Summary: Researchers completed the largest-ever genetic study on depression, encompassing 1.3 million genomes. Their findings indicate that individuals with hospital-treated depression have an increased genetic risk for other psychiatric conditions…
Category: mental health
Mental Health and Cannabis Use in Pregnant Women
Summary: A recent study reveals a potential vulnerability of pregnant and postpartum women with mental health disorders towards self-medicating with cannabis. Prior research had been vague, generalizing mental health issues…
Ketamine in Depression Treatment: Balancing Promise with Caution
Summary: Researchers examined the evolving use of ketamine as a treatment for depression in New Zealand. While acknowledging its potential benefits for treatment-resistant depression, they advise against a rapid large-scale…
Psychedelics Sync Neurons: A Glimpse into Consciousness & Psychosis
Summary: Researchers have pioneered a method to simultaneously measure electrical signals from 128 brain regions in conscious rats. Using this technique, they observed the effects of psychedelic drugs, LSD and…
Depression and Anxiety Are Not Cancer Risk Factors
Summary: The association between depression, anxiety and cancer risk has been a point of contention in scientific circles. In an new study a multi-national team refutes the idea that these…
Untangling the Ties Between Chronic Pain and Mental Health
Summary: A recent commentary underscores the complex relationship between chronic pain and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. The interaction is revealed to be driven by a bi-directional feedback…
Negative Memory Replay Offers PTSD Insight
Summary: Scientists discovered that rats intensify their memories of negative experiences in familiar places by repetitively replaying them. This mental map, generated by specific neurons known as place cells, can…
Linking Childhood Trauma to Mental Illness: Astrocytes Key to the Puzzle
Summary: The removal of excitatory synapses by astrocytes, triggered by stress hormones, can lead to mental illnesses induced by childhood neglect or abuse. The study reveals that synthetic glucocorticoids, or…
Bridging the Sex Gap: Personalizing Treatments for Mood Disorders
Summary: Researchers explore the advancements made in understanding sex differences in mood disorders since the 2016 NIH mandate to include sex as a biological variable in basic research. Their review…
