Depression

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted psilocybin therapy a Breakthrough Therapy designation for the second time in a year, this time with a view on accelerating trials testing its efficacy treating major depressive disorder (MDD).

Scientists at UC Berkeley have homed in on exactly which phase of sleep seems to best keep anxiety levels in check. The research suggests sleep deprivation lowers activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that helps regulate our emotions.

A new metastudy is suggesting anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce symptoms of depression, affirming the long-suspected link between neuroinflammation and depression. However, another study is claiming there is no causal link between the two factors.

The results of a randomized controlled trial found dietary improvements lasting just a few weeks can improve overall mood and symptoms of anxiety.

A new research program from DARPA is looking to remove those pesky hallucinatory side effects from psychedelic medicines such as MDMA & psilocybin.

​If you suffer from depression, you've likely been advised to get plenty of exercise. Scientists have now gained a fresh understanding of how being active helps alleviate the condition, and they believe that their findings could lead to better treatments.

A study led by Harvard Medical School researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital has found levels of amyloid beta plaques in the brain, the primary pathological characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, can be directly correlated with both increasing symptoms of depression, and worsening cognition.

​First of all, no one is suggesting that if you suffer from depression and anxiety, you should drink a lot of red wine. That would ultimately NOT help the situation. However, it turns out that a plant-derived compound IN the wine – known as resveratrol – could indeed make a difference.

A study has followed thousands of teenagers tracking associations between screen time and depression. The research separated types of screen time, and found TV and social media activity correlated with increased symptoms of depression, but video game and computer use had little negative effect.

Boredom is as universal a human state as happiness or sadness, but the degree to which it is triggered in different individuals is incredibly subjective. A fascinating study, looking at brainwave activity in bored subjects, has found boredom is heightened by a lack of left frontal brain activity.

One of the challenges of dealing with depression, anxiety, or bi-polar disorder is the fact that your emotions can take control of you, without your even realizing that it's happening. An experimental new wristband could help, as it alerts wearers to changes in their emotional state.

Two new research papers are shedding light on the fascinating relationship between inflammation and behavior, suggesting our immune system can play a significant role in both our motivation and decision-making abilities.