https://medicalxpress.com/mental-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Psychology and Mental Health Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, a loss of interest in everyday activities, altered sleeping and/or eating patterns, low energy, and difficulty concentrating on tasks. While it is one of the most widespread mental health disorders worldwide, its unique neural and brain-related signatures have not yet been fully uncovered. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-large-mri-analysis-uncovers-brain.html Sat, 27 Jun 2026 12:00:04 EDT news701432478 We often feel that we are "on the same wavelength" with one another, but can science identify and engineer this phenomenon? Studies by a team of neuroscience researchers suggest that it's possible—a connectivity that is both beneficial and can be enhanced for therapeutic and other purposes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-wavelength-cautious.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:00:04 EDT news701601301 Chronic psychological stress can help tumors evade immune attack through a chain of molecular events involving gut bacteria and viruses within those bacteria, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings unveil a new layer of cancer biology, along with potential therapeutic opportunities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-stress-linked-gut-viruses-tumors.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:40:06 EDT news701609165 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition characterized by abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel movements, estimated to affect between 10% and 15% of people worldwide. Past studies suggest that in many cases this condition is accompanied by anxiety, an emotional state marked by worry, fear and/or overthinking about specific life events. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-species-gut-bacteria-ease-anxiety.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:00:02 EDT news701522887 A new randomized clinical trial from investigators at Mass General Brigham's Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychiatry suggests that using personalized brain imaging to guide transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may improve outcomes for people with treatment-resistant depression. Results are published in JAMA Psychiatry. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-personalized-brain-imaging-outcomes-treatment.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:40:03 EDT news701531888 A study of more than 60 countries shows those with faster declines in the social acceptability of intimate partner violence against women also tend to have had faster reductions in rates of such violence, as well as faster human development improvements. Irina Vartanova of the Institute for Futures Studies in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues present these findings in PLOS Global Public Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-declining-global-intimate-partner-violence.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:01 EDT news701446027 Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, found that a year after receiving their first smartphone at age 13, teens at 14 who spent significant time on their phones were more likely to experience depression, obesity and insufficient sleep. The study is published in JAMA Pediatrics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-age-limits-wont-smartphone.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:20:03 EDT news701524261 Laughter is a universal social signal that connects us with others, but the brain regions underlying laughter are not well understood, in part because it's hard to elicit genuine laughter in the lab. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-spontaneous-voluntary-laughter-brain-regions.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 11:00:04 EDT news701340361 When people are close—both physically and emotionally—their heart rates begin to align, rising and falling together. Could such cardiac alignment be used as a way to measure social engagement and connection in everyday settings? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-heart-alignment-people-social-engagement.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:20:29 EDT news701427007 Football is a lab for studying the many dimensions of head injury. From defensive backs running at the pace of a sprinter downhill into a 220-pound muscular running back at full speed, to 400-plus-pound linemen knocking heads nearly every play, the NFL is a breeding ground for concussive and subconcussive head injury exposure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-documented-concussions-nfl-players-linked.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:20:01 EDT news701337365 Neurons tucked away in an ancient part of the brain control the ability to pay attention by suppressing distractions and directing focus. The discovery of these neurons in mice by Johns Hopkins University researchers, in a part of the brain that exists across all vertebrates including humans, could be an initial step toward more targeted treatments for attention disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-scientists-ancient-neurons-attention.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:20:01 EDT news701347861 Researchers have developed a new "emotionally aware" AI-based model for classifying mental health conditions, which could help clinicians better diagnose patients' mental health conditions. The Emo-MHC model uses machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques to analyze text from sources like doctors' notes, social media posts and online forums to help doctors classify patients' mental health conditions more accurately and quickly than existing models, which could help provide more effective care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-emotionally-aware-mental-health-conditions.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:00:05 EDT news701340662