Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Researchers report how a popular antidepressant drug could rewire the brain

Prozac, the trade name for the drug fluoxetine, was introduced to the U.S. market for the treatment of depression in 1988.

10 Jul 2019

Psychiatric diagnoses deemed “scientifically meaningless” by experts

A new study has deemed that psychiatric diagnoses including schizophrenia, bipolar and depressive disorders, are "scientifically meaningless".

10 Jul 2019

Going teetotal shown to improve women’s mental health

A study by researchers at the University of Hong Kong has provided new evidence that women who stop drinking alcohol experience improved mental health.

10 Jul 2019

Fight for Sight poll: Brits put their eyesight at risk through unsafe contact lens habits

Poll results released today by charity Fight for Sight highlight that many Brits are frequently putting their eyesight at risk through unsafe contact lens habits, unaware that these could lead to a painful and sight-threatening eye infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis.

10 Jul 2019

Chaos in the house and asthma in children – the connection

A chaotic household is one in which there is a lot of disorganized behaviour and noise. This makes relaxation impossible and often leads to stress and anxiety. Studies have associated chaotic households with anxiety and depressive disorders in both children and adults.

10 Jul 2019

Growth problems in preterm infants associated with altered gut bacteria

A team of researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago found that extremely premature babies fail to grow while others develop normally due to certain metabolic differences triggered by specific gut microbiome alterations.

10 Jul 2019

Athletic training method reduces head injuries in high school football

An athletic training method shown to reduce head injuries in high school football will be rolled out in Hawaii next week through an $800,000 grant to the UMass Lowell researcher who designed the system.

10 Jul 2019

Participation in local food projects may have positive effect on health

A new study soon to appear in the Faculty of Public Health's Journal of Public Health suggests that participating in local food projects may have a positive effect on wellbeing and psychological health.

9 Jul 2019

Novel method can help clinicians identify individuals most in need of PrEP

Researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of using algorithms that analyze electronic health records to help physicians identify patients at risk for HIV who may benefit from preexposure prophylaxis, which significantly reduces the risk of getting HIV.

9 Jul 2019

Exercise during pregnancy can promote bone health of both mother and child

Vitamin D is important to enable calcium to be absorbed into the intestine. During pregnancy, vitamin D is especially significant because extra calcium is needed to build the baby's skeleton.

9 Jul 2019

Online training program helps managers to support employees' mental health needs

An online training program called HeadCoach increases managers' confidence in their ability to prevent and manage mental health issues among their staff, reports a trial in the July Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

9 Jul 2019

Herbal supplement used to treat addiction and pain is not safe, research says

The herb kratom is increasingly being used to manage pain and treat opioid addiction, but it's not safe to use as an herbal supplement, according to new research led by faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

9 Jul 2019

Structure of brain networks can change in fundamental and recurring ways over time

The shape and connectivity of brain networks -- discrete areas of the brain that work together to perform complex cognitive tasks -- can change in fundamental and recurring ways over time, according to a study led by Georgia State University.

9 Jul 2019

NIHR review reveals evidence on how to increase physical activity in everyday life

Physical activity is important for physical and mental wellbeing and keeping socially connected. This themed review, Moving Matters, brings together more than 50 published and ongoing studies funded by the National Institute for Health Research on ways to increase physical activity in everyday life.

9 Jul 2019

Caregiver depression linked to increased emergency department visits for patients with dementia

An observational study of 663 caregivers and the patients with dementia they care for suggests caregiver depression is associated with increased emergency department visits for their patients.

9 Jul 2019

Grandparents allowing kids too much screen time

Grandparents may be spoiling their grandkids, allowing them too much screen time, according to a new study. A team of researchers found that grandparents may be fueling excessive device usage among kids, which has become a growing health concern worldwide.

9 Jul 2019

Does genetic testing affect psychosocial health?

A recent report from the Hastings Center brings out evidence for the first time that knowing about one’s increased genetic risk for diseases such as obesity, cancer and Alzheimer’s can actually alter one’s functioning negatively.

9 Jul 2019

$Experts explain what happens after hip fracture in older adults$

Experts explain what happens after hip fracture in older adults

Older adults are more vulnerable to fractures due to bone mass loss. Hip fractures can be tremendously grave, often leading to chronic disease and even death. Now, experts from the American Geriatrics Society explain the true toll of hip fractures and how older adults fare up after the injury.

9 Jul 2019

Two new studies develop algorithms to identify patients at risk of acquiring HIV

Two new studies developed algorithms that can identify patients who are at risk of acquiring HIV and may benefit from preventive care. Both studies appear in the July 5 issue of The Lancet HIV.

8 Jul 2019