Summary: A new large-scale study finds that the long-observed “unhappiness hump,” where mental distress peaked in midlife, has disappeared. Instead, younger people now report the highest levels of anxiety, depression,…
Tag: PLOS
Cannabis Linked to Reduced Insomnia and Anxiety
Summary: A new study suggests cannabis-based medical products may help people with insomnia sleep better over the long term. Across 124 patients followed for up to 18 months, participants consistently…
Breathwork and Music Trigger Psychedelic-Like Bliss in the Brain
Summary: New research shows that practicing breathwork while listening to music can induce profound altered states of consciousness similar to those caused by psychedelics. Using self-reports and brain imaging, scientists…
Online Hate Speech Resembles Mental Health Disorder Language
Key Questions Answered Q: What did this study find about hate speech and psychiatric disorders?A: Posts in online hate speech communities show speech-pattern similarities to posts in communities for personality…
Color Knowledge Tied to Language-Visual Brain Circuitry
Summary: A new study shows that our ability to recall details about familiar objects, like a banana’s typical color, depends on strong connections between visual and language-processing areas of the brain.…
Higher Depression Risks for Night Owls
Summary: A new study finds that staying up late, known as having an “evening chronotype,” is associated with a higher risk of depression. Researchers analyzed data from 546 university students…
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…
AI vs. Human Therapists: Study Finds ChatGPT Responses Rated Higher
Summary: A new study suggests that ChatGPT’s responses in psychotherapy scenarios are often rated higher than those written by human therapists. Researchers found that participants struggled to distinguish between AI-generated…
Long COVID Impairs Exercise Capacity and Cognition for Years
Summary: A study of nearly 1,000 people with post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) revealed that two-thirds still experienced significant symptoms, including reduced exercise capacity and cognitive performance, two years after infection. Persistent…
How Decision-Making Improves with Age
Summary: Adolescents are known for making less optimal, noisy decisions, but a recent study reveals that these tendencies decrease with age and are linked to improvements in complex decision-making skills.…