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…
Tag: Depression
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…
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,…
Masculine Ideals Double Suicide Risk in Men
Summary: Men who strongly adhere to traditional masculine ideologies, such as suppressing emotions and valuing independence, are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those with more…
Depression Linked to Increased Menstrual Pain
Summary: Depression may increase the risk of menstrual pain, or dysmenorrhea, through mechanisms such as sleep disturbances. Using genetic analysis, researchers found that depression likely causes period pain, rather than…
