Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Staying positive and managing stress amid the coronavirus crisis

With all the news about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic circulating online, stress levels are rising. Most countries that are shaken by the virus outbreak have imposed lockdowns, in attempts to curb the disease spread.

19 Mar 2020

Social policies may also have a positive effect on population health

A comprehensive review of U.S. social policies evaluated for their health outcomes found suggestive evidence that early life, income, and health insurance interventions have the potential to improve health.

19 Mar 2020

Mental stress may be a stronger predictor of repeat heart attack

We all have stress in our lives--whether it's due to financial woes, work pressures, relationship issues, illness or even natural disasters or health crises like the emerging coronavirus.

19 Mar 2020

Mental stress may better predict repeat heart attack than physical stress

For heart attack survivors, psychological stress may better predict future heart attack or disease than physical stress.

19 Mar 2020

Homeless heart attack patients receive less treatment and are more likely to be readmitted

Homelessness has become a social crisis and public health problem around the world, affecting people of all ages. Most homeless people are at a disadvantage with few resources, and may or may not have adequate health insurance.

19 Mar 2020

Cryo-electron microscopy helps visualize ball-and-chain inactivation of ion channels

Ion channels, which allow potassium and sodium ions to flow in and out of cells, are crucial in neuronal 'firing' in the central nervous system and for brain and heart function.

19 Mar 2020

Obese children more prone to anxiety, depression and shortening of life

Two studies published in the journals PLOS Medicine and BMC Medicine in March 2020 show that obesity in childhood is linked to a higher risk of future anxiety, depression, and death in early adult life compared to children in the general population. This could shape efforts to detect specific risk factors that predispose children to obesity and thus prevent it.

18 Mar 2020

Psychosis may be caused by problems with specialized nerve cells

A new Japanese study in mice published in the journal Nature indicates that the cause of the profound mental disturbance termed psychosis could be due to defects in the functioning of specialized nerve cells deep inside the brain, and due to some types of learning behavior. This could help understand how delusions arise in psychosis or schizophrenia, and eventually to develop therapies for these conditions.

18 Mar 2020

Patient navigators reduce ER visits, hospitalization for high consumers of health care

Texas is one of a handful of states operating under a Medicaid 1115 Transformation Waiver that allows the expansion of Medicaid managed care while simultaneously maintaining hospital funding.

18 Mar 2020

Pregnancy rate more than doubled with online program for infertile women

A new study published in March 2020 in the journal PLOS ONE reports that the online version of a well-respected program that counsels infertile women achieved the same level of success as the person-to-person equivalent. This was true about both the reduction in emotional distress and the increase in pregnancy rates.

18 Mar 2020

Take a deep breath: Making risk-based decisions in the coronavirus era

Just last week, it seemed OK to have lunch out or maybe meet up with friends for a game of pickup soccer.

18 Mar 2020

Study shows link between repetitive negative thinking, delayed sleep and depressed mood in teens

Nagging negative thoughts - and striving for perfection - keep teenagers awake at night, raising their chance of becoming depressed and anxious, a new study shows.

18 Mar 2020

Shorter and longer sleep duration may affect your cardiovascular health

Whether you like to burn the midnight oil to check emails or binge watch your favorite series, toss and turn or sleep until mid-morning, it seems the amount of sleep you get matters when it comes to your future vascular and heart health.

18 Mar 2020

Sleep duration appears to influence vascular and heart health, experts warn

The amount of sleep a person gets seems to play a defining role in their vascular and heart health.

18 Mar 2020

Female veterans with PTSD more likely to suffer from ischemic heart disease

Female veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder were substantially more likely to have ischemic heart disease than those without PTSD in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology.

18 Mar 2020

Odor alters how memories are processed in the brain, research reveals

In a new paper published in Learning and Memory, researchers from Boston University's Center for Systems Neuroscience reveal just how much power scents have in triggering the memory of past experiences--and the potential for odor to be used as a tool to treat memory-related mood disorders.

17 Mar 2020

Charity seeks out non-drug approaches to treat Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s UK is launching a new funding program to support innovative studies into non-drug treatments for Parkinson’s.

17 Mar 2020

Recognizing CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder

News-Medical speaks to Dr. Dan Lavery about the LouLou Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to CDLK5 Deficiency Disorder.

17 Mar 2020

Having gender-affirming IDs may improve mental health among transgender adults

Having gender-affirming documents, such as a passport, driver's license, or birth certificate, may improve mental health among transgender adults, according to findings published today in The Lancet Public Health from researchers at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health.

16 Mar 2020