Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Drawbacks and benefits of using saliva for epigenetic studies

Biomarkers in saliva identify changes that impact the body, according to research published in Current Genomics. This important paper details the drawbacks and benefits of using saliva as a tissue sample for the study of epigenetic changes affected by experiences.

20 Apr 2018

Researchers find crucial links between dopamine and avoidance behavior

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have for the first time found direct causal links between the neurotransmitter dopamine and avoidance – behavior related to pain and fear.

20 Apr 2018

Study shows connection between muscular strength and brain health

A study of nearly half a million people has revealed that muscular strength, measured by handgrip, is an indication of how healthy our brains are.

20 Apr 2018

Study: Young victims of cyberbullying twice as likely to attempt suicide and enact suicidal behavior

Children and young people under 25 who are victims of cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to self-harm and enact suicidal behavior, according to a study.

20 Apr 2018

Rare variants in non-coding DNA inherited from parents heighten autism risk

In recent years, researchers have firmly established that gene mutations appearing for the first time, called de novo mutations, contribute to approximately one-third of cases of autism spectrum disorder.

20 Apr 2018

Study provides guidance on using cannabis for treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression

In a first-of-a-kind study, Washington State University scientists examined how peoples' self-reported levels of stress, anxiety and depression were affected by smoking different strains and quantities of cannabis at home.

20 Apr 2018

Maternal depression during and after pregnancy linked to poorer child neurodevelopment

Maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy, in the first year postpartum, and in early childhood were linked with poorer child neurodevelopment in a recent Depression & Anxiety study.

19 Apr 2018

Study shows testosterone deficiency in men is associated with chronic diseases

A male's total testosterone level may be linked to more than just sexual health and muscle mass preservation, a new study finds. Low amounts of the hormone could also be associated with chronic disease, even among men 40 years of age and younger.

19 Apr 2018

Functional connectivity MRI could help detect brain disorders and diseases

There are no laboratory tests to diagnose migraines, depression, bipolar disorder and many other ailments of the brain. Doctors typically gauge such illnesses based on self-reported symptoms and behavior.

18 Apr 2018

Study shows how deployment time increases risk of suicide attempt in soldiers

Soldiers who deploy twice in one year, with six months or less between each deployment, could be at an increased risk for attempted suicide during or after their second deployment, according to a new study published April 18 in JAMA Psychiatry.

18 Apr 2018

Faith-based diabetes support program launched by UTSA research team

Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio are taking diabetes education to church. Through the Building a Healthy Temple program, they're working with Hispanics who have type 2 diabetes to help them manage the disease and develop a healthier lifestyle.

18 Apr 2018

Wide-scale distribution of naloxone effectively prevents overdose deaths, study finds

A new study in The Lancet Public Health shows the rapid expansion of British Columbia's Take Home Naloxone program significantly reduced the number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2016.

18 Apr 2018

Frequent cannabis use by young people linked to small reductions in cognitive function

Frequent cannabis use by adolescents and young adults was associated with small reductions in cognitive function that appeared to diminish with abstinence over time.

18 Apr 2018

Deep brain stimulation offers relief to UTHealth patient with treatment-resistant depression

For Shannon Paige McCann, the thought of having brain surgery – which would frighten most – paled in significance to the depression that had dragged her down most of her life.

18 Apr 2018

People who use medical marijuana have higher rates of prescription drug use, study finds

Can medical marijuana help to fight the opioid epidemic? Many believe that it can. But a new study finds that people who use medical marijuana actually have higher rates of medical and non-medical prescription drug use--including pain relievers.

18 Apr 2018

New automated text messaging service may help combat opioid epidemic

A new automated text messaging service may curb opioid abuse and reduce the likelihood of relapse while also decreasing treatment costs, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Epharmix, a St. Louis-based digital health company.

17 Apr 2018

NSAIDs alone or with acetaminophen better than opioids at easing dental pain

Opioids are not among the most effective-or longest lasting- options available for relief from acute dental pain, a new examination of the results from more than 460 published studies has found.

17 Apr 2018

Novel interactive diagram shows many facets of mild traumatic brain injury

A Portland State University research team studying concussion has published an interactive diagram showing the many facets of mild traumatic brain injury - from sleep problems to mood disorders to the increased danger of dementia - and how they connect with and affect each other.

17 Apr 2018

Mother's depression can negatively affect child's cognitive development

Roughly one in 10 women in the United States will experience depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The consequences, however, may extend to their children, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, who found that a mother's depression can negatively affect a child's cognitive development up to the age of 16.

17 Apr 2018

Early life stress impacts how the sensory systems develop, review shows

Life needs stimulation. However, overstimulation can cause exhaustion and illness. During specific sensitive periods early in life, stress can even affect later mental health.

16 Apr 2018