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mental health

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·July 18, 2025·4 min read

Illusory Beliefs Fuel Risky Health Choices

Beliefs in pseudoscientific health ideas can undermine trust in conventional medicine and lead to riskier health decisions, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed over 1,500 participants and showed that stronger illusory beliefs were linked to higher use of unvalidated therapies and lower adherence to evidence-based practices.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 18, 2025·5 min read

How the Brain Decodes Social Emotions and Anxiety

The anterior temporal lobe (ATL) plays a key role in interpreting social hierarchies and facial emotions, offering insight into anxiety and mood disorders. A research project used advanced imaging techniques to overcome past challenges in studying the ATL, revealing its strong activation during social and emotional decisions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 17, 2025·8 min read

Overactive Anterior Insula May Fuel Anxiety and Depression

New research shows that elevated glutamate-glutamine (Glx) levels in the anterior insular cortex (AIC) make people more sensitive to mistakes and more prone to anxiety and depression. Using functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy and reinforcement learning tasks, scientists found that high AIC Glx predicted both a general internalizing symptom score and heightened error sensitivity, which mediated this relationship.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 16, 2025·7 min read

Do Supplements Work for Depression? Some Do, Study Says

A comprehensive review of over 23,000 studies identified 64 over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and herbal products evaluated in clinical trials for depression. St John’s Wort, saffron, probiotics, vitamin D, and omega-3s showed the strongest evidence, while others like lavender, zinc, and chamomile showed promise but need more research.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·July 15, 2025·7 min read

Tiny Brain Region Orchestrates How We Segment and Remember Life Events

Our memories don’t flow like a continuous stream—they’re divided into meaningful events, thanks to a tiny brain region called the locus coeruleus. New research shows this region acts like a “reset button,” activating at event boundaries to signal the hippocampus to store distinct memories.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 15, 2025·3 min read

Childhood Emotional Trauma Linked to Later Social Distress

A new study reveals that childhood emotional trauma increases social avoidance and distress in adolescents, but resilience can help mitigate these effects. Surveying 577 junior high students, researchers found resilience acted as a buffer, enabling traumatized teens to engage more positively with peers.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 15, 2025·7 min read

Hepatitis C Found in Brain Lining Linked to Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder

Researchers have discovered hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the brain lining of individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, suggesting a possible link between infection and psychiatric symptoms. The study found HCV specifically in the choroid plexus, a structure producing cerebrospinal fluid, but not inside brain tissue itself.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 12, 2025·5 min read

Maternal Depression Linked to Weaker Bonds

A comprehensive global review confirms that maternal depression undermines parenting, impairing mother-infant bonding and reducing sensitivity to a child’s needs. Researchers analyzed nearly a decade of observational studies, finding consistent links between depressive symptoms and lower involvement, commitment, and emotional connection.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 11, 2025·5 min read

Oxytocin Boosts Mother-Infant Bond in Postpartum Depression

A new study shows that oxytocin nasal spray helps mothers with postpartum depression interact more positively with their babies. After receiving oxytocin, mothers expressed more warmth, affection, and physical contact, reporting a greater sense of positivity during playtime.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 10, 2025·7 min read

Most Antidepressant Users Don’t Face Severe Withdrawal

The largest review of antidepressant withdrawal studies shows most people don’t experience severe symptoms when stopping these medications. Analyzing data from nearly 18,000 participants, researchers found the most common withdrawal symptoms were mild, including dizziness, nausea, and nervousness.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 9, 2025·3 min read

Short Video Fosters Growth-Oriented Thinking in Adolescents

A brief online intervention may help teenagers see themselves as capable of change, according to a new study. Researchers found that watching a single ten-minute video based on growth mindset principles shifted young people’s beliefs about their own personality traits.

This shows a brain and people exercising.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 8, 2025·6 min read

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise Depend on Context

A new study reveals that the mental health benefits of exercise depend not just on the amount of physical activity, but also on the context in which it occurs. Researchers found that leisure-time activities like yoga or team sports tend to improve mood more than obligatory tasks like housework.