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The Briefing · Psychiatry & Cognitive Neurology

Continuous newsroom coverage of evidence in Psychiatry & Cognitive Neurology — newest first.

This week

9 stories
  1. Memory Deficits Persist in Multiple Sclerosis Despite Preserved Processing Speed
    Brain ·Cohort Study · May 14, 2026

    Memory Deficits Persist in Multiple Sclerosis Despite Preserved Processing Speed

    Modern treatment eras show a shift where cognitive slowing is no longer the primary deficit in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

  2. Current Late-Life Depression Linked to Specific Right Hippocampal Subregion Volume Reductions
    PubMed ·Cross-Sectional Study · May 14, 2026

    Current Late-Life Depression Linked to Specific Right Hippocampal Subregion Volume Reductions

    A new study details distinct hippocampal volume alterations in currently depressed older adults, differentiating them from remitted states.

  3. REM Sleep EEG Slowing Linked to Cholinergic Denervation in Older Adults
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Cohort Study · May 14, 2026

    REM Sleep EEG Slowing Linked to Cholinergic Denervation in Older Adults

    Specific REM sleep electroencephalogram patterns correlate with brain cholinergic integrity, potentially aiding early diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease

  4. Maternal Fasting in Mice Induces Schizophrenia-Related Phenotypes
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Animal Study · May 14, 2026

    Maternal Fasting in Mice Induces Schizophrenia-Related Phenotypes

    A mouse model links transient fasting during early gestation to epigenetic changes and altered neural circuitry in offspring.

  5. Focal Brain Lesions Pinpoint Common OCD Network and Treatment Targets
    Biological Psychiatry ·Cohort Study · May 14, 2026

    Focal Brain Lesions Pinpoint Common OCD Network and Treatment Targets

    A systematic review identifies a shared brain network in lesional and primary OCD, aligning with neuroimaging and neuromodulation sites.

  6. Habenula Hyperconnectivity in Autism Linked to Social Deficits
    Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging ·Cohort Study · May 14, 2026

    Habenula Hyperconnectivity in Autism Linked to Social Deficits

    A large-scale rs-fMRI study identifies specific habenula functional connectivity alterations in autistic individuals, impacting social motivation…

  7. Age, Sex, and Initial Diagnosis Shape Mental Disorder Trajectories
    JAMA Psychiatry ·Cohort Study · May 14, 2026

    Age, Sex, and Initial Diagnosis Shape Mental Disorder Trajectories

    A large Danish cohort study details how initial diagnosis, age, and sex influence diagnostic shifts and healthcare utilization.

  8. FDA-Approved Therapies and Multidisciplinary Care Extend Survival in ALS
    JAMA ·Narrative Review · May 14, 2026

    FDA-Approved Therapies and Multidisciplinary Care Extend Survival in ALS

    New clinical data highlight the role of genetic testing and targeted therapies in managing progressive motor neuron degeneration.

  9. FGF14 Repeat Expansions Identified in Patients with Parkinson's Disease
    Brain ·Cohort Study · May 14, 2026

    FGF14 Repeat Expansions Identified in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

    Long-read sequencing reveals that a genetic variant linked to ataxia also occurs in patients meeting clinical criteria for Parkinson's.

Earlier

15 stories
  1. Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis Drives Recurrent Stroke After PFO Closure
    Neurology ·Case Report · May 13, 2026

    Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis Drives Recurrent Stroke After PFO Closure

    A 23-year-old's recurrent M1 occlusion reveals how metabolic drivers of premature atherosclerosis can mimic or coexist with structural defects.

  2. Accelerated Deep TMS Protocols Show High Remission Rates in Depression
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Randomized Controlled Trial · May 13, 2026

    Accelerated Deep TMS Protocols Show High Remission Rates in Depression

    A randomized trial finds that 10-day accelerated deep TMS protocols achieve 42% to 50% remission rates, exceeding pharmacotherapy alone.

  3. Testosterone Therapy Improves Sexual Function After Radical Prostatectomy
    JAMA Internal Medicine ·Randomized Controlled Trial · May 13, 2026

    Testosterone Therapy Improves Sexual Function After Radical Prostatectomy

    A phase 2 trial shows 12 weeks of testosterone cypionate enhances libido and body composition without triggering biochemical recurrence.

  4. Children Witness Nearly Ten Percent of US Violent Deaths and Suicides
    JAMA Pediatrics ·Cohort Study · May 13, 2026

    Children Witness Nearly Ten Percent of US Violent Deaths and Suicides

    A CDC surveillance analysis reveals that most child-witnessed fatal events occur in homes and involve firearms or domestic conflict.

  5. Genetic Risk and Social Deprivation Drive Regional Drug Use Clusters
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Cohort Study · May 13, 2026

    Genetic Risk and Social Deprivation Drive Regional Drug Use Clusters

    A Swedish study of 5,983 districts finds that family genetic risk and community deprivation explain most geographic variation in addiction.

  6. Reduced Visit Pressure Increases Diagnosis Rates in Primary Care
    JAMA Internal Medicine ·Cohort Study · May 13, 2026

    Reduced Visit Pressure Increases Diagnosis Rates in Primary Care

    A study of 191,269 visits shows that relieving schedule constraints allows physicians to address more new and chronic clinical issues.

  7. Galectin-3 Inhibition Prevents Excitatory Synapse Loss in Murine Neuroinflammation Models
    Brain Research ·Animal Study · May 13, 2026

    Galectin-3 Inhibition Prevents Excitatory Synapse Loss in Murine Neuroinflammation Models

    Targeting microglial Galectin-3 preserves hippocampal gamma power and cognitive function by stopping the selective engulfment of synapses.

  8. Redlining and Modern Loan Denials Drive Chicago Firearm Homicides
    Annals of Surgery ·Cohort Study · May 13, 2026

    Redlining and Modern Loan Denials Drive Chicago Firearm Homicides

    Historical housing maps and current economic discrimination act as independent, measurable factors in urban firearm violence disparities.

  9. CSF Tau Biomarkers Associate With Cognitive Impairment in ALS
    Annals of Neurology ·Cohort Study · May 13, 2026

    CSF Tau Biomarkers Associate With Cognitive Impairment in ALS

    Elevated cerebrospinal fluid tau levels correlate with cognitive deficits in ALS, though postmortem TDP-43 burden remains a stronger driver.

  10. Dementia With Lewy Bodies Incidence Rises Sharply After Age 65
    JAMA Neurology ·Meta-Analysis · May 13, 2026

    Dementia With Lewy Bodies Incidence Rises Sharply After Age 65

    A meta-analysis of population-based studies reveals significant age and sex disparities in dementia with Lewy bodies epidemiology.

  11. Palliative Care Reduces Hospital Death Risk in Multiple Sclerosis
    Neurology ·Cohort Study · May 13, 2026

    Palliative Care Reduces Hospital Death Risk in Multiple Sclerosis

    A large cohort study finds neurology oversight drops sharply before death, while rural patients face higher hospital mortality rates.

  12. Nuclear Membrane Disruption Precedes Cytoplasmic Tau in Anti-IgLON5 Disease
    Brain ·Mixed-Methods Study · May 13, 2026

    Nuclear Membrane Disruption Precedes Cytoplasmic Tau in Anti-IgLON5 Disease

    Autopsy and in vitro data show that antibody binding triggers nuclear invaginations and serine 422 phosphorylation before tau aggregates.

  13. Comorbidity Drives Genetic Overlap Between Anxiety and Major Depression
    Biological psychiatry ·Genome-Wide Association Study · May 12, 2026

    Comorbidity Drives Genetic Overlap Between Anxiety and Major Depression

    Excluding comorbid cases reveals that isolated anxiety and depression are more genetically distinct than previously recognized.

  14. Subthalamic Signal Propagation Predicts Parkinsonian Motor State
    Brain ·Cohort Study · May 12, 2026

    Subthalamic Signal Propagation Predicts Parkinsonian Motor State

    Movement-related high-frequency oscillations propagate along the inferior-superior axis, correlating with levodopa response.

  15. Auditory Slow-Wave Stimulation Reduces Axonal Damage in Rat Brain Injury Model
    Annals of Neurology ·Animal Study · May 12, 2026

    Auditory Slow-Wave Stimulation Reduces Axonal Damage in Rat Brain Injury Model

    Closed-loop acoustic triggers during deep sleep preserved white matter integrity and cognitive function in a preclinical study of TBI.