Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Short-chain oat fiber helps steady glucose and ease gut symptoms in pilot trial

A 14-day open-label pilot study in 63 healthy adults found that short-chain oat fiber was well tolerated at doses up to 20 g/day and was associated with improved gastrointestinal symptom scores.

14 Jun 2026

Grandparents can help counter growing children's mental health challenges

As more than 40% of American teenagers report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a leading child psychologist says grandparents and extended family have a vital role to play.

13 Jun 2026

Study reveals unconscious filtering of emotionally negative words

We tend to assume that emotionally charged words are more likely to grab our attention. An insult shouted across a crowded room or a disturbing phrase overheard on television can seem impossible to ignore.

12 Jun 2026

Saliva biomarkers can directly detect acute sleep deprivation

A research team at the University of Zurich (UZH) has discovered biomarkers of sleep loss in saliva. Acute sleep deprivation can be detected using just a single saliva sample.

12 Jun 2026

Self-help program improves mental health among displaced refugees

A simple self-help workbook paired with brief phone support can make a measurable difference to the mental health of displaced refugees, a new study has found.

11 Jun 2026

Increased stress, reduced sleep alter brain structure and function in children

A new study suggests that variables linked to socioeconomic status (SES) – such as increased stress and reduced sleep – have strong relationships to brain structure and function in children.

11 Jun 2026

High social media use increases mental health risks for adolescents

Adolescents who spend at least two hours a day on social media are more likely to experience depressive symptoms and poorer wellbeing, with the strongest effects in early adolescence, according to new research.

11 Jun 2026

Chronic pancreatitis care must expand beyond simple pain management

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) diminishes quality-of-life (QoL) across mobility, self-care, daily activities, mental health, and pain-not just abdominal discomfort-according to a new Mayo Clinic study available online on August 27, 2025, and published in Volume 9, Issue 1 of the Journal of Pancreatology on March 30, 2026.

11 Jun 2026

Remote work is reshaping social life and mental health in America

Zang and O’Brien’s Science Perspective highlights evidence that the post-pandemic rise in remote work has increased time spent alone and contributed to higher psychological distress among US workers. Drawing on findings from Emanuel et al., the article argues that workplaces provide an overlooked form of social infrastructure, making hybrid scheduling and institutional support important for preserving flexibility without deepening isolation.

10 Jun 2026

Remote work explains part of the post-pandemic rise in mental distress

Researchers found that workers in remote jobs spent more time alone after the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced greater psychological distress than those in non-remote jobs. The effects were strongest among people living alone, suggesting that reduced everyday social contact may be an important cost of remote work.

10 Jun 2026

Quality of life for working-age Japanese adults declines steadily

The COVID-19 pandemic upended many aspects of everyday life, including socialization, office work, and medical care, but little data was available to quantify how those changes affected quality of life both during the pandemic and over the long term, particularly on a national scale.

10 Jun 2026

Proactive brain training strengthens mental wellness before challenges arise

A new study recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology challenges the traditional, reactive model of mental health care by demonstrating that proactive brain training can strengthen the human mind before mental health challenges take root.

10 Jun 2026

Aggressive healthcare chatbots push away cervical screening patients

Patients booking cervical screening appointments through an AI chatbot respond positively to friendliness and choice-oriented language, but are put off by over-messaging, pushy reminders and blurred human-AI boundaries, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

10 Jun 2026

European study connects youth mental health to economic parity

Xabi Martinez-Mendia, a researcher at the EHU-University of the Basque Country, has analysed how adolescent psychotropic drug consumption is linked to gender inequality and economic factors in 32 European countries.

10 Jun 2026

Social anxiety disorder now affects one in seven Canadian adults

A new Canadian study has found that social anxiety disorder (SAD) now affects nearly 1 in 7 adults - a 71% increase since 2002 - making it one of the most common mental health challenges in the country.

10 Jun 2026

More daily steps translate to improved mental health and better sleep among college students

University students who aren't always enthused about walking across campus for class can take heart in new research that suggests lots of daily steps translates to improved mental health and better sleep.

9 Jun 2026

New digital platform treats insomnia and anxiety in seniors

Cognitive behavioral therapies for insomnia (CBT-I) are increasingly being delivered online in order to improve accessibility.

9 Jun 2026

Large study uncovers brain network differences in bipolar disorder

New research from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has discovered subtle but widespread differences in the brain's communication networks in people with bipolar disorder, offering new insight into how illness severity and treatment may relate to brain wiring.

9 Jun 2026

Uninherited parental genes leave lasting imprint on children's lives

Our parents' genes, even the ones we didn't inherit, leave a measurable lasting imprint on our lives. An international team led by researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health developed a new approach to analyze genetic data from tens of thousands of families.

9 Jun 2026

New study identifies brain circuit behind TMS’s antidepressant effects

A circuit that runs from the prefrontal cortex near the front of the brain to a deeper brain structure called the insular cortex appears to mediate the antidepressant effects of a newer form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

9 Jun 2026