Summary: Neuroticism is consistently linked to lower relationship satisfaction, but the day-to-day behaviors that explain this connection have been unclear. In a seven-day daily diary study of 246 people, researchers identified specific negative and positive actions within romantic relationships and found that conflict-related negative behaviors were the primary pathway linking neuroticism to dissatisfaction. The study … Read more

Summary: A large cluster-randomized trial in rural China found that intensive blood pressure control substantially reduced the risk of dementia and cognitive decline in people with uncontrolled hypertension. Over 48 months, participants who received a targeted intervention had a 15% lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 16% lower risk of cognitive impairment without dementia, … Read more

Summary: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective option for severe, treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders, despite persistent stigma from outdated portrayals. New research shows that, in addition to inducing a therapeutic seizure, ECT triggers a second brain event: cortical spreading depolarization (CSD). This slow-moving wave of neural depolarization acts like a large-scale “reset,” affecting nearly every … Read more

Summary: A long-term Dutch study finds that people with an evening chronotype—commonly called night owls—tend to experience faster cognitive decline over ten years compared with morning types. The research links part of this increased risk to evening patterns of unhealthy behaviour, including poorer sleep, higher rates of smoking and alcohol use, and lower physical activity. … Read more

Summary: A recent study reports that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a widely prescribed class of antidepressants, are associated with reductions in biological markers linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In an analysis of 191 individuals from a large neuroimaging cohort, patients with Alzheimer’s disease who were taking SSRIs had lower plasma levels of phosphorylated tau‑181 (p‑tau181), … Read more

Summary: New analysis from the Framingham Heart Study finds complex links between blood lipid profiles and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia worldwide. The investigators report that higher concentrations of small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL‑C) — a form of “bad” cholesterol associated with heart disease — were linked to an … Read more

Summary: A new NYU study indicates that racial inequality and police violence may substantially increase the risk of psychotic experiences among low-income young adults of color. While individual-level causes such as trauma, bullying, or substance use are well known, this research highlights the vital influence of structural oppression and systemic racism on early psychosis risk. … Read more

Summary: New research shows that men who inherit two copies of a common HFE gene variant face more than double the lifetime risk of developing dementia, while women with the same genotype do not appear to be affected. The H63D variant, associated with hereditary haemochromatosis, is relatively common—present in roughly one in 36 people as … Read more

Summary: A leading figure in molecular psychiatry describes how an early fascination with DNA shaped a career devoted to uncovering the biological roots of neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD. By integrating genetics, neuroscience and clinical psychiatry, her work clarifies how DNA variation and environmental influences shape brain development, behavior and risk for psychiatric disorders. Using … Read more

Summary: Adolescent anxiety is rising worldwide, and a new Perspective argues that its origins may begin much earlier than previously thought—even before birth. The authors emphasize how maternal stress, the quality of early caregiving, and environmental signals during prenatal and early postnatal life shape the brain circuits responsible for emotion regulation and executive function, setting … Read more