Science News

Community-based Treatments Offset Depression Disparities
Science Update •
NIMH Researcher David Chambers, Ph.D.

Improving care for depression in low-income communities -- places where such help is frequently unavailable or hard to find -- provides greater benefits to those in need when community groups such as churches and even barber shops help lead the planning process, according to a new study.

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NIMH Twitter Chat on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Science Update •
NIMH Twitter Chat

Learn about post-traumatic stress disorder by joining NIMH’s Farris Tuma for a Twitter chat.

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Skewed Norms Weaken Case for Early Brain Overgrowth in Autism
Science Update •
Infant Head Measurement Thumbnail

Biases in standardized norms used to compare data on head size weakens evidence for early excess brain growth in autism, say NIMH intramural researchers.

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NIH Funds Industry Collaborations to Identify New Uses for Existing Compounds
Press Release •
NIH logo NCATS colors thumbnail

NIH Funds Industry Collaborations to Identify New Uses for Existing Compounds

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Scan Predicts Whether Therapy or Meds Will Best Lift Depression
Press Release •
Mayberg brain image thumb right anterior insula

Pre-treatment scans of brain activity predicted whether depressed patients would best achieve remission with an antidepressant medication or psychotherapy, in a study that may help mental health treatment decision-making move beyond trial-and-error. The study sought to identify a biomarker that could predict which type of treatment a patient would benefit from based on the state of his or her brain.

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Bullying Exerts Psychiatric Effects Into Adulthood
Science Update •
Bullying Exerts Psychiatric Effects Into Adulthood

Once considered a childhood rite of passage, bullying lingers well into adulthood. Bullies and victims alike are at risk for psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide when they become adults, reported a study partially funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that was published in the April issue of JAMA Psychiatry.

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Our New Look!
Science Update •
Our New Look

See NIMH’s new website design.

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DoD, VA, and HHS Report on Improving Mental Health Services for Military, Veterans, and Families
Science Update •
Marine with toddler son

A new report from the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services outlines progress made toward improving mental health services for members of the military, veterans, and their families.

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Ketamine Cousin Rapidly Lifts Depression Without Side Effects
Science Update •
GLX-13 Thumbnail

NMDA or glutamate receptor modulators as antidepressants have come of age. Human clinical studies demonstrated that ketamine can ward off depressive symptoms within 2 hours of administration and last for several days. Yet serious side effects are attached to this drug, including excessive sleepiness, hallucinations, and substance abuse behavior.

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Twitter Chat on Borderline Personality Disorder
Science Update •
NIMH Twitter Chat

NIMH teams up with Perry D. Hoffman from the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder for a chat about this topic.

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