Depression Speeds Up Physical Illness

Summary: Adults with a history of depression develop long-term physical conditions about 30% faster than those without, according to a large study. Researchers analyzed data from over 172,000 participants and…

How Ketamine Binds to Brain Receptors to Alter Mood

Summary: New research sheds light on how ketamine affects the brain by targeting a specific NMDA receptor subtype, GluN1-2B-2D. Scientists used electron cryo-microscopy to capture how ketamine binds to this…

Blood Test May Predict Postpartum Depression Through Hormone Levels

Summary: Women who develop postpartum depression (PPD) may have distinct neuroactive steroid levels during the third trimester of pregnancy. A study found that those with PPD had lower levels of…

Dopamine Clock May Drive Bipolar Mood Swings

Summary: New research suggests that mood swings in bipolar disorder are regulated by two clocks: the body’s 24-hour circadian rhythm and a dopamine-based clock that influences alertness. When these clocks…

Targeting Reward Pathways to Treat Depression

Summary: New research highlights how the brain’s reward-learning system can guide personalized treatments for depression. By studying two brain signals, expected value and prediction error, researchers identified markers that predict…

Oxytocin Influences Social Behavior and Emotional Response

Summary: New research reveals how oxytocin profoundly influences social behavior and emotional responses in the brain. Animal models have shown how this hormone impacts social fear and how chronic stress…

Teen Brain’s Blunted Reward Response Predicts Depression Onset

Summary: A new study reveals that a reduced neural response to rewards in teens predicts the first onset of depression, but not anxiety or suicidality. Researchers used EEG scans to…

Ketamine Reduces “Giving Up” by Targeting Brain Support Cells

Summary: Researchers have found that ketamine’s antidepressant effects target astroglia, a type of brain support cell, rather than neurons, challenging conventional views. Using zebrafish, scientists observed that ketamine suppressed the…

Hypnosis is not just a parlor trick or TV act − science shows it helps with anxiety, depression, pain, PTSD and sleep disorders

We’ve all seen it, typically on television or on stage: A hypnotist selects a few members from the audience, and with what seems to be little more than a steely…

Depression Genes in Women Linked to Higher Heart Disease Risk

Summary: A new study analyzing genetic data from over 300,000 people revealed that women with a high genetic risk for depression also face a higher likelihood of developing heart disease,…