Feature Channels: Psychology and Psychiatry

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Research in mice reveals how a subset of highly specialized immune cells modulate brain wiring by precision-targeting inhibitory synapses. The work deepens understanding of the versatile repertoire of microglia, the brain’s immune cells and resident garbage collectors. The results set the stage for the development of therapies for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions marked by defects in synaptic function.

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¿Le parece que posterga más las cosas durante la pandemia de la COVID-19? Si lo hace, no es la única persona.

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Você já notou ter adiado as coisas ainda mais por causa da pandemia de COVID-19? Se a resposta for afirmativa, você não está sozinho.

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A new study from Arizona State University has shown that people in the U.S. relied more on science than religion to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The research team assessed faith and science mindsets – how people perceived faith in God or scientific information – as the pandemic progressed. People who had a stronger science mindset were more concerned about COVID-19 in the early months of the pandemic. Faith mindsets were not directly related to concern about the pandemic.

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Dreams about unmasked crowds. Getting back to the routines of work, school or the everyday things we used to do. Shaking hands and hugging. Meeting without a computer screen separating the people in the conversation. Mourning the loss of lives.  Anxiety about re-entering society as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic is real.

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The July issue of AJG includes an examination of psychological comorbidities and the prognosis of individuals with IBS, as well as clinical research and reviews on cirrhosis, GERD, pediatrics, celiac disease, probiotics, GI quality improvement, NASH, and more.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic exploded across the globe in early 2020, the world's leaders were faced with a flurry of tough moral dilemmas.

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When physiological responses to trauma linger long after the event has passed, it’s called post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Recognizing the symptoms and seeking help are essential to recovery.

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Reflections on the pandemic, developing innovative solutions to address inequities in health and medicine, and the use of psychedelic drugs to help treat psychiatric disorders are among the topics presented at Aspen Ideas Health and the Aspen Ideas Festival from June 27-July 1, 2021, in Aspen, Colorado. Presented by the Aspen Institute and sponsored by the Mount Sinai Health System, the festival is a unique forum for the exchange of ideas.

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Depression is a worldwide problem, with serious consequences for individual health and the economy, and rapid and effective screening tools are thus urgently needed to counteract its increasing prevalence. Now, researchers from Japan have found that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect signs of depression.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects about 7% of children, with a two out of three chance of persisting into adulthood.

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Tests of a drug known to stimulate brain activity have shown early success in reducing symptoms of sluggish cognitive tempo in 38 men and women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD.)

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For nearly a year, we relied on masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now, many are removing the facial coverings, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to shed the anxiety that accompanies a global pandemic. If you’re having difficulty coping with this added stress, psychology experts at the University of Kentucky say you’re not alone.

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Preschool children are sensitive to the gap between how much they know and how much there is to learn, according to a Rutgers University-New Brunswick study.

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In a statement published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the nonprofit research institute RTI International responded to a call from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) requesting information on how to prevent Black youth suicide. The researchers emphasize the need for research and action of suicide prevention among Black youth must start from the ground up.

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It is common for investigators to interview suspects or witnesses who've had little sleep. While unavoidable in some cases, a new Iowa State University study found sleep disruption or deprivation may limit the amount of information provided during an interview.

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An early intervention developed for caregivers of patients with serious illnesses or injuries will be tested by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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Beware of those snack attacks. A new study in Appetite has confirmed the small luxuries, from sweets and chocolate to salty treats, have helped to lift our spirits - and kilojoule intake - during COVID-19 lockdowns.

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Depression in youth, between the ages of 10 and 24 years, is both a leading cause of stress and a possible risk factor for future diseases and impairment.

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stressful workplace can take its toll on our mental health, and new evidence published in the British Medical Journal backs up this belief. A year-long population study by the University of South Australia reveals that toxic workplaces can increase full time workers' risk of depression by 300 per cent.

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Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) frequently co-occur with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and this dual diagnosis often results in poorer treatment outcomes than for either disorder alone. An innovative study uses pre-treatment functional neuroimaging to predict treatment responses among individuals with both AUDs and PTSD. These results and others will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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A first-of-its kind study in U.S.-born children from Spanish-speaking families finds that minority language exposure does not threaten the acquisition of English by children in the U.S. and that there is no trade-off between English and Spanish. Rather, children reliably acquire English by age 5, and their total language knowledge is greater to the degree that they also acquire Spanish. Children’s level of English knowledge was independent of their level of Spanish knowledge.

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Americans consistently believe that poor African Americans are more likely to move up the economic ladder than they actually are, a new study shows.

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Mental distress tends to be lower in the summer when compared to the fall, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

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The military mantra of "no man left behind" is being applied to help veterans complete treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using evidence-based psychotherapy, paired with peer support, in a study led by trauma researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine are working to raise awareness of one of the most common sleep problems with Insomnia Awareness Night on June 22, 2021.

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Prior studies have investigated alternative approaches to pain reduction in burn injury patients that focus on distraction, such as music, hypnosis, toys, and virtual reality (VR). In a study published today in JAMA Network Open, Henry Xiang, MD, MPH, PhD, MBA, and his research team reported the use of smartphone-based VR games during dressing changes in pediatric patients with burn injuries.

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Few patients with alcohol-use problems who might benefit from either pharmacotherapy or specialized addiction treatment typically receive care. That may now change owing to a pilot study which examined the feasibility of providing a real-time video consultation resource in primary care. The study’s findings will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Sexual minority adolescents – lesbian, gay, or bisexual youth – are at an increased risk for substance use, including alcohol. A new study finds that discriminatory and stigmatizing experiences may be to blame. These results and others will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021.

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Lesbian, gay and bisexual people who encounter homophobic attitudes experience increases in heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones, potentially putting them at risk for multiple health problems, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

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Risky drinking has been a public health concern in the U.S. for decades, but the significant increase in retail alcohol sales following COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders in particular raised red flags for alcohol researchers. New research has assessed changes in alcohol drinking patterns from before to after the enactment of stay-at-home orders. These results and others will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Social-media sites – for example, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook – that provide clear networking functions such as liking, sharing, commenting, and personal messaging with other users or “followers” are popular among youth. They have also become a prime milieu for the socialization of young people's alcohol use. These results and others will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Not only is cannabis the most commonly used illicit – in a number of states – drug among people who drink alcohol, cannabis is also by far the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. overall. New research findings tease out the nuanced relationship between alcohol and cannabis through a survey of regular cannabis users who also report drinking alcohol, as well as heavy drinkers in treatment who also use cannabis. These findings will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021.

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An ongoing analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol and related outcomes shows that COVID-related stressors experienced by study participants – including work-, financial-, and family-related stressors – are having a varied impact on individuals with and without alcohol use disorders (AUDs). These results will be shared at the 44th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), which will be held virtually this year from the 19th - 23rd of June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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At least so far, the currently limited research base does not establish that cannabis has additional adverse effects on brain development or functioning in adolescents or young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), concludes a review in the July/August issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

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An electroencephalogram (EEG) study of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identified a neural signal that may help explain the variation of how those with ASD perceive or understand the mental states of others (called “Theory of Mind”).

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While postpartum depression in new mothers is well recognized and known to increase if the newborn requires intensive care, depression in new fathers has not received much attention. A large study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that both parents with a baby in the NICU are at risk, with depression symptoms identified in 33 percent of mothers and 17 percent of fathers. Strikingly, the probability of reporting depression symptoms declined significantly for mothers but not for fathers after the baby came home.

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The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently issued a statement calling cognitive behavioral therapy the standard of care for psychosis. “This is being called a 'watershed moment’ for advancing care for people with schizophrenia,” said lead author of the statement, a UW Medicine psychologist.

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Many people likely lost sleep over COVID-19. A study of twins led by Washington State University researchers found that stress, anxiety and depression during the first few weeks of the pandemic were associated with less and lower quality sleep.

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Is artificial intelligence the key to preventing relapse of severe mental illness?

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Do you like the thick brush strokes and soft color palettes of an impressionist painting such as those by Claude Monet? Or do you prefer the bold colors and abstract shapes of a Rothko?

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Experiencing sexual violence is significantly linked to increased e-cigarette use among sexual minority high school students, but not heterosexual students, according to a University at Buffalo study.

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Black parents' experiences of racial discrimination can negatively affect their children's psychological outcomes—but talking about these experiences and improving racial socialization competency could help prevent these negative outcomes. according to a new study by a University of Michigan researcher.

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NEWS STORIES IN THIS ISSUE: - Stressed About “Returning to Normal”? Here Are Tips to Ease Into the Transition - Be Your Brother’s Keeper: Steps for Faith-Based Communities to Reopen Safely

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According to a qualitative study published in JAMA Network Open adolescents expressed feelings of helplessness when exposed to secondhand racism online. Specifically, adolescents described helplessness stemming from the pervasiveness of racism in our society.

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Researchers have identified two subgroups of adolescents who self-harm and have shown that it is possible to predict those individuals at greatest risk almost a decade before they begin self-harming.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for treating schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder that includes samidorphan, a new chemical entity discovered at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.