https://medicalxpress.com/psychiatry-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Psychiatry The gut microbiome influences numerous physiological processes. Researchers at the University of Vienna have now demonstrated for the first time that, in healthy adults, the diversity of gut bacteria and their capacity to produce certain metabolites are associated with the acute stress response—particularly stress reactivity. Higher microbial diversity was associated with stronger hormonal and subjectively perceived stress reactivity. The results suggest that the gut microbiome may play a role in regulating the acute stress response. The study was published in Neurobiology of Stress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-gut-microbes-reveal-cortisol-spikes.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:20:01 EDT news695564745 Acetaminophen, which also goes by names like paracetamol or Tylenol, is a common over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer. It is often prescribed during pregnancy to help with mild to moderate pain. Recently, there has been a lot of discourse about its safety. Claims have been made suggesting that taking acetaminophen during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of autism in children. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-major-pregnancy-collapses-tylenol-autism.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:00:04 EDT news695552971 Depression is among the most widespread mental health disorders worldwide, affecting an estimated 1 in 20 people. It is characterized by persistent sadness, hopelessness, disrupted sleep patterns, changes in appetite and a loss of interest in everyday activities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-movement-mood-depression-early.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:40:01 EDT news695552078 An international clinical trial led by researchers at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and University of California San Diego School of Medicine, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, has found that magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is as effective as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)—the current gold-standard treatment for severe, treatment-resistant depression—with significantly fewer cognitive side effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-depression-treatment-rival-electroconvulsive-therapy.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:30:09 EDT news695484121 Children born to mothers who used buprenorphine for opioid addiction during pregnancy do not have a greater risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism, compared with children whose mothers took methadone, finds a large US study published by The BMJ. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-buprenorphine-safe-treatment-opioid-addiction.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:30:07 EDT news695466902 Researchers at Cincinnati Children's, working with collaborators at University College London and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have identified a practical, data-centered strategy to reduce bias in artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in children's mental health care. The findings, published in Communications Medicine, address growing concern that AI tools designed to assist clinicians may not perform equally well across patient groups. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-method-advances-efforts-bias-ai.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news695486823 Drug trials generally involve comparing a treatment with a nonactive, placebo version, an approach called "blinding" because patients must be "blind" as to which they've received for the trial to work. Canadian researchers say this is a huge issue for studies of psychedelic therapies because it's fairly obvious to patients whether they've been given a psychedelic or a placebo. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-psychedelic-mental-health-trials-reliable.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:40:07 EDT news695483130 On March 25, a California trial awarded $6 million to a plaintiff who argued that the addictive qualities of social media had caused her harm. Google and Meta, which were the companies that were found liable, disagree with the verdict and intend to appeal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-jury-sharpens-heavy-social-media.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:20:01 EDT news695468864 A new Yale study shows how the timing of depression in mothers and fathers affects mental health in their adult children. This includes influences on depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-parental-depression-adult-children-mental.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news695401980 A research team led by Professor Hyun Ghang Jeong from the Department of Psychiatry at Korea University College of Medicine (Korea University Guro Hospital), in collaboration with the research team at Geovision Inc., has published the results of a large-scale validation study investigating the feasibility of early detection of self-harm behavior using artificial intelligence (AI) in psychiatric wards. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ai-early-behavior-psychiatric-wards.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:40:09 EDT news695398921 Scientists from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, have uncovered how different brain regions work together to enable self-control—the ability to suppress impulsive behaviors and wait for the right moment to act. Their findings advance the understanding of conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and addiction, and could lead to more effective management of these disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-scientists-uncover-brain-circuits-impulsivity.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:40:03 EDT news695312103 Challenging the classic view, two cognitive scientists argue in a new review that categorization is not a late, specialized stage of sensory processing. Instead, it is a core function operating at every level, anticipating bodily needs and motor plans. Categories are thus not fixed prototypes stored in "higher" areas of the cortex, but dynamically constructed from prior experience throughout all of sensory processing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-rethinking-brains-categories-world.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:30:02 EDT news695304913 New research shows that the threat response in the brain's amygdala (which processes emotions) is linked to different patterns of drinking by sex. In young males, heightened amygdala reactivity was linked to increased depressive symptoms, which in turn predicted heavier alcohol consumption. In young females, no such pathway existed. Instead, greater amygdala reactivity was associated with lower levels of problematic drinking. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-reactive-amygdala-heavier-young-men.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:20:03 EDT news695305675