Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Study finds addiction risk tied to reward and impulse genes

Most of the genetic risk for developing a substance use disorder comes from genes that broadly affect how our brains process rewards, regulate impulses and weigh consequences – not from genes that specifically influence substance use disorder or any single drug.

22 Mar 2026

Study explores post-game depression and emotional impact on players

Experiencing a sense of loss and sadness after dozens of hours spent on a video game? Researchers from SWPS University and the Stefan Batory Academy of Applied Sciences examined the feeling of emptiness that accompanies completing an engaging computer game.

19 Mar 2026

GLP-1 medications linked to reduced psychiatric hospital visits

GLP-1 medications used to treat diabetes and obesity were associated with a reduced need for hospital care and sickness absence due to psychiatric reasons, a new study shows.

18 Mar 2026

Burnout crisis demands science-based strategies beyond self-care solutions

Burnout is at an all-time high, with some studies saying two-thirds of employees now cite job burnout as a major challenge.

18 Mar 2026

Key gene mutation disrupts the brain’s ability to update beliefs in schizophrenia patients

One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is difficulty incorporating new information about the world. This can lead patients to struggle with making decisions and, eventually, to lose touch with reality.

18 Mar 2026

Maker of device to treat addiction withdrawal seeks counties’ opioid settlement cash

In the early 2000s, Michelle Warfield worked at a factory, hauling heavy seats for Ford trucks on and off an assembly line. To suppress daily aches in her back and hips, her doctor prescribed opioid painkillers.

18 Mar 2026

Study finds common brain mechanism behind different anesthesia drugs

When patients undergo general anesthesia, doctors can choose among several drugs. Although each of these drugs acts on neurons in different ways, they all lead to the same result: a disruption of the brain's balance between stability and excitability, according to a new MIT study.

17 Mar 2026

Automated system boosts maternal smoking cessation in pediatric care

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that a new automated tobacco treatment system integrated into routine pediatric care helped drive a 3.9% absolute increase in smoking cessation among mothers – a population-level impact that could translate to tens of thousands of parents quitting each year and protect hundreds of thousands of children from harmful secondhand smoke exposure.

17 Mar 2026

Physical activity may reshape brain effects of childhood trauma

New research indicates that the long-term neurological impact of childhood trauma is not permanently etched onto the brain.

17 Mar 2026

Psychiatrists’ use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses

Amanda Miller was 30 and pregnant with her second child in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when she developed depression.

17 Mar 2026

Childhood stress may lead to digestive issues later in life

Early life stress may lead to digestive issues later in life, driven by changes in the gut and sympathetic nervous systems, according to a new study published in the journal Gastroenterology.

16 Mar 2026

Study highlights crucial role of fathers in pregnancy and child outcomes

New research from the University of Southampton and international partners shines a spotlight on the significant and often under-recognized role that fathers' health and well-being play in shaping pregnancy and child outcomes.

16 Mar 2026

Global indicators identified to monitor health before pregnancy worldwide

The key health and social indicators needed for a new global system to monitor people's health before pregnancy have been identified for the first time by researchers at University College London and the University of Southampton.

16 Mar 2026

Largest review finds no mental health benefits of medicinal cannabis

A landmark Lancet Psychiatry paper published today – the largest-ever review of the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids across a range of mental health conditions – found no evidence that medicinal cannabis is effective in treating anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

16 Mar 2026

Weekly buprenorphine injections improve opioid abstinence during pregnancy

In a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a research team found that administering weekly injectable extended-release buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy led to higher rates of abstinence from illicit opioids than buprenorphine given daily under the tongue (sublingual), one of the standard methods of treatment.

16 Mar 2026

Brain waste clearance dysfunction may predict the onset of psychosis

How can we explain the onset of psychotic symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia? Despite their major and often irreversible impact on intellectual abilities and autonomy, the biological mechanisms that precede their emergence remain poorly understood.

16 Mar 2026

Using machine learning to identify individuals at risk for intimate partner violence

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed a series of artificial intelligence (AI) tools that uses machine learning to identify individuals who may be at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) using information from their electronic medical records (EMRs).

13 Mar 2026