Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Mental Health Research
Published AI may aid in diagnosing adolescents with ADHD



Using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze specialized brain MRI scans of adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers found significant differences in nine brain white matter tracts in individuals with ADHD.
Published Mindfulness-based intervention shows promise for PTSD in cardiac arrest survivors



A novel pilot study incorporating mindfulness into exposure therapy shows promise for reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress in cardiac arrest survivors. One in three survivors of cardiac arrest survivors develop PTSD, increasing their risk of mortality, yet no specific treatment has been developed for this population.
Published Understanding subjective beliefs could be vital to tailoring more effective treatments for depression and ADHD



Taking into account whether people believe they are receiving a real treatment or a fake one (placebo) could provide better insights that could help improve interventions for conditions such as depression and ADHD.
Published Discrimination during pregnancy can affect infant's brain circuitry



Experiences of discrimination and acculturation are known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health. For pregnant women, these painful experiences can also affect the brain circuitry of their children, a new study finds. These effects, the researchers say, are separate from those caused by general stress and depression. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
Published A small molecule blocks aversive memory formation, providing a potential treatment target for depression



Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world, but current anti-depressants have yet to meet the needs of many patients. Neuroscientists recently discovered a small molecule that can effectively alleviate stress-induced depressive symptoms in mice by preventing aversive memory formation with a lower dosage, offering a new direction for developing anti-depressants in the future.
Published High levels of maternal stress during pregnancy linked to children's behavior problems



Children whose mothers are highly stressed, anxious or depressed during pregnancy may be at higher risk for mental health and behavior issues during their childhood and teen years, according to new research.
Published New studies of brain activity explain benefits of electroconvulsive therapy



Researchers have shed new light on why electroconvulsive therapy has such a high success rate, a mystery that has puzzled doctors and scientists for almost a century. Findings could help improve this controversial treatment.
Published US men die 6 years before women, as life expectancy gap widens



We've known for more than a century that women outlive men. But new research shows that, at least in the United States, the gap has been widening for more than a decade.
Published Genetic testing could greatly benefit patients with depression, save health system millions



A special kind of genetic test that helps determine the best antidepressant for patients with moderate-to-severe depression could generate substantive health system savings and greatly improve patient outcomes, according to new research. The study shows that in B.C. alone, implementing pharmacogenomic testing could save the provincial public health system an estimated $956 million over 20 years.
Published Reducing 'vivid imagery' that fuels addiction cravings



New research shows promise in treating addiction cravings by combining eye movements and guided instructions to process memories. Researchers transformed dysfunctional memories stored in the brain through processing and integration. EMDR was as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy for cravings with the combination of both resulting in more reduction in craving than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) alone. Both groups (experimental group and control group using only CBT) had clinically significant reductions in cravings, repetitive negative thoughts, and irrational cognitions, with the experimental group showing greater decreases overall.
Published Early-life stress changes more genes in brain than a head injury



A surprising thing happened when researchers began exploring whether early-life stress compounds the effects of a childhood head injury on health and behavior later in life: In an animal study, stress changed the activation level of many more genes in the brain than were changed by a bump to the head.
Published Brain imaging identifies biomarkers of mental illness



Research and treatment of psychiatric disorders are stymied by a lack of biomarkers -- objective biological or physiological markers that can help diagnose, track, predict, and treat diseases. In a new study, researchers use a very large dataset to identify predictive brain imaging-based biomarkers of mental illness in adolescents.
Published Study shows link between mental and physical health



A new study has found that individuals with severe mental illness are almost twice as likely to report physical multimorbidity, emphasizing the critical importance of addressing the intersection between mental and physical health.
Published Location of strong sense of discomfort in brain found



Researchers have identified a new neural circuit in the brain which produces a strong sense of discomfort when activated. The discovery also allows them to show for the first time that the subthalamic nucleus, a structure in the brain that controls voluntary movements, may also play a role in the development of depression. The results could lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease.
Published Paid family leave boosted postpartum wellbeing, breastfeeding rates



A new study has found postpartum individuals living in states with generous mandated paid family and medical leave (PFML) are more likely to breastfeed and less likely to experience postpartum depression symptoms compared to those living in states with little or no mandated state-paid leave. The findings were even more pronounced among lower-income populations covered by Medicaid.
Published New clues to the mechanism behind treatment-resistant depression



Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a widespread mental health condition that for many is disabling. It has long been appreciated that MDD has genetic as well as environmental influences. In a new study researchers identify a gene that interacted with stress to mediate aspects of treatment-resistant MDD in an animal model.
Published Contraceptive pill users less likely to report depression



A new study has shown that women who are taking the oral contraceptive pill are less likely to report depression. The research, which analysed data from 6,239 women in the United States aged 18-55 years old, found that the prevalence of major depression amongst users of the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) was significantly lower, at 4.6%, compared to former OCP users (11.4%).
Published The genetic heritage of the Denisovans may have left its mark on our mental health



A research team has identified the most widespread genetic contribution by Denisovans to date. The study reveals that the genetic variant observed, which affects zinc regulation, could have signified an evolutionary advantage in our ancestors' adaptation to the cold. The study also reveals that this genetic adaptation may have predisposed modern humans to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Published Youngest children in class with ADHD as likely to keep diagnosis in adulthood as older pupils, find scientists



Youngest children in their class with ADHD are just as likely to keep the diagnosis when enter adulthood as older pupils in their year group. In the past, scientists have questioned the validity of ADHD in younger pupils, arguing they are only diagnosed because they are less mature than their peers. But this study shows that these children are no more likely to lose ADHD diagnosis over time than those born towards the start of the school year.
Published New distractibility 'd factor' may be linked with ADHD



In a study of different types of distraction involving more than 1,000 participants, researchers statistically derived a novel measure -- dubbed the 'd factor' -- that could represent a person's general tendency towards distraction and may be linked with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).