Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life.

Clinical Depression: Diagnosis, Causes & Treatment

Depression is a clinical condition that, contrary to popular opinion, cannot simply be overcome with time and it needs to be treated.

Depression and Sleep Length

Food Insecurity and Depression

5 Facts You May Not Know About Depression

Causes of Depression

Symptoms of Depression

Treatment of Depression

How is Depression in Children Diagnosed?

How Can I Tell if My Child is Depressed?

Situational Depression: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Can Depression and Anxiety Occur Together?

Depression Diagnosis

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Prisoner Depression and Low Mood

Intrusive Thoughts and Depression

Contributing Factors to Post-Adoption Depression

Link Between Chronic Illness and Depression

Antidepressants and Weight Changes

Treatment Options for Children with Depression

Ghrelin and Depression

Genes and Depression

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

How Does Your Diet Affect Depression?

Depression in children

Latest Depression News and Research

Hormonal birth control influences emotion and memory in women

Hormonal birth control is a fact of life for millions of women. In the U.S. alone, more than 60 million women of reproductive age have used contraceptives according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most often to prevent pregnancy but also to manage conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome and irregular cycles.

29 Aug 2025

Most autistic adults over 40 in the UK remain undiagnosed

89 to 97 per cent of autistic adults aged 40+ years are undiagnosed in the UK, according to the largest review of its kind which was conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.

29 Aug 2025

Fentanyl abuse impairs cardiac cell function and contributes to heart rhythm defects

In recent years, fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, has been a main contributor to the opioid crisis.

28 Aug 2025

Cardiovascular outcomes worsen in patients with mental health conditions

Every 34 seconds, someone in the United States dies from heart disease. As nearly half of the country suffers from some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), another 1 in 4 adults experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime, signaling an inevitable overlap.

28 Aug 2025

Research sheds new light on depression’s biological roots

Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Institute have identified two specific types of brain cells that are altered in people with depression.

28 Aug 2025

Alcohol misuse among college students linked to academic and mental health harms

It's well known that alcohol misuse can harm not only drinkers themselves but also those around them. Now, a new report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs shows that, among college students, harms such as lower grades, mental distress and even suicidal thoughts are linked to being exposed to a drinker's poor behavior.

28 Aug 2025

Online cognitive behavioral therapy shows promise for treating bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa (BN), or bulimia, is a mental health disorder characterized by binge eating and a fear of gaining weight, which drives people to try and avoid weight gain, usually by compensatory (vomiting etc.).

27 Aug 2025

Using cannabis to self medicate linked to higher risk of paranoia

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, in partnership with the University of Bath, has found that the reasons why a person chooses to use cannabis can increase their risk of developing paranoia.

27 Aug 2025

Changing school shifts does not improve academic performance in students with ADHD

Several studies have shown that students who attend afternoon classes tend to perform better in school than those who attend morning classes. This is due to greater synchrony between class times and students' biological clocks.

27 Aug 2025

Cognitive behavioral therapy linked to increased grey matter in emotion processing regions

Psychotherapy leads to measurable changes in brain structure. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the University of Münster have demonstrated this for the first time in a study in "Translational Psychiatry" by using cognitive behavioral therapy.

27 Aug 2025

Mediterranean diet lowers dementia risk by altering key metabolites

Researchers linked genetics, plasma metabolites, and Mediterranean diet adherence to dementia risk in two large US cohorts, showing APOE4 homozygotes had distinct metabolic pathways. Diet-related metabolites mediated protection, highlighting precision-prevention opportunities.

26 Aug 2025

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

In this interview, Jonathan Ferguson discusses how knowledge of an emerging public health concern identified at Pittcon 2024 has evolved a year on.

From Pittcon 26 Aug 2025

Parents of premature babies have poorer sleep quality, study shows

Long sleepless nights and little rest are for many the beginning of parenthood. But how big is the problem really, and how does it affect our health? Gunhild Nordbø Marthinsen has explored this in her doctoral research at the University of Agder.

26 Aug 2025

Australian teachers face severe stress and unmanageable workloads at alarming rates

Nine out of 10 Australian teachers are experiencing severe stress, and nearly 70% say their workload is unmanageable, says UNSW Sydney research.

26 Aug 2025

How shifting mindsets after catastrophes can promote mental and physical health

Catastrophes, by definition, are devastating, but they can often be catalysts for lasting, positive change – and if people can adopt that perspective, they may see some real benefits, a Stanford-led study suggests.

26 Aug 2025

HIIT increases aerobic capacity even when BMI stays the same

HIIT effectively improves health outcomes in obese teens, enhancing fitness and metabolic health while reducing body fat and improving cholesterol profiles.

26 Aug 2025

Having a sense of purpose linked to lower dementia risk

Research into Blue Zones - regions of the world where people tend to live longer - shows that having a sense of purpose in life may help people live longer.

25 Aug 2025

History of traumatic brain injury tied to greater chance of malignant brain tumors

New research led by investigators at Mass General Brigham suggests a link between a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and risk of developing a malignant brain tumor.

25 Aug 2025

New study reveals long road to seizure control for people with focal epilepsy

Antiseizure medications help the majority of people with focal epilepsy, a common form of the neurological disorder.

25 Aug 2025

Neural signature reveals how self-preoccupation manifests in the brain

People tend to be self-preoccupied. Self-interest is good when it ensures that one's needs are met, but it can also be maladaptive; research shows that the tendency to self-focus promotes the occurrence of depression and anxiety and can even prolong these conditions.

25 Aug 2025