Summary: Researchers identified specific brain network connections associated with anosognosia, a condition where patients are unaware of their neurological or psychiatric deficits. Using a technique called lesion network mapping, they…
Tag: mental health
‘From Magic Mushrooms to Big Pharma’ – a college course explores nature’s medicine cabinet and different ways of healing
Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “From Magic Mushrooms to Big Pharma” What prompted the idea for the…
Alexithymia & Childhood Trauma: Unraveling The Mysterious Connection
Summary: Researchers reveal an alarming correlation between alexithymia (difficulty in identifying and describing emotions) and various forms of child maltreatment. Analyzing a staggering 78 sources involving 36,141 participants, the research…
Microglia’s Role in Controlling Anxiety and OCD
Summary: A new study reveals how microglia can regulate anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder (OCSD) behaviors. Traditionally overlooked in favor of neurons, specific microglia populations were found to both stimulate…
Depression and Urban Deprivation: Unseen Accelerators of Biological Aging
Summary: A new study reveals a possible link between depressive symptoms, living in deprived urban neighborhoods, and accelerated aging. The research utilized DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks to estimate biological age…
Shaping Young Minds: Neurodevelopment Interventions for Psychiatric Disorders
Summary: Researchers explored potential treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism that act during critical windows of brain development. They specifically targeted underperforming dopamine neurons, which connect to the…
Youth Alcohol Dependency Could Signal Future Depression Risk
Summary: Adolescents with signs of alcohol dependency are more likely to suffer from depression in their mid-20s. The research, involving 3,902 participants from the ALSPAC study, examined the correlation between…
Empathy’s Influence on Drinking Patterns
Summary: A recent study reports a surprising correlation between daily affective empathy and alcohol consumption. The study found that on days when people experienced higher levels of affective empathy (empathy…
Unexpected Role of Immune Autoantibodies in Schizophrenia
Summary: A study reveals a connection between schizophrenia and autoimmune reactions. The researchers identified autoantibodies against the synaptic protein neurexin 1α in about 2% of patients with schizophrenia. These autoantibodies,…
Iron Deficiency’s Unseen Impact on Mental Health
Summary: Recent research emphasizes the role of iron, an often overlooked nutrient, in maintaining mental health. Researchers suggest iron deficiency could exacerbate mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.…
