Last update:

Psychology & Psychiatry news

Psychology & Psychiatry

Having a sweet tooth is linked to higher risk of depression, diabetes and stroke, study finds

People with a preference for sweets are at a higher risk of developing depression, diabetes, and suffering a stroke, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Survey: Most adults affected by suicide, want more prevention

Nearly all U.S. adults agree that more action can be taken to reduce suicide deaths, with about three-fifths also reporting they have been personally affected by suicide, according to national survey data released Wednesday.

Medical research

Psilocybin may lead to increased optimism, rat study suggests

Monash University researchers have made a breakthrough in the study of psychedelics to treat disorders including major depression, demonstrating that rats given psilocybin exhibit increased optimism over time.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Screen time tied to depression, anxiety in 9- and 10-year-olds

Spending more time on screens increases the likelihood that 9- and 10-year-olds will develop symptoms of mental illness, according to a study by UC San Francisco that is one of the first long-term looks at the problem.

Psychology & Psychiatry

What's driving the rise in ADHD diagnoses among children and adults?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in children, and the numbers are only expected to rise. The CDC reported that in 2022, more than 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Is owning a dog good for your health?

Australia loves dogs. We have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and one in two households has at least one dog.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Are auditory magic tricks possible for a blind audience?

Magic tricks make the impossible seem possible. Magicians have long captivated audiences with visual tricks, such as pulling a bunny from a hat or sawing someone in half, but tricks that rely on sound are scarce.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Research reveals gene expression's role in depression and immunity

A new study, conducted in a shared effort between U.K. and Italian researchers offers novel insights about the biological mechanisms behind major depressive disorder (MDD), and especially on the role of the immune system.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Progress in unlocking the brain's 'code' for depression

Clinical depression is a common psychiatric condition with often devastating consequences. A new study in Biological Psychiatry advances our fundamental understanding of the neural circuitry of depression in the human brain.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Are people with high social status more prone to depression?

The Alpha is the "king" of a horde of mice. While meeting another mouse in the pipeline, Alpha can scare it away with merely a glance. But one day the situation changes. With unexpected courage, the little "mouse brother" ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

A closer look at Matcha tea powder's antidepressant-like effects

Matcha, a traditional Japanese tea, has been touted for its health benefits—it can boost mood and mental performance in humans and mice alike—but more mechanistic research is required. Hence, researchers from Japan evaluated ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

What happens when you meditate

The benefits of meditation have long been touted: relief from stress and anxiety, and an increased ability to focus.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Seniors with anxiety frequently don't get help. Here's why

Anxiety is the most common psychological disorder affecting adults in the U.S. In older people, it's associated with considerable distress as well as ill health, diminished quality of life, and elevated rates of disability.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Fear of failing: The secrets behind social anxiety

For many people, social interactions can be a source of dread. While some of us revel in parties, meetings and lunches, others are planning their exit strategy before they even step into a room.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Characterizing abnormal neural networks in dogs with anxiety

Researchers at Ghent University in Belgium report abnormalities in functional neural networks of dogs diagnosed with anxiety. Led by Yangfeng Xu (Ghent Experimental Psychiatry Lab, GHEP; ORSAMI), and Emma Christiaen (Medical ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Intimate partner violence early in pandemic affected mental health

Intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with worse mental health symptoms for women aged younger than 60 years, according to a study published online March 14 in JAMA ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

The science behind memory

Explaining the science behind memory and memory loss—including why forgetting is a crucial property of memory, as well as strategies that help people remember better—is the subject of a new book co-authored by Professor ...