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Why the causes of poor mental health may share a common root

10 May 2023

The neat picture we once had about the causes of mental illness has turned out to be wrong, but we are building an understanding of a new single underlying factor

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We may be entering a bold new era in the treatment of depression

18 January 2023

Depression is much more complicated than we thought, but new ideas about its biological causes have already led to promising treatments

Fresh ideas about the causes of depression are bringing new treatments

18 January 2023

By upending the idea that a chemical imbalance in the brain is behind depression, we are starting to understand some of its mysteries and develop better treatments

Exposure to high levels of light at night may be linked to certain mental health conditions

Light exposure may be linked to several mental health conditions

2 November 2022

Multiple factors can contribute to different mental health conditions, but in the largest study of its kind, researchers suggest limited light exposure during the day or high levels of exposure at night may be involved

Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes in the cerebral lobes of the brain, linked through the scalp to wires that lead to a battery implanted below the skin that send electrical impulses to specific areas of the brain

Brain electrodes may be a long-lasting aid for severe depression

4 July 2022

Electrodes implanted in the brain were known to release impulses that may "normalise" overactive connections within a specific circuit of the organ, but researchers were previously unsure whether the treatment offered long-term relief from severe depression

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Your brain may have a warning system that suppresses unwanted thoughts

28 April 2022

Researchers have identified a signal in the brain that may suppress unwanted memories, which could lead to treatments for OCD, anxiety and depression

A psilocybin therapy trial therapy room.

Psilocybin therapy steps closer to credibility with largest trial yet

10 November 2021

Promising results from a psilocybin trial suggest that psychedelic therapies for depression could help some – but not all – people who don't respond to conventional antidepressants

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Coming off antidepressants risks relapse – but so does staying on them

30 September 2021

People who stop taking antidepressants have a higher chance of relapsing into depression than those who continue using the medicines – but the difference isn't large

Depression and inflammation appear to be linked – but it's unclear why

14 May 2021

People with depression have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies than those without, but it is unclear whether this link is purely genetic or also influenced by people's behaviour

Shock therapy temporarily improves woman’s colour blindness

14 May 2020

A woman who is colour-blind says she could see red berries in a green bush for the first time after receiving electroconvulsive therapy for depression