Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

New scientific project to explore nature-based therapies for improving mental health

Can mental health benefit from nature-based health therapies? A new scientific project led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) will explore how these types of therapies, consisting of frequent exposure to natural green spaces, could be integrated into public health and nature promotion policies to improve the mental health of the population and reduce inequalities in addressing these pathologies.

23 Feb 2024

Pregnancy care was always lacking in jails. It could get worse.

It was about midnight in June 2022 when police officers showed up at Angela Collier's door and told her that someone anonymously requested a welfare check because they thought she might have had a miscarriage.

23 Feb 2024

Early childhood appetite traits linked to adolescent eating disorders, study finds

The longitudinal relationships between appetitive qualities in early childhood and eating problem symptoms in adolescence.

23 Feb 2024

Neighborhood violence impacts children's brain development

Living in neighborhoods with high levels of violence can affect children's development by changing the way that a part of the brain detects and responds to potential threats, potentially leading to poorer mental health and other negative outcomes, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

22 Feb 2024

Delta opioid receptor agonist reduces anxiety-like behavior in mice

Anxiety-related disorders can have a profound impact on the mental health and quality of life of affected individuals.

22 Feb 2024

Combination interventions increase PrEP uptake among at-risk youth, study shows

A UCLA Health-led study found a combination of interventions of one-on-one telehealth coaching, peer support forums, and automated text messages more than doubled the use of the HIV prevention strategy, called PrEP, among younger, at-risk Americans, a group that historically has had low use of the medication.

22 Feb 2024

Health care workers push for their own confidential mental health treatment

States are redefining when medical professionals can get mental health treatment without risking notifying the boards that regulate their licenses.

22 Feb 2024

Underutilized obesity treatments could transform patient health

When someone has obesity, losing even 5% of their body weight can make a major difference in their health -- especially if they can keep from regaining it.

21 Feb 2024

Maternal bereavement before or during pregnancy raises heart failure risk in offspring

Prenatal stress is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in offspring later in life. In a new study published today in JACC: Heart Failure, maternal loss of a partner or child shortly before or during pregnancy was found to be associated with increased risk of heart failure up to middle-age in the child.

21 Feb 2024

Maternal mental illness: An under-recognized contributor to the mortality of new mothers

Painting a sobering picture, a research team led by Children's National Hospital culled years of data demonstrating that maternal mental illness is an under-recognized contributor to the death of new mothers.

21 Feb 2024

Study explores link between social camouflage and mental health among autistic people in Japan and the UK

As people with autism grow up, they face unique challenges. They find it difficult to deal with mental health issues.

21 Feb 2024

New position statement emphasizes patient-centered care in diabetes management

Health care providers who treat diabetes need to think beyond the clinical numbers, such as solely focusing on a person's glucose goals.

21 Feb 2024

Study highlights COVID-19's mental health toll on older adults with stroke history

A new longitudinal study from the University of Toronto highlights the substantial mental health toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults with a history of stroke.

21 Feb 2024

Study: 2021 Child Tax Credit expansion aided families during pandemic hardship

As a proposal to reinstate expanded Child Tax Credits (CTC) in the United States awaits a vote in the Senate, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers reveals that the now-expired 2021 CTC expansion benefitted families experiencing financial setbacks due to health or employment challenges spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

20 Feb 2024

Physical activity counters social isolation's mental toll

Physical activity significantly offsets the negative impact of social isolation on mental health, with neuroimaging showing its potential as a compensatory mechanism for emotional well-being.

20 Feb 2024

Early childhood food responsiveness may predict eating disorder symptoms

An enthusiastic response to food in early childhood may be linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing eating disorder symptoms in adolescence, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL and Erasmus University Rotterdam.

20 Feb 2024

Adolescent males with anorexia nervosa have higher mortality rates

Anorexia nervosa affects males as well as females, and affected males have a sixfold higher mortality rate than males in the general population. A new article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to raise awareness of this life-threatening eating disorder.

20 Feb 2024