Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Ultrasound waves activate brain circuits in living animals for the first time

A new study provides the first visual evidence showing that brain circuits in living animals can be activated by ultrasound waves projected into specific patterns (holograms).

5 Aug 2025

Natural brain rhythms control stress hormone levels and alertness

Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led research has found stress-controlling brain cells switch on and off in a steady rhythm about once every hour – even when nothing stressful is happening.

4 Aug 2025

Spending even a short time in nature provides mental health benefits for city dwellers

As the proportion of the global population living in cities rises to 70% by 2050, mental health challenges more common in urbanites – such as anxiety and mood disorders – become even more broadly relevant.

4 Aug 2025

Impulsivity shapes diet and gut bacteria in healthy adults, study finds

Impulsivity in healthy adults is linked to unhealthy dietary choices, such as higher intake of alcohol and sugary drinks and lower fiber consumption. These dietary behaviors, in turn, are associated with changes in specific gut bacterial genera, highlighting an indirect pathway between personality traits and the gut microbiome.

4 Aug 2025

Herbal remedies show promise for treating depression

This scoping review analyzes OTC products for depression, uncovering effective treatments and emphasizing the need for further studies on herbal efficacy.

4 Aug 2025

Tailored granola transforms gut bacteria and improves mood

A study reveals that custom granola can boost gut health and mood by increasing beneficial bacteria and short-chain fatty acids based on individual microbiota.

4 Aug 2025

Dual tobacco use: Examining patterns in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black men with chronic illness

Cannabis use is gaining popularity in the United States, driven by growing legalization, public acceptance and diverse methods of consumption.

4 Aug 2025

Mapping the brain’s serotonin switch could lead to better antidepressants

In a discovery that could guide the development of next-generation antidepressants and antipsychotic medications, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed new insights into how a critical brain receptor works at the molecular level and why that matters for mental health treatments.

1 Aug 2025

Subtle warning signs of MS can appear 15 years before diagnosis

The earliest warning signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) may emerge more than a decade before the first classical neurological symptoms occur, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

1 Aug 2025

Genetic risk for depression linked to muted brain response to wins and losses

Novel imaging research indicates that young adults with a higher genetic risk for depression showed less brain activity in several areas when responding to rewards and punishments. The study also uncovered notable differences between men and women.

1 Aug 2025

Study explores the impact of COVID-19 pandemic among youth and parents across the U.S. Midwest

The COVID-19 pandemic upended life for individuals and communities worldwide. Social isolation, health mandates, illness, and economic hardships took a toll on the well-being of families and children, but there were also silver linings to people's experiences.

1 Aug 2025

Researchers trace metabolic superpowers of hibernators to shared DNA

Animals that hibernate are incredibly resilient. They can spend months without food or water, muscles refusing to atrophy, body temperature dropping to near freezing as their metabolism and brain activity slow to a crawl.

1 Aug 2025

Deep staff cuts at a little-known federal agency pose trouble for droves of local health programs

A little-known federal agency that sends more than $12 billion annually to support community health centers, addiction treatment services, and workforce initiatives for America's neediest people has been hobbled by the Trump administration's staffing purges.

1 Aug 2025

MRI brain scans help identify effective use of self-guided anxiety app

By understanding differences in how people's brains are wired, clinicians may be able to predict who would benefit from a self-guided anxiety care app, according to a new analysis from a clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.

31 Jul 2025

FAU experts recommend high-potency statins to reduce LDL cholesterol

There is broad consensus that the overall body of evidence shows lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol provides both statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefits in treating and preventing cardiovascular disease.

31 Jul 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Next on Kennedy’s list? Preventive care and vaccine harm

In his ongoing effort to reshape health policy, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly plans to overhaul two more government entities: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

31 Jul 2025

$29 million grant funds research on fibrinogen in trauma care

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus will lead a groundbreaking national clinical trial-supported by a $29 million grant from Octapharma-to evaluate whether early replacement of fibrinogen, a critical blood clotting mechanism in the body, can improve outcomes for trauma patients experiencing life-threatening bleeding.

31 Jul 2025

Flooding linked to increased hospitalizations among older adults

New research examining 17 years of data from Medicare hospitalization claims and major flooding events finds increased rates of skin diseases, nervous system diseases, and injuries or poisonings among adults aged 65 and older following major floods.

31 Jul 2025

Novel eye-tracking metrics can help properly identify concussion-related vision disorders

In a new study led by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), researchers found that novel eye-tracking metrics can help properly identify concussion-related vision disorders, a common phenomenon among patients with persisting post-concussive symptoms that last more than 28 days after their initial injury.

31 Jul 2025

Thalamic feedback pathway found to tune sensory perception

The cerebral cortex processes sensory information via a complex network of neural connections. How are these signals modulated to refine perception? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has identified a mechanism by which certain thalamic projections target neurons and modify their excitability.

30 Jul 2025