Chatbots Can Worsen Delusions and Mania

Summary: For many, AI chatbots are a helpful tool for productivity, but for those with severe mental illness, they may be a dangerous “echo chamber.” A new study warns that…

Moving Beyond Dopamine to Treat Schizophrenia

Summary: Schizophrenia treatment has been dominated by dopamine-targeting drugs for decades, but these often fail to address the debilitating cognitive and negative symptoms of the disorder. A comprehensive review synthesizes…

‘We were lied to’: Will Trump’s order to increase the domestic supply of the weedkiller glyphosate split MAHA?

[T]he executive order Mr. Trump issued February 17 to increase domestic production of glyphosate — a widely used weedkiller and possible carcinogen that has been the target of thousands of lawsuits, including…

Prenatal Lead Exposure Affects the Aging Brain

Summary: The consequences of lead exposure may take six decades to fully manifest. A remarkable study has linked lead exposure during the second trimester of pregnancy to lower cognitive performance…

Could an “Exercise Pill” Help Treat Depression?

Summary: It’s a cruel irony of mental health: exercise is a powerful antidepressant, yet depression often robs people of the motivation and energy required to move. A new paper proposes…

OCD Brains Work Harder to Stay on Track

Summary: Getting dressed in the morning seems like a simple sequence, but for those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the brain may be working overtime just to keep from “getting stuck.”…

This itch-triggering protein also sends signals to stop scratching

People who can’t stop scratching itches may finally have a culprit to blame. In mice (and probably people), a protein called TRPV4 is involved both in starting an itch and…

Your DNA Might Be the Reason Music and Art Gives You Chills

Summary: Have you ever felt a sudden shiver or goosebumps while listening to a powerful piece of music or reading a moving poem? Scientists call this the “telltale tingle” or…

Teen Cannabis Use Doubles Psychosis and Bipolar Risk

Summary: A massive study of over 460,000 adolescents has confirmed that even occasional cannabis use during teenage years is a major risk factor for severe mental illness. The research followed…

9 top RFK, Jr. science controversies

From sweeping changes to vaccination protocols to scientifically dubious assertions about a host of childhood maladies, here are some of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s most…