Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Krakencoder reveals neural connections behind brain function

Using an algorithm they call the Krakencoder, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine are a step closer to unraveling how the brain's wiring supports the way we think and act.

5 Jun 2025

Fighting weight stigma is key to better mental health outcomes after weight loss surgery

New research shows that weight stigma-and not weight itself-has the biggest impact on mental health and healthy behaviors in the years after weight-loss surgery.

5 Jun 2025

Trump decried crime in America, then gutted funding for gun violence prevention

Violent crime was already trending down from a covid-era spike when President Donald Trump presented a picture of unbridled crime in America on the campaign trail in 2024.

5 Jun 2025

Talking therapy boosts recovery in stroke survivors with depression or anxiety

Stroke survivors with depression or anxiety who attend talking therapy sessions are more likely to recover from their psychological symptoms, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

5 Jun 2025

Early gut bacteria may help protect babies from respiratory infections

A baby's makeup of gut bacteria - their microbiome - which starts to form as soon as they are born, could help protect against viral infections later in childhood, a new study suggests.

5 Jun 2025

Common antibiotic shows promise in reducing preterm births

A study of almost 1000 pregnant women in Zimbabwe found that a daily dose of a commonly used, safe and inexpensive antibiotic may have led to fewer babies being born early.

5 Jun 2025

UK study shows 'takeaway night' more than just fast food for families

A UK study found that nearly all families occasionally eat takeaway food together, with most using it as a convenient, social treat. However, frequent takeaway consumption is more common in both high- and low-income families, revealing complex socio-economic patterns.

4 Jun 2025

AI and clinicians compared in handling complex medical cases

A University of Maine study compared how well artificial intelligence models and human clinicians handled complex or sensitive medical cases.

4 Jun 2025

Early brain wiring holds clues to infant emotional development

In a comprehensive Genomic Press research article, scientists have uncovered remarkable insights into how the earliest brain connections shape infant emotional development, potentially offering new ways to identify children at risk for future behavioral and emotional challenges.

3 Jun 2025

Whole-class mental health sessions in schools help reduce depression and anxiety

Whole-class mental health sessions in schools have a small but significant effect in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, according to new analysis led by researchers at UCL (University College London) and Anna Freud.

3 Jun 2025

Pitt researchers challenge a decades-old assumption about brain plasticity

A new study from Pitt researchers challenges a decades-old assumption in neuroscience by showing that the brain uses distinct transmission sites - not a shared site - to achieve different types of plasticity.

3 Jun 2025

Greenspace exposure supports brain development and mental health in adolescents

Researchers have found that greenspace exposure is associated with widespread patterns of structural brain development during early adolescence, which in turn are associated with better academic and mental outcomes.

3 Jun 2025

Understanding barriers to treatment for cannabis use disorder in the United States

As cannabis becomes more potent and widely used in the United States – especially among young adults – concerns about cannabis use disorder are growing. More than 16 million Americans meet the criteria, yet most never receive treatment.

3 Jun 2025

New study stands to improve the rigor and reliability of psychedelic clinical trials

As psychedelics gain traction as potential treatments for mental health disorders, an international study led by researchers at McGill University, Imperial College London, and the University of Exeter stands to improve the rigor and reliability of clinical research.

3 Jun 2025