The Briefing · Psychiatry & Cognitive Neurology
Continuous newsroom coverage of evidence in Psychiatry & Cognitive Neurology — newest first.
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Students With Moderate Distress Show High Rate of Worsening
A 10-month analysis finds this group is a key target for intervention, with problematic internet use predicting negative outcomes.
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Australian Military Abandons Stratified Suicide Risk for Collaborative Safety Planning
A system-wide initiative removed low, medium, and high risk labels, training over 72,000 personnel in member-centered risk formulation.
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Activities Counter Negative Affect in Depressed, Anhedonic Youth
Real-world data show leisure and social company improve mood primarily by decreasing negative affect, not by increasing positive affect.
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Adolescent Nicotine Rewires Brain Circuitry to Boost Opioid Reward in Mice
Early nicotine exposure alters GABA signaling in the ventral tegmental area, amplifying the rewarding effects of morphine in adult mice.
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Menstrual Cycle Phases Alter Brain Reactivity to Drug Cues
Functional MRI reveals that estrogen heightens cue-induced craving in women with substance use disorders, while progesterone blunts it.
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Alexithymia and Poor Coping Link Trauma to Self-Injury in Depressed Youth
An inability to process emotions drives maladaptive coping, forming a chain reaction that connects early trauma to adolescent self-harm.
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Early Famine Exposure Linked to Accelerated Functional Decline in Older Adults
Nutritional deprivation during fetal and preschool development increases the risk of rapid intrinsic capacity deterioration by over 50 percent.
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Mental Health Gains Tied to Cessation, Not E-Cigarette Switching
A large study links complete cessation to better mental health over time, a benefit not seen in those who switch to e-cigarettes.
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Maternal Depressive Symptoms Nearly Double Preeclampsia Risk
A meta-analysis of over 44,000 pregnancies shows early depressive symptoms significantly elevate the risk of hypertensive complications.
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Hippocampus-Thalamus Circuit Drives Contextual Hyperactivity in PTSD Mouse Model
A specific glutamatergic pathway may be a therapeutic target for context-dependent arousal symptoms.
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Nicotine Rewires Habenular Circuits in Mice, Altering Food Motivation
Chronic nicotine exposure in mice disrupts top-down control of the LDT-VTA cholinergic axis, driving exaggerated food-seeking behavior.
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Vitamin C Reverses Depression-Like Behavior in Female Mice via D2 Receptors
A single dose of ascorbic acid restored dopamine D2 receptor signaling in the prefrontal cortex, rapidly alleviating depression in mice.
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Inhibiting RhoA in Rat Prefrontal Cortex Reduces Morphine Dependence
Blocking the RhoA pathway in rats reduces opioid-induced neuroplasticity and limits glutamate spillover, offering a specific addiction target.
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Epigenetic Target HDAC5 Reduces Environment-Triggered Cocaine Seeking in Rats
In a rat model, overexpressing the enzyme HDAC5 in the prelimbic cortex shifted synaptic balance to suppress context-driven cocaine seeking.
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Cognitive Status Remains Key Predictor of Dementia Risk Alongside p-tau181
ARIC data show that while p-tau181 is prognostic, the absolute risk of dementia remains low in cognitively unimpaired individuals.
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Young Children Require Higher Benzodiazepine Doses for PICU Ventilation
A retrospective cohort study reveals that children under five receive significantly higher weight-adjusted doses of midazolam and lorazepam.
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Social Anxiety Affects Nearly Half of College Students
An analysis of 5,996 students reveals a 47.9% incidence of social anxiety, with gender, grade, and physical activity as top predictors.
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Caffeinated Coffee and Tea Lower Dementia Risk; Decaf Shows No Benefit
A 43-year prospective study of 131,821 adults reveals that 2 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee daily significantly reduces incident dementia.
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Cross-Ancestry Analysis Identifies Shared Genetic Risk for Major Psychiatric Disorders
Researchers identified 403 genetic loci and specific cellular pathways common to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
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Apps for Alcohol Use Do Not Improve Mood Beyond Standard Care
In a randomized trial, digital tools added to standard care did not further reduce depression or anxiety in adults with alcohol dependence.
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Intracortical Implant Enables Paralyzed Patients to Type 22 Words Per Minute
By decoding attempted finger movements, a neuroprosthesis allows patients with tetraplegia to type on a virtual QWERTY keyboard.
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Opioid Medications Halve Mortality but Reach Only a Quarter of Patients
A clinical review details how optimizing methadone, buprenorphine, and naloxone can close the treatment gap and reduce all-cause mortality.
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Structured Exercise Improves Sleep and Executive Function in Preteens With Autism
A 10-to-12-week physical activity program objectively reduced sleep fragmentation and improved problem-solving in children with autism.
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White Matter Damage Drives Cognitive Decline via Two Distinct Pathways
In amyloid-negative patients, periventricular lesions directly impair memory but indirectly drive executive dysfunction via hypometabolism.