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depression

This shows a brain wrapped in a chain and a depressed woman.

·October 3, 2025·6 min read

Sugar Chains in the Brain: New Pathway Behind Depression Found

Scientists have discovered that depression can be driven by abnormal sugar modifications on proteins in the brain, offering a new molecular pathway for understanding the disorder. Chronic stress was shown to reduce sialylation—a stabilizing sugar process—in the prefrontal cortex, impairing neural circuit stability and triggering depressive symptoms.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain Psychology

·October 2, 2025·6 min read

Psilocybin Rewire Brain Circuits Tied to Pain and Mood

New research shows that psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, can reduce both chronic pain and pain-related depression by modulating brain circuits rather than acting at the site of injury. In mouse studies, a single dose provided pain relief and mood benefits lasting nearly two weeks by targeting the anterior cingulate cortex.

This shows a woman drinking soda and a shadow of a woman.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 24, 2025·5 min read

Sugary Drinks Linked to Depression Through Gut Microbiome

A new study shows that sugary drinks don’t just affect physical health—they may also raise the risk of depression in women by disrupting the gut microbiome. Researchers found that high consumption of soft drinks was linked to both a greater likelihood of major depressive disorder and more severe symptoms, particularly among women.

This shows a woman's face and network lines.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 16, 2025·4 min read

AI Spots Subtle Facial Cues Linked to Early Depression Risk

Depression’s earliest signs can be hard to spot, but a new study shows AI can detect them in subtle facial movements. Japanese students with subthreshold depression were perceived as less friendly and expressive by peers, despite not seeming nervous or fake.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 15, 2025·4 min read

Simple Hair Test May Spot Mental Health Risks in Kids

Long-term stress, measured through hair cortisol, may help predict mental health risks in children living with chronic physical illnesses. In a four-year study of 244 children, researchers found that persistently high cortisol levels were strongly linked to anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 11, 2025·5 min read

Your Words May Reveal More Than You Think: AI Shows How

Psychologists are turning to artificial intelligence to uncover hidden psychological cues in speech, from word choice to tone and pacing.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 4, 2025·5 min read

Astrocyte Disruption Tied to Depression After Childhood Stress

Researchers have shown that astrocytes in the lateral hypothalamus play a pivotal role in how stress shapes behavior, particularly after early-life adversity. In mice, stress led to smaller, less branched astrocytes and abnormal orexin neuron activity, with sex-specific patterns in activity levels.

This shows a statue of a person holding their head. Neurons are overlayed.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 2, 2025·6 min read

Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression

A new study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave bone marrow in the skull and collect in the brain’s protective membranes, where they contribute to depressive symptoms. In mice, blocking an immune “alarm” pathway reduced these cells and improved mood-related behaviors.

This shows a brain with two paths leading to it.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 1, 2025·2 min read

Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events

Depression specifically impairs the ability to learn how to actively avoid unpleasant events, though it does not affect avoidance behavior once learned. Researchers tested 465 participants across a range of depressive symptoms in a task adapted from rodent research, involving sounds and visual cues.

This shows a map, half Is red and covered in negative emojis, the other is blue and covered with positive emojis, symbolizing the effect heat has on mood.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 31, 2025·6 min read

Extreme Heat Makes People More Negative

A large-scale global study shows that extreme heat affects not just our bodies, but also our emotions. Researchers analyzed over a billion social media posts and found that when temperatures exceeded 95°F (35°C), expressed sentiments became more negative, particularly in lower-income countries where effects were three times stronger.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·August 28, 2025·4 min read

Brain Cells Behind Depression Identified

Researchers analyzing post-mortem brain tissue found two cell types altered in people with depression: excitatory neurons that regulate mood and stress, and microglia that manage inflammation. The findings highlight how depression is tied to measurable brain changes, not just emotional symptoms.

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Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 28, 2025·3 min read

The Midlife “Unhappiness Hump” Has Vanished, But at a Cost

A new large-scale study finds that the long-observed “unhappiness hump,” where mental distress peaked in midlife, has disappeared. Instead, younger people now report the highest levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, with ill-being declining across the lifespan.

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depression

Sugar Chains in the Brain: New Pathway Behind Depression Found

Psilocybin Rewire Brain Circuits Tied to Pain and Mood

Sugary Drinks Linked to Depression Through Gut Microbiome

AI Spots Subtle Facial Cues Linked to Early Depression Risk

Simple Hair Test May Spot Mental Health Risks in Kids

Your Words May Reveal More Than You Think: AI Shows How

Astrocyte Disruption Tied to Depression After Childhood Stress

Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression

Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events

Extreme Heat Makes People More Negative

Brain Cells Behind Depression Identified

The Midlife “Unhappiness Hump” Has Vanished, But at a Cost

Teenage Cannabis Use Linked to 52% Higher Schizophrenia Risk

Physical Activity Rewires the Traumatized Brain

Gene Linking Schizophrenia to Decision-Making Found

Positive Childhood Experiences and Special Health Care Needs

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