• Placebos reduce stress even when people know they are placebos
    Neuropsychology28 Aug

    Findings from a new study have shown that nondeceptive placebos, or placebos given with people fully knowing they are placebos, effectively manage stress — even when the placebos are administered remotely. For this study, researchers recruited participants experiencing prolonged stress from the Covid-19 pandemic for a two-week randomised controlled trial. Half of the participants were [...]

  • High dose psilocybin reduces depressive symptoms
    Neuropsychology23 Aug

    A new study has revealed that high doses of psilocybin appears to have a similar effect on depressive symptoms as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drug escitalopram. Patients in the study that were treated with high dose psilocybin - the active ingredient in magic mushrooms - showed better responses than those treated with placebo [...]

  • ADHD medications hit by supply shortages important to improve quality of life
    Neuropsychology9 Aug

    Research led by the University of Southampton has found that medications play an important role in improving the quality of life of people with ADHD, but the authors suggest more support – in addition to medications – is needed. The findings published online today (8 August 2024) in The Journal of the American Academy of [...]

  • Study finds association between prenatal exposure to plastics and autism in boys
    Neuropsychology7 Aug

    Researchers at the University of Melbourne have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.   Research published in Nature Communications, led by Florey Institute scientists Dr Wah Chin Boon and Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby, supports the hypothesis of a possible link between [...]

  • Bedside FEES assessments: Clinician and resident perspectives
    Clinical practice18 Jul

    By Gerry Roxburgh, specialist neurological Speech and Language Therapist, Elysium Healthcare

  • Praise for complex mental health bespoke supported transition service
    Neuropsychology9 Jul

    A brand new service has been set up for a young man who has been receiving treatment at the complex mental health charity St Andrew’s Healthcare. The patient, who is now 19, has a learning disability, autism and experiences psychosis. He had been receiving care within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), but [...]

  • Using novel discourse treatment to improve communication in people with aphasia
    Stroke20 Jun

    Aphasia is a condition that affects a quarter of stroke survivors. It impairs communication abilities, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Aphasia can have a profound impact on social relationships, employment, and overall quality of life. In current UK practice, 90% of speech and language therapists acknowledge the importance of discourse assessment and treatment. However, [...]

  • Six distinct types of depression identified in new study
    Neuropsychology17 Jun

    In the not-too-distant future, a screening assessment for depression could include a quick brain scan to identify the best treatment. Brain imaging combined with machine learning can reveal subtypes of depression and anxiety, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, sorts depression into [...]

  • Links between social anxiety and suicidal thoughts in adolescents revealed
    Neuropsychology10 Jun

    A new study from The University of East Anglia has revealed that adolescents who experience higher levels of social anxiety symptoms are more likely to report increased suicidal thoughts and other depressive symptoms two years later. The study sheds light on the pressing need for early interventions to address society anxiety in young people. Lead [...]

  • Developing personalised treatments for schizophrenia
    Neuropsychology3 Jun

    An new, international study has demonstrated for the first time the role of two proteins in the activation and deactivation of the system through which drugs act against schizophrenia symptoms. The findings may facilitate the creation of new personalised treatments for people diagnosed with the condition. Schizophrenia patients suffer from various types of symptoms, such [...]