Science News from 2024
- Basic Research Powers the First Medication for Postpartum Depression
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• 75th Anniversary
Decades of NIMH-supported basic research led to a pioneering treatment for postpartum depression and continues to power exciting advances in women's mental health care.
- Understanding the Underpinnings of Sensory Hypersensitivity in SCN2A-Associated Autism
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In this NIMH-supported study, researchers investigated the neural underpinnings of sensory hypersensitivity in SCN2A-associated autism.
- Gene-Based Therapy Restores Cellular Development and Function in Brain Cells From People With Timothy Syndrome
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In a proof-of-concept study, researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of a potential new therapy for Timothy syndrome, an often life-threatening and rare genetic disorder that affects a wide range of bodily systems, leading to severe cardiac, neurological, and psychiatric symptoms as well as physical differences such as webbed fingers and toes.
- Accelerating Science to Improve Early Autism Screening
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• 75th Anniversary
Persistent, collective efforts in the research community show how making early autism screening part of routine health care can support the well-being of children and families.
- Novel Treatment Helps Children With Severe Irritability
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A new study by NIMH researchers demonstrated the effectiveness, feasibility, and safety of exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy for severe irritability and temper outbursts in children. The positive results set the foundation to continue exploring exposure therapy as a potential treatment for childhood irritability.
- Revolutionizing the Study of Mental Disorders
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• 75th Anniversary
The Research Domain Criteria Initiative (RDoC) represented a new way to conceptualize the study of mental illnesses. In celebration of NIMH's 75th Anniversary, we reflect on the beginning and progress of this initiative.
- Study Reveals Potential Neural Marker for Social Impairment in Psychotic Disorders
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Research funded by NIMH found a link between a low level of social interest among people with psychotic disorders and brain regions in the social motivation system.
- NIH Researchers Identify Brain Connections Associated With ADHD in Youth
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Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have discovered that symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are tied to atypical interactions between the brain’s frontal cortex and information processing centers deep in the brain.
- Life with Schizoaffective Disorder
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• 75th Anniversary
In this lived experience feature story, Ray Lay describes the challenges of living with schizoaffective disorder and his later success in life.
- Dr. Joshua Gordon to Step Down as Director of the National Institute of Mental Health
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On February 29, 2024, Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., announced his decision to end his tenure as the director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
- Intervention Reduces Likelihood of Developing Postpartum Anxiety and Depression by More Than 70%
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Results from a large clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health show that an intervention for anxiety provided to pregnant women living in Pakistan significantly reduced the likelihood of the women developing moderate-to-severe anxiety, depression, or both six weeks after birth.
- Decades of Dedication and Collaboration: Unraveling the HIV Mystery
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• 75th Anniversary
In celebration of NIMHs 75th anniversary, we reflect on decades of work by the institute to understand and eradicate HIV.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Alters Brain Activity in Children With Anxiety
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Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health found that unmedicated children with anxiety disorders show widespread overactivation in brain functioning and that treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy led to a clinically significant drop in anxiety symptoms and improved brain functioning.
- Researchers Expand Understanding of Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Fragile X Syndrome
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An NIMH-supported study of the 3D genome revealed widespread silencing of genes with important roles in brain function in fragile X syndrome and related disorders.
- NIMH Hosts 75th Anniversary Symposium
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• 75th Anniversary
The National Institute of Mental Health recently hosted a symposium to kick off its 75th Anniversary celebrations.
- Using Games to Explore the Mind
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The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the non-profit organization The Many Brains Project partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program to adapt a series of new game-like tasks that are now part of the All of Us Research Program’s participant experience.
- Disparities in Psychotic Disorder Diagnoses and Other Negative Health Outcomes
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NIMH researchers found racial and ethnic disparities in rates of psychotic disorders, which were associated with co-occurring medical conditions and negative health outcomes.