In a new review in Science, the authors call the identification of the anesthetic and “club drug” ketamine as a rapid treatment for depression “arguably the most important discovery in half a century” of research on the condition
Depression
Naomi Wolf’s Vagina Aside, What Neuroscience Really Says About Female Desire
The controversy surrounding journalist Naomi Wolf’s new book, Vagina: A Cultural History — an exploration of the brain-vagina connection — has brought fresh attention to the nature and neuroscience of female sexuality. …
Mom’s Depression May Lead to Shorter Kids
Mom’s mood in early childhood can have wide-reaching effects, both physically and mentally, for children
Making Choices: How Your Brain Decides
Two distinct brain networks guide our reasoning and the behaviors we ultimately undertake based on those judgments
Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Bipolar 2: A Diagnosis Muddled by the Market
Why the Congressman’s recent diagnosis of bipolar 2 has a history of controversy
Snoring at Night May Affect Kids’ Daytime Behavior
As any parent knows, an exhausted child is an ill-behaved one. So it’s no surprise that a new study finds that young children who snore persistently — which can disrupt the quality of their sleep — are more likely to have …
How Childhood Trauma May Make the Brain Vulnerable to Addiction, Depression
Childhood trauma has long been known to raise a child’s odds of developing depression and addiction later on. Now, a small but intriguing new study links these risks to specific changes in the brain, finding that disruptions in …
More Evidence that Exercise May Help Treat Depression
A new clinical trial among patients with heart failure shows that regular exercise helps alleviate depressive symptoms and prevent hospitalizations and death
Unplug! Too Much Light at Night May Lead to Depression
Mood disorders join a long list of ailments linked to late-night exposure to artificial lighting, TVs and computer screens
Hitting Your Kids Increases Their Risk of Mental Illness
Children who are pushed, grabbed, shoved, slapped or hit are more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness. Just one more reason to embrace alternative forms of discipline
The Internet Knows You’re Depressed, but Can It Help You?
Depressive people tend to use the Internet differently than mentally healthy types, but it’s not clear whether their pattern of use helps or exacerbates their mood.
Do Family Dinners Really Reduce Teen Drug Use?
Families who eat dinner together are in many ways better off than those who don’t, but contrary to previous findings, a large new study concludes that family meals do little to reduce teen drug use long-term.
Should Depressed People Avoid Having Children?
Do people with depression or other psychological problems have any moral obligation to forgo bearing children in order to avoid passing on their “bad” genes?