more often, either at home or at a doctor's office.

2 Feb 2026

ŌURA and NUS launch joint lab to advance personalized preventive health

ŌURA, maker of the most scientifically validated smart ring, Oura Ring, and the Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), today announced the opening of the Oura–NUS Joint Lab, a new research entity dedicated to advancing personalized preventive health.

21 Jan 2026

Study examines the benefits of digital disconnection in daily life

What effect does it have on our well-being when we put our smartphones aside for a while or otherwise disconnect from digital media? Alicia Gilbert, a research associate at the Department of Communication at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), together with two colleagues from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), examined this question.

20 Jan 2026

University of Cincinnati receives AMA grant to advance precision medical education

The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine has been selected as a recipient of an American Medical Association (AMA) grant to use artificial intelligence to advance physician training through personalized learning.

16 Jan 2026

Smoking cessation apps can boost quit rates, especially alongside medication

Smartphone apps show promise in smoking cessation, outperforming minimal support and enhancing traditional interventions, according to a recent meta-analysis.

16 Jan 2026

What makes depression apps safe, effective, and trustworthy?

The study identifies 28 key criteria for assessing depression apps, emphasizing safety and clinical validity to enhance digital mental health interventions.

15 Jan 2026

Real-time smartphone monitoring improves evaluation of insomnia treatment effectiveness

About one in nine adults suffer from chronic insomnia and its residual effects like drowsiness, cognitive issues, and irritability as well as increased health risks like diabetes and heart risks if left untreated.

8 Jan 2026

Everyday light exposure shapes how alert and mentally sharp we feel outside the lab

This real-world study shows that recent and habitual light exposure are linked to lower subjective sleepiness and faster reaction times in daily life. Brighter and more stable daytime light patterns were associated with better performance on specific cognitive tasks, independent of sleep and time of day.

18 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

Cuffless blood pressure devices show great promise as alternatives to traditional arm-cuff monitors

Cuffless devices to measure blood pressure, such as smartwatches, rings, patches and fingertip monitors, show great promise as alternatives to traditional arm-cuff monitors, however, they are not yet proven accurate enough to diagnose high blood pressure or guide treatment decisions, according to a new scientific statement published today in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.

11 Dec 2025