Clinicians & therapists

Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School have found that a new class of light-sensitive proteins are capable of turning off brain cells with light, offering scientists an unprecedentedly effective tool to investigate brain function. The study, recently published in Nature Communications, opens exciting new opportunities to apply optogenetics to investigate the brain activity underlying neurodegenerative and [...]

Music rehabilitation is being increasingly promoted as a therapy due to its wide-reaching beneficial effects (DEL0340, 2020). Not only does it provide an outlet for expression, but it also links to physical and emotional outcomes, demonstrating its multi-faceted nature (Grau-Sánchez et al., 2022). This article explores both of these domains, investigating the link of motion [...]

Understanding and treating depression, a potentially debilitating mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide, remains a major priority among researchers in the field of neuroscience. For example, major depressive disorder (MDD) affects around 33 million people and as much as 5% of the adult population globally. Emotion regulation is a crucial function of [...]

In a new study, researchers have identified a correlation between loneliness and a wide-ranging number of mental health problems. Researchers have been examining whether lonely people are more prone to problems such as depression and psychosis. Based on medication use, the correlation is clear. “We have found a correlation between loneliness and several mental health [...]

Pharma giant AbbVie is entering the nascent psychedelics industry to develop next generation therapies for mental health disorders. AbbVie has entered into a new partnership with psychedelic drug developer Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals that will see the pair discover and develop novel psychedelics - otherwise known as "neuroplastogens". With a robust portfolio in immunology, oncology, eyecare and [...]

Psychiatrists and mental health professionals have a new standard for managing major depression, thanks to refreshed clinical guidelines published by the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT). The CANMAT guidelines are the most widely used clinical guidelines for depression in the world. The new version integrates the latest scientific evidence and advances in depression care [...]

A new study has revealed that loneliness in adulthood follows a U-shaped pattern: it’s higher in younger and older adulthood, and lowest during middle adulthood. The results are from a Northwestern Medicine study that examined nine longitudinal studies from around the world. The study also identified several risk factors for heightened loneliness across the whole [...]

Researchers are due to present new findings on the potential benefits of 'looking inwards' through meditation and mindfulness for cognitive enhancement. Neuroscientists are increasingly studying how looking inward via mindfulness training can affect everything from depression and memory to stress levels and ageing. As researchers work to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying these brain changes, [...]

New research indicates that physical activity lowers cardiovascular disease risk in part by reducing stress-related signalling in the brain. In the study, which was led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, people with stress-related [...]

A new study has highlighted a significant correlation between depression and mortality, with studies indicating a 50% increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with depression compared to non-depressed patients with stage I-III breast cancer. A team of researchers in Russia have conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing research on the prevalence and impact of [...]