Simple Hair Test May Spot Mental Health Risks in Kids

Summary: Long-term stress, measured through hair cortisol, may help predict mental health risks in children living with chronic physical illnesses. In a four-year study of 244 children, researchers found that…

Your Words May Reveal More Than You Think: AI Shows How

Summary: Psychologists are turning to artificial intelligence to uncover hidden psychological cues in speech, from word choice to tone and pacing. These signals can reveal personality traits and even early…

Brain Structure Differences in Children with ADHD Discovered

Summary: Researchers tested a new MRI correction method, called the traveling-subject (TS) approach, to resolve inconsistencies in ADHD brain imaging results. By scanning the same healthy subjects across multiple MRI…

Colorado has one of the nation’s highest suicide rates − an ER doctor explains how to bring it down

Colorado has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation, at 20.9 per 100,000 in 2023. Of the state’s 940 gun deaths that year, nearly 72% were by suicide.…

Astrocyte Disruption Tied to Depression After Childhood Stress

Summary: Researchers have shown that astrocytes in the lateral hypothalamus play a pivotal role in how stress shapes behavior, particularly after early-life adversity. In mice, stress led to smaller, less…

Sex Shapes the Course of Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

Summary: A large multicenter study has revealed that sex influences the course and characteristics of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Women with schizophrenia tended to begin treatment later, while men with…

Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression

Summary: A new study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave bone marrow in the skull and collect in the brain’s protective membranes, where they contribute…

Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events

Summary: Depression specifically impairs the ability to learn how to actively avoid unpleasant events, though it does not affect avoidance behavior once learned. Researchers tested 465 participants across a range…

Hormonal Contraceptives Influence Memory of Emotional Events

Summary: A new study reveals that hormonal contraceptives may shape both emotional responses and memory processing in women. Compared with naturally cycling women, users of hormonal birth control had stronger…

Brain Cells Behind Depression Identified

Summary: Researchers analyzing post-mortem brain tissue found two cell types altered in people with depression: excitatory neurons that regulate mood and stress, and microglia that manage inflammation. The findings highlight…