Anxiety News and Research

Latest Anxiety News and Research

New scientific statement defines brain health across life

Brain health isn't determined only by genetics or what happens later in life. A growing body of research shows that a range of factors-from mental health and sleep to environment, lifestyle and social conditions-play a powerful role in shaping how the brain functions and ages.

28 Apr 2026

New intervention improves coping and well-being in young cancer patients

A cancer diagnosis can upend any life. For young adults already navigating a step into independence, it can be especially distressing.

28 Apr 2026

Stronger slow-wave sleep helps older adults regulate anxiety overnight

Researchers at Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas have identified a specific feature of sleep that helps older adults regulate anxiety overnight - and shown that, as it deteriorates with age, emotional wellbeing deteriorates along with it.

27 Apr 2026

Socio-economic gaps hinder mental health care for children and teens

Children and young people from deprived areas with mental health conditions are less likely to access mental health services, according to a new study led by experts from the University of Nottingham.

27 Apr 2026

Can doula care improve pregnancy outcomes?

The role of doulas in maternal care is evolving, with studies suggesting improved health outcomes, yet further research is needed for comprehensive insights.

27 Apr 2026

Baby teeth reveal early metal exposure effects on brain

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report that early-life exposure to common environmental metals may influence brain development and behavioral health more than a decade later.

25 Apr 2026

Drinking coffee alters your microbiome, mood, and memory

Coffee consumption influences the microbiota-gut-brain axis, affecting cognitive performance and emotional regulation through complex biological pathways.

24 Apr 2026

Psilocybin use rises among Americans amid growing clinical interest

The use of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in "magic mushrooms," is rising in the United States alongside de‑criminalization efforts in several states and local jurisdictions, as well as heightened interest by the general public.

23 Apr 2026

Study links ADHD-related traits to increased chronic pain severity

A new study, led by researchers from the University of Tokyo, involving nearly 1,000 patients in Japan suggests that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related traits may be associated with and may contribute to chronic pain.

23 Apr 2026

Can exercise or ibuprofen fight chemo brain?

This study suggests exercise can mitigate cancer-related cognitive impairment, but combining it with ibuprofen offers no additional cognitive benefits.

23 Apr 2026

Sleep apnea more common in former football players than previously recognized

New research led by investigators at Vanderbilt Health and the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University suggests that sleep apnea may be far more common - and more clinically significant - among former professional football players than previously recognized.

22 Apr 2026

Bullying and social policies worsen mental health in gender-diverse teens

Gender-diverse adolescents who experience bullying and live in states with persistently unsupportive gender identity laws are significantly more likely to suffer escalating psychological distress compared to their peers, according to new research by UCLA Health.

21 Apr 2026

New guideline recommends combined therapies for chronic insomnia treatment

A new clinical practice guideline from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides evidence‑based recommendations on the combined use of behavioral‑psychological and pharmacological therapies to treat chronic insomnia disorder in adults.

21 Apr 2026

Calcium signals in microglia drive anxiety and compulsive behaviors

Researchers had previously discovered a population of immune cells within the brain that can act as accelerators and brakes for anxiety in mice. N

21 Apr 2026

Study links cognitive worries in Parkinson’s to anxiety and depression

For many individuals living with Parkinson's disease and those in its "prodromal" or early stages before movement impairment, there is a distressing gap between how they feel their brain is working and what clinical tests show.

21 Apr 2026

Gut microbiome clues may help spot Parkinson’s disease in its earliest phase

Researchers found that a Parkinson’s disease-related gut microbiome pattern appears not only in people with diagnosed Parkinson’s, but also in some non-manifesting GBA1 variant carriers and a subset of healthy individuals. The findings suggest that gut microbiome changes may help flag people who are closer to Parkinson’s disease development, although longitudinal studies are still needed to confirm predictive value.

21 Apr 2026

Coffee impacts the gut-brain axis to improve mood and stress

New research from APC Microbiome Ireland, a world leading research centre at University College Cork, has comprehensively explored the mechanisms behind coffee's positive effects on the gut-brain axis for the first time.

21 Apr 2026

Ibuprofen shown to improve cognitive function in patients undergoing chemotherapy

Researchers have already shown that mild to moderate exercise can reduce "chemo brain," and a new study suggests that a low dose of an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, ibuprofen, can also achieve positive results for cancer patients.

21 Apr 2026

Brain organoids may guide Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment

Scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine report new evidence that clusters of brain tissue derived from the cells of patients with Alzheimer's disease may be used to evaluate how certain patients with the neurodegenerative condition may respond to drugs commonly prescribed to treat psychiatric symptoms of the disorder.

20 Apr 2026

Serotonin may worsen tinnitus symptoms, mice study finds

The same neurotransmitter commonly leveraged to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety also may exacerbate a vexing condition known as tinnitus, according to new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

20 Apr 2026