In northeastern Nigeria—“Boko Haram’s den”—at least 3 in 10 people suffer from untreated mental illness. Despite high suicide rates and risks of radicalization, care is reserved for treating substance use or disorders like schizophrenia. Nonprofits like NEEM Foundation…
Air pollution is significantly associated with the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders, according to a new study published in PLOS Biology.
Some parents swear by tapeworm concoctions to ease symptoms of autism. Could “helminth therapies” go mainstream? While there’s no proof that they work, there have been glowing anecdotal reports. Illegal to distribute in the US, one parent had them shipped from Thailand—…
In 2012, the FDA approved Amyvid dye, the first Alzheimer’s biomarker test. But the dye requires a PET scan and costs thousands of dollars. Researchers are looking for better biomarkers for earlier diagnosis and improved drug research. The tau protein, for example, is…
This is Part II of a special series for Global Health NOW by Ana P. Santos, an independent journalist based in Manila, Philippines, featuring photography by Amanda Mustard.
They came with stories. There was a video of a Ghanaian man suffering from a psychosis. His family had put his foot through a hole in a log and secured it there with nails. He stayed attached to the log for 2 years. Another video captured a Peruvian man’s spiral into…
One of the “most promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in mental health” is a treatment that acts like a game, writes data scientist Sara Kimmich. Neurofeedback allows people to hear and see their brain activity, and train their brains to tweak their mental state. The…
Trauma surgeons may see “the equivalent of a mass shooting every 2.5 months”—clusters of 4 or more gunshot victims–contributing to burnout or “moral injury.” Per a 2014 survey, 40% of trauma surgeons have PTSD symptoms and 15% meet criteria for PTSD diagnosis. But…
Traditional methods for treating depression address symptoms like sadness or anxiety. Most don’t focus on anhedonia—the lack of interest or ability to feel pleasure. To address this pernicious symptom, UCLA is studying the use of virtual reality in therapy. Patients…
Flashing lights and pulsing sounds may curb the signs of Alzheimer’s in the brain, according to MIT research on mice that is now being tried out on humans.
