Death by suicide? Drug overdoses muddy waters for investigators, amplify mental health crisis

Classifying a death as suicide may be easiest for medical examiners and coroners in the western United States, which reports the highest suicide rates officially. Suicide by firearm is the leading method there, and usually clear in terms of evidence.…

Happy childhood? That’s no guarantee for good mental health

It’s well understood that a difficult childhood can increase the likelihood of mental illness, but according to new research from the University of South Australia, a happy and secure childhood does not always protect a child from developing a mental…

Signs of burnout can be detected in sweat

We’ve all felt stressed at some point, whether in our personal or professional lives or in response to exceptional circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic. But until now there has been no way to quantify stress levels in an objective manner.…

Sleep deprivation may exacerbate frailty’s effects on mental health in older adults

Previous studies have linked sleep deprivation and frailty with depression. A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that examined their combined effect suggests that short sleep intensifies the impacts of frailty on depressive symptoms. Among…

The pandemic lockdown’s psychological impact on pregnant women

During the lockdown in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, pregnant women had higher symptoms of depression and anxiety. The finding comes from a study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica , which also revealed that…

Healthcare workers have increased insomnia, risk of severe mental health problems: COVID-19 study

Researchers at the University of Ottawa have found the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have particularly impacted healthcare professionals and their sleep, putting these frontline workers at risk of severe future mental health problems. Jude Mary Cénat, an…

Proportionally more male bosses negative toward depression

A higher proportion of male than of female managers have negative attitudes toward depression, a University of Gothenburg study shows. The more senior the managerial positions, the bigger the share of men with negative attitudes; the same, moreover, applies to…

Gut microbiota plays a role in brain function and mood regulation

Depression is a mental disorder that affects more than 264 million people of all ages worldwide. Understanding its mechanisms is vital for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Inserm and the CNRS recently conducted a…

Access to nature important for mental health during Covid lockdowns

People in European countries with the strictest COVID-19 lockdown policies were more likely to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to an international study investigating the impact of disconnecting from nature. Led by the Basque technology center AZTI, and…

Examining association of physician burnout with suicidal thoughts, medical errors

What The Study Did: Physicians were surveyed to examine the association between burnout and thoughts of suicide and self-reported medical errors after accounting for depression. Authors: Mickey T. Trockel, M.D., Ph.D., of the Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford,…

New compound related to psychedelic ibogaine could treat addiction, depression

A non-hallucinogenic version of the psychedelic drug ibogaine, with potential for treating addiction, depression and other psychiatric disorders, has been developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis. A paper describing the work is published Dec. 9 in Nature…