Researchers discovered that the peptide tied to the neurotransmitter hypocretin increased in people when they were happy and decreased when they were sad. This is related to increased alertness and mood in humans. The groundbreaking discovery gives direction for future research on the potential treatment of depression and similar disorders affecting mood. Hypocretin deficiency can […]
Author: Jessica
Behaviourists from ETH Zurich have demonstrated that the interplay between infection during pregnancy and stress in puberty may play a key in the development of schizophrenia in mouse models. The prevalence of schizophrenia is around one percent, and this disorder is usually not diagnosed until adulthood. Scientists have long suspected a role of adverse environmental […]
French scientists find that sleep walking is an under diagnosed condition, known to affect 4% of adults, which take a serious toll on quality of life and daytime moods when compared to a control group. The condition arises when part of the the brain is in NREM sleep while the other part of the brain […]
The largest genetic study of mental illness to date has found a common genetic risk in autism, ADHD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Previously thought to be quite distinct from one another, this study shows a bridging of the boundaries between these conditions. After genetic screening of 61,000 people across 19 countries (some with one of […]
WhatWorks4U.org is a website developed by Professor Tony Jorm & the Population Mental Health research team at The University of Melbourne. The website lets young people share what treatments have worked for their mental health problems and learn what treatments other young people have reported as helpful. Whatworks4u.org hopes to increase awareness of treatment options […]
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Identifying Mental Illness in Children
What may surprise you is that one in five children suffers from mental illnesses interfering with their daily life. According to American Psychological Association this often this goes unrecognized by professionals and parents because they expect them to “grow out” of their problems. Psychologists have pointed out two symptoms that should be paid careful attention […]
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant and electroconvulsive therapy. These treatments are thought to relieve depression by activating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature into new neurons. The initial studies involved using electroconvulsive therapy in mice and observing consequent gene […]
A recent addition to the DSM-5 clarifies Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) as a disorder affecting five to seven percent of women of reproductive age. It shares several characteristics with different mood disorders and is most commonly misdiagnosed as Major Depression. In a study by Girdler and colleagues they found that PMDD has specific measures of […]
A report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that American adults with mental illness have a smoking rate of about 70% higher than those without mental illness. Smoking-related illnesses are some of the leading causes of death in the […]
Suicide is a topic that is not openly discussed by many people; there can be a lot of stigma associated with suicide and mental illness. An important part of raising awareness is knowing the facts. Test your knowledge by taking a quiz from UBC Thrive. Once you finish our Myths and Facts quiz, you will […]