Psychology News

These research articles involve many aspects of psychology such as cognitive psychology, depression studies, mental health, stress, happiness and neuropsychology, Scroll below for more specific categories.

Women are over 10 times more likely to develop postpartum psychosis if their sister has experienced the condition, according to a major study of more than 1.6 million women. This rare but severe disorder, marked by hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thinking after childbirth, can have life-threatening consequences if not treated.
Middle-aged and older adults who experience chronic pain often show worsening symptoms of depression up to eight years before the pain begins. A large-scale study found that depressive symptoms and loneliness increased long before pain onset, suggesting mental health may play a causal role in later physical discomfort.
A new study reveals that a natural cannabinoid in the body, 2-AG, plays a crucial role in regulating fear responses, particularly in individuals with PTSD and anxiety. Researchers found that lower levels of 2-AG in both mice and humans were linked to exaggerated or overgeneralized fear reactions to non-threatening stimuli. This suggests that 2-AG helps the brain distinguish real threats from harmless cues, acting as a natural filter for fear.
Propaganda is often seen as a manipulative force, but it may be a necessary tool for active participation in a digital society. Rather than eliminate it, people should learn to understand and ethically use propaganda to counter disinformation and promote social good.
New research reveals that chronic brain inflammation can directly lead to repetitive behaviors, often seen in conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In mice with a mutated NLRP3 gene, inflammation activated microglia to release IL-1β, overstimulating NMDA glutamate receptors responsible for excitatory brain signals.
A large population study has found that babies born with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop mental disorders like ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism later in life. Researchers analyzed data from over 71,000 individuals, linking neonatal vitamin D deficiency to increased risks of several neurodevelopmental conditions.
A new national study finds that all forms of cyberbullying—not just direct threats—can cause trauma in teens, suggesting it should be considered a serious childhood adversity. Even subtle behaviors like exclusion from chats or online rumors were found to cause PTSD symptoms as severe as overt harassment. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 2,700 U.S. teens and found 87% had experienced at least one form of online victimization.
While AI companions are marketed as a fix for loneliness, research shows that reading offers far more meaningful benefits. Reading fiction can foster social connection, reduce stress, enhance empathy, and even reshape brain activity linked to social cognition.
Chronic pain affects one in five adults, and medication alone doesn’t always offer relief. A new review reveals that psychological treatments—particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—can reduce pain through measurable changes in the brain. The review of multiple studies found that therapy shifts brain network activity, helping people loosen harmful thought patterns and reduce emotional stress linked to pain.
A new neuroscience study reveals that music can alter the emotional content of our memories when played during recollection. Participants who listened to emotionally charged music while recalling neutral stories later remembered those stories with emotional tones matching the music.
A new study has uncovered a biological link between inflammation and motivational deficits in people with schizophrenia, identifying a promising treatment target for symptoms that current medications fail to address. Higher levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein were associated with reduced activity in brain regions involved in reward and motivation, such as the ventral striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex.