Sipping Alcohol in Early Adolescence May Contribute to Personality Changes and Depression

Children who try alcohol may experience mental health and personality effects as they transition to early adolescence. An analysis of alcohol sampling behavior in children ages 9 to 14, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that children who had poor response inhibition and increased alcohol sipping behaviors might be more likely to have accelerated changes in personality traits and depression scores over time. The study suggests that even minimal alcohol experimentation in early adolescence may influence later alcohol use as well as personality and mental health issues.

Mental health apps may help those waiting for care, study finds

The recent surge in people seeking mental health care across the country has led to long wait times for first appointments with therapists and psychiatrists. Now, a new study offers hope that while they wait to get care, patients could still get some relief by using evidence-based smartphone apps and wearable devices to track sleep and activity.

LANGaware awarded Patient Engagement Solutions agreement with Premier, Inc. for Early Detection of Cognitive and Behavioral Health Diseases

LANGaware, a pioneering AI-driven healthcare technology company, has been awarded a national group purchasing agreement for Patient Engagement Solutions with Premier, Inc.

New form of repetitive magnetic brain stimulation reduces treatment time for bipolar disorder

A potential new treatment for bipolar disorder (BP) that significantly shortens treatment time has emerged, following a randomized clinical trial using accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (aiTBS). While current theta burst stimulation (TBS) treatments can take between four and six weeks to administer, this new technique reduces treatment to five days.

Digital Self-Harm Surges Among U.S. Teens from 2016 to 2021

Digital self-harm, where individuals anonymously post or share hurtful content about themselves online, has increased more than 88% since 2016. Between 2019 and 2021, about 9 to 12% of 13 to 17 year olds in the U.S. engaged in digital self-harm. The study also explored whether teens who experienced cyberbullying were more likely to engage in digital self-harm.

Postpartum urinary incontinence linked to mental health

A UT Southwestern Medical Center study of hundreds of underserved women showed that depression and anxiety, in addition to physical factors such as a higher body mass index and previous births, are associated with lingering postpartum urinary incontinence.

Confronting trauma alleviates chronic pain among older veterans

A new study led by UCLA Health and the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office found chronic pain among older adults could be significantly reduced through a newly developed psychotherapy that works by confronting past trauma and stress-related emotions that can exacerbate pain symptoms.

Weight gain is kicked to the curb in antipsychotic drug breakthrough

World first research from the University of South Australia shows that antipsychotics can be reformulated with a strategically engineered coating that not only mitigates unwanted weight gain but also boosts serotonin levels by more than 250%.

MIRA Pharmaceuticals in Discussions with Memorial Sloan Kettering to Collaborate on Preclinical Cancer Pain Model Utilizing The Company’s Novel Oral Ketamine Analog

MIRA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIRA) (“MIRA” or the “Company”), a pre-clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders, announced it is in advanced discussions with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) to initiate a preclinical study evaluating MIRA’s novel oral ketamine analog, Ketamir-2, for the treatment of cancer-related pain and depression.

Rapid rise seen in mental health diagnosis and care during and after pregnancy

Mental health issues during pregnancy or the first year of parenthood have a much greater chance of getting detected and treated now than just over a decade ago, a trio of new studies suggests. But the rise in diagnosis and care hasn’t happened equally across different groups and states.

Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Study Shows Negative Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Youth Minority Mental Health

Recent historical, political and public health events, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, have collectively contributed to increased stress and mental health challenges among many groups of people — including adolescents in racial and ethnic minorities.

Machine learning algorithm identifies individuals who experience the largest reduction in depression risk from Medicaid coverage

Previous research has demonstrated that Medicaid coverage reduces the risk for developing depression among recipients, but the question is who benefits most from coverage. Using a tool called machine learning causal forest to analyze data from the Oregon Health Insurance…

SLU Professor Studies Link Between Adversity, Psychiatric and Cognitive Decline

Saint Louis University associate professor of health management and policy in the College for Public Health and Social Justice, SangNam Ahn, Ph.D., recently published a paper in Journal of Clinical Psychology that examines the relationship between childhood adversity, and psychiatric decline as well as adult adversity and psychiatric and cognitive decline.

Poor sleep health associated with muscle dysmorphia in Canadian young adults

Getting enough sleep is crucial for our body to maintain vital health functions and is especially important for the growth and development of adolescents and young adults. But a new study from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work found an association between poor sleep and symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, the pathological pursuit of muscularity that is increasing in prevalence among young people.

Obesity drugs and mental health: UTSW expert says GLP-1s may exacerbate problems for some patients

New weight-loss drugs have helped people with their diabetes, obesity, even high blood pressure. But how they affect our mental health is a much more complicated issue, says Dr. Carrie McAdams, a psychiatrist and eating disorders expert at UT Southwestern…

Study finds childhood bullying linked to distrust and mental health problems in adolescence

A new study, co-led by UCLA Health and the University of Glasgow, found that young teenagers who develop a strong distrust of other people as a result of childhood bullying are substantially more likely to have significant mental health problems as they enter adulthood compared to those who do not develop interpersonal trust issues.