Summary: New research shows that psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, can reduce both chronic pain and pain-related depression by modulating brain circuits rather than acting at the site…
Category: depression
Sugary Drinks Linked to Depression Through Gut Microbiome
Summary: A new study shows that sugary drinks don’t just affect physical health—they may also raise the risk of depression in women by disrupting the gut microbiome. Researchers found that…
AI Spots Subtle Facial Cues Linked to Early Depression Risk
Summary: Depression’s earliest signs can be hard to spot, but a new study shows AI can detect them in subtle facial movements. Japanese students with subthreshold depression were perceived as…
Simple Hair Test May Spot Mental Health Risks in Kids
Summary: Long-term stress, measured through hair cortisol, may help predict mental health risks in children living with chronic physical illnesses. In a four-year study of 244 children, researchers found that…
Your Words May Reveal More Than You Think: AI Shows How
Summary: Psychologists are turning to artificial intelligence to uncover hidden psychological cues in speech, from word choice to tone and pacing. These signals can reveal personality traits and even early…
Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression
Summary: A new study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave bone marrow in the skull and collect in the brain’s protective membranes, where they contribute…
Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events
Summary: Depression specifically impairs the ability to learn how to actively avoid unpleasant events, though it does not affect avoidance behavior once learned. Researchers tested 465 participants across a range…
Extreme Heat Makes People More Negative
Summary: A large-scale global study shows that extreme heat affects not just our bodies, but also our emotions. Researchers analyzed over a billion social media posts and found that when…
The Midlife “Unhappiness Hump” Has Vanished, But at a Cost
Summary: A new large-scale study finds that the long-observed “unhappiness hump,” where mental distress peaked in midlife, has disappeared. Instead, younger people now report the highest levels of anxiety, depression,…
How Stress Types Differently Impact Brain and Behavior
Summary: Stress is a universal experience, but not all stress affects the brain in the same way. A new study in rats reveals that acute stress provokes anxiety-like behaviors, especially…
