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Science News

Illustrated swarm of human immunodeficiency virus.
Researchers Investigate Potential Treatment for Eliminating HIV from the Brain

In a recent NIMH-funded study, researchers explored a potential new way of clearing HIV from the brain by testing a drug that targets a type of immune cell known as macrophages.

Illustration of abstract brain on blue background.
Brain Connectivity Linked With Cognition in People With Early Psychosis

An NIMH-funded study identified consistent links between brain connectivity and cognitive function in people with early stage psychosis and people at high risk who later developed psychosis.

A concerned woman sits and listens intently to a doctor holding a clipboard. They are in a clinic setting with a young child playing with blocks in the background. The focus is on the conversation between the parent and doctor.
Improving Firearm Safety in Pediatric Primary Care

An automatic reminder supported by low-burden facilitation increased delivery of a universal secure firearm storage program during pediatric primary care.

A syringe labeled "Ketamine" beside a vial containing the medication.
New Hope for Rapid-Acting Depression Treatment

A new study, funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health, showed that a new medication derived from ketamine is safe and acceptable for use in humans, setting the stage for clinical trials testing it for hard-to-treat mental disorders like severe depression.

Uma Chatterjee - headshot thumbnail
My Life With OCD

75th Anniversary

Graduate student and mental health advocate Uma Chatterjee, M.S., shares her personal journey navigating life with OCD.

A neuronal wiring diagram of the adult fly brain. The adult fly brain comprises 139,000 neurons and more than 50 million synapses. Credit: Tyler Sloan for Murthy and Seung Labs, Princeton University.
Researchers Fully Map Neural Connections of the Fruit Fly Brain

A scientific team supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) unveiled the first complete map of the neural connections of the common fruit fly brain.

Using Mobile Technology to Improve Care for Teens with Depression
Smartphone Data May Not Reliably Predict Depression Risk in Diverse Groups

NIMH-supported research suggests AI tools built on smartphone data may struggle to predict clinical outcomes like depression in large and diverse groups of people.

Illustration of a brain intertwined with a DNA double helix, depicted as a network of glowing, purple connections on a dark background.
New Gene Delivery Method Paves the Way for Advanced Brain Therapies

A new study, funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health, describes a promising new gene delivery vehicle that could advance treatment for brain disorders.

Pensive preteen looking out though window.
Increases Found in Preteen Suicide Rate

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that rates of preteen suicide (ages 8-12) have been increasing by approximately 8% annually since 2008.

Overhead view of a brain that looks like a map of the earth with ocean and continents.
Youth With Conduct Disorder Show Widespread Differences in Brain Structure

The largest neuroimaging study of conduct disorder to date, with funding from NIH, has revealed extensive changes in brain structure among young people with the disorder. The largest difference was a smaller area of the brain’s outer layer, known as the cerebral cortex, which is critical for many aspects of behavior, cognition and emotion.