Following a review of data from two longitudinal studies, researchers report that kids who experience four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are 2.65 times more likely to be diagnosed with depression in adulthood. Examples of ACEs include abuse (physical, sexual, emotional); neglect (physical, emotional); witnessing domestic violence, substance abuse, or mental illness in the…

During a six-year study, researchers observed that while higher levels of stress increase the risk an individual will develop depression that requires treatment, volunteer work appears to mitigate this risk.International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, December 2022

Using data from the UK Biobank study, researchers report that type 2 diabetes diagnosis before age 50 can double an individual’s risk for dementia. The research team notes that type 1 diabetics also have a similar increased risk for the degenerative neurological condition. Diabetic Medicine, February 2023

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is responsible for inhibiting the excitability of brain cells and balancing the neuronal activity required for healthy brain function. With the aid of state-of-the-art neuroimaging, researchers observed that GABA levels are lower in children, which may help to explain why kids can learn new concepts faster than adults. Current Biology, November 2022

Questionnairescompleted over the course of one year by 779 adults revealed that difficulty falling asleep is linked to anincreased risk for both depression and anxiety over time. Journal of Affective Disorders, February 2023

A multi-year study that included 6,995 teenagers found that life stress, insomnia, and mood disorders have an interconnected relationship in that the presence of one increases the risk for the other two. The findings suggest that adolescents under treatment for one condition should be assessed for all three.Journal of Affective Disorders, February 2023

In a recent experiment, researchers observed that pupil diameter increased in the eyes of infants when they were shown an object that was not clearly recognizable. The research team suggests this is an indication of increased mental effort and that that babies have the ability to use their imagination even before they gain the ability…

systematic review of 79 studies found that depression and anxiety are common in the parents of preterm infants with depression affecting 29.2% of mothers and 17.4% of fathers and anxiety affecting 37.7% of moms and 18.3% of dads. Journal of Affective Disorders, February 2023

Past research has demonstrated that lack of sleep can affect the ability to form memories. In a recent study, researchers observed that as the brain cycles between slow-wave and rapid-eye-movement sleep, the hippocampus relays events of the previous day to the neocortex where general knowledge-type memories are stored. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,…

The current research suggests that hypoxia—a condition characterized by low levels of oxygen in body tissues—can affect several pathological processes that are associated with Alzheimer’s such as amyloid-beta metabolism, tau phosphorylation, autophagy, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction. An article recently published in the journal Neural Regenerative Research speculates that…