Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Transplanted human brain cells in a mouse brain provide insight into neural circuit formation

The brain cortex, the outside layer of our brain often referred to as grey matter, is one of the most complex structures found in living organisms. It gives us the advanced cognitive abilities that distinguish us from other animals.

21 Nov 2019

Novel mental health program improves teens' ability to recognize, support peers at risk of suicide

A novel mental health program improves teenagers' ability to recognise and support friends who might be at risk of suicide, according to new research.

21 Nov 2019

Nurse-driven program receives grant to improve care for older adults in nursing homes

The Washington Department of Social and Health Services has awarded Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders, a nurse-driven program based at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, a grant of more than $644,000 to improve the quality of care for older adults living in nursing homes in Washington State.

21 Nov 2019

Exploring the links between chronic stress, inflammation and depression

Chronic stress can inflame our brain, destroy the connections between our neurons and result in depression, scientists say.

21 Nov 2019

Eating disorder can affect pregnancy outcome and offspring’s health

A pregnant woman with an eating disorder needs to be screened for complications more carefully because she is high-risk.

21 Nov 2019

Skipping breakfast affects academic performance

Children often hear their parents say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It fuels the body for a long day’s work or school. That adage is true as a new study shows that skipping breakfast is tied to lower scores in high school performance tests.

20 Nov 2019

Embarrassing symptoms prevent women from seeking treatment for pelvic floor disorders

Nearly 25% of women live with treatable conditions known as pelvic floor disorders, but there is one main reason why the vast majority of them will not seek treatment: they are too embarrassed to talk about it.

20 Nov 2019

Newly developed ChiTaRS database can collect cases of druggable fusion targets

When sections from two separate genes merge due to various factors, such as translocation or splicing, the hybrid that is formed is called a gene fusion. In recent years, it has been discovered that these fusion events play a vital role in the development of cancers and other complex diseases.

20 Nov 2019

New findings could help clinicians to improve care for pregnant women and new mums with depression

Professor Sue Jordan from the University's College of Human and Health Science, who led the study, says the findings could be used to help clinicians improve care for women during pregnancy and after they have given birth.

20 Nov 2019

New suicide prevention program reduces deaths by 17%

A new suicide prevention programme which includes swift access to specialist care and 12 months of telephone follow-ups has shown to reduce deaths by 17 per cent.

20 Nov 2019

Eating disorders increase risk of premature birth

Pregnant women with eating disorders should undergo extended pregnancy screenings considering their increased risk of complications. That is the conclusion from a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

20 Nov 2019

Affordable mental health care? It’s getting even tougher to access

Eleven years after Congress passed a law mandating that insurers provide equal access for mental and physical health care, Americans are actually finding it harder to obtain affordable treatment for mental illness and substance abuse issues.

20 Nov 2019

Study finds major gaps in services and continued care for children with autism

New research at Case Western Reserve University found big gaps in services and continued care for children with autism - and their families - as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

20 Nov 2019

New brain research by UTHealth student was showcased at Neuroscience 2019

Brain research by a student in a laboratory at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) was singled out for special attention at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) annual meeting in Chicago Oct. 19-23.

20 Nov 2019

E-meditation: Coupling cutting-edge brain stimulation with mindfulness

We live in a society plagued by burnout. Our hyper-connectivity, sustained through the pulse of WiFi, leaves little room for quiet. This constant stimulation can cause stress, which is a risk factor for a host of diseases, including diabetes, depression and heart disease.

19 Nov 2019

Depression puts teen girls in South Africa at higher risk of HIV infection

Teen girls in South Africa face an extraordinary threat of HIV: By the time they reach adulthood, one in four South African girls will have contracted the virus, and most are first infected during adolescence.

19 Nov 2019

New glassy carbon electrode makes deep brain stimulation safer for patients

Imagine having an electrode embedded in your brain in a surgical procedure that involves drilling holes in your skull to implant it. Now imagine going through an MRI scan for medical evaluation, when the metal electrode may react to the magnetic fields and vibrate, generate heat or even possibly damage the brain.

19 Nov 2019

Integration of behavioral health services with pediatric primary care shows promise

Integrating behavioral health services into pediatric primary care in three Boston-area community health centers increased primary care visits by children with mental health diagnoses without raising Medicaid costs.

19 Nov 2019

New drug 'ubrogepant' may work for migraine

A new study published in the November 19, 2019 issue of JAMA shows that a newly developed small molecule drug called ubrogepant may successfully fight migraine at doses of 25 and 50 mg, with pain relief at 2 hours with both doses, while the most troublesome symptom of migraine was held off at 2 hours post-dose with the 50 mg dose. This may help millions of migraine patients to achieve pain relief and function better.

19 Nov 2019

Teenage binge drinking may lead to anxiety and alcohol abuse in later life

Exposure to high levels of alcohol in adolescence may shape adult behaviors, predisposing them to a higher risk of anxiety and alcohol abuse later in life, a new study found.

19 Nov 2019