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Hair cortisol levels signal mental health risks in children with chronic illness

Long-term stress levels, measured through hair samples, may provide important clues about mental health risks in children with chronic physical illnesses (CPI), according to new research from the University of Waterloo.

15 Sep 2025

Barriers in NHS services leave autistic people without suicide support

Life-saving opportunities to prevent suicide among autistic people are being missed because systemic barriers make it difficult for them to access NHS support during times of mental health crisis, according to new research.

15 Sep 2025

Daily meal timing influences longevity risk in adults, study reveals

Researchers analysing Aging Cell data from over 33,000 US adults found a U-shaped link between daily eating window length and mortality. Eating for 11–12 hours per day was tied to the lowest risk, while very short (<8h) or long (≥15h) windows raised death risk, especially in older and White participants.

15 Sep 2025

Heart attacks in women under age 65 are caused by factors other than clogged arteries

A new Mayo Clinic study finds that many heart attacks in people under 65 - especially women - are caused by factors other than clogged arteries, challenging long-standing assumptions about how heart attacks occur in younger populations.

15 Sep 2025

Trauma-focused CBT could offer hope for young PTSD sufferers

A specialist form of therapy could offer hope for some of the most vulnerable young PTSD sufferers – according to a University of East Anglia study.

15 Sep 2025

Gestational diabetes poses substantial cognitive dysfunction risks for both mothers and offspring

A new synthesis of global evidence finds that experiencing gestational diabetes during pregnancy is linked with a decline in intellectual function among mothers, and may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

15 Sep 2025

How processed red meat might drive neurodegenerative diseases

The relationship between processed red meat and neurodegenerative diseases is complex, with potential risks and protective effects requiring more investigation.

15 Sep 2025

Keto diet reduces depression symptoms by 70% in college students

Research indicates a ketogenic diet may serve as an effective adjunct therapy for major depression in college students, improving mood and cognitive abilities.

15 Sep 2025

Ketogenic diets may lower migraine frequency and medication use

This narrative review argues that the migraine brain is hypometabolic, with converging evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired glucose handling, neuroinflammation, microbiome shifts, and obesity-related pathways. It proposes ketogenic diets as a plausible preventive strategy that may reduce monthly migraine days and medication use, while emphasizing the need for larger, rigorous randomized trials and careful clinical oversight.

14 Sep 2025

Study identifies thalamic pathway that reinforces alcohol seeking in withdrawal

What compels someone to keep engaging in alcohol use, even if it damages their health, relationships and wellbeing? A new study from Scripps Research offers an important clue: a small midline brain region plays a key role in how animals learn to continue drinking to avoid the stress and misery of withdrawal.

13 Sep 2025

Global review links firearm access and ownership to mental health harms

Interventions to address firearm accessibility and related dangers should account not only for direct exposure to violence but also for complex psychosocial pathways through which firearms affect mental health across populations, according to a systematic scoping review published in the September/October issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry, part of the Lippincott portfolio from Wolters Kluwer.

13 Sep 2025

Genetic mutation in some East Asians linked to aldehyde storm and increased liver disease risk

Researchers have identified the mechanism by which a common genetic mutation increases liver disease risk. Their findings suggest that healthy choices, such as increasing antioxidants and limiting exposure to smoke, may reduce the risk of this disease.

13 Sep 2025

Caregiver personas offer insights for improving dementia medication management

Understanding the strategies and unmet needs of caregivers managing medications for people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias may improve the lives of both caregivers and patients.

13 Sep 2025

Children in the North of England face longer wait times for autism diagnosis

Children in the North of England are waiting up to three years longer than those in the south for an autism diagnosis, new data analysis shows.

11 Sep 2025

Blocking immune brake protein boosts defense against Aspergillus fumigatus

People are exposed to millions of fungal spores every day, even potentially harmful ones like those from Aspergillus fumigatus.

11 Sep 2025

Food insecurity raises long COVID risk while SNAP support cuts it

Food insecurity was linked to 73% higher odds of current Long COVID and 30% lower odds of recovery among US adults with prior infection, based on National Health Interview Survey data. Participation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) mitigated this association, highlighting food assistance as a potential public health intervention.

11 Sep 2025