News • Predictive psychiatry
Brain imaging finds biomarkers of mental illness
In a new study, researchers use a very large dataset to identify predictive brain imaging-based biomarkers of mental illness in adolescents.
Psychology
News • Playkits ahead of medical scan
Reducing kids' MRI anxiety with papercraft and VR
Giving children a virtual/augmented (mixed) reality playkit to use ahead of an MRI scan seems to ease both their and their parents’ anxieties about this procedure, a new study suggests.
News • Supportive communication reduces uncertainty
One of clinicians' mightiest weapons against breast cancer? Empathy
Clinicians who show more empathy promote better psychological health among breast cancer patients, according to a new US study examining how oncology doctors facilitate psychological well-being.
News • Medical diagnosis experiment shows
AI is biased – and humans 'inherit' their flaws
New research from Deusto University in Bilbao, Spain, provides evidence that people can inherit artificial intelligence biases (systematic errors in AI outputs) in their decisions.
News • Replacement of unnecessary medicines
Are placebos fair game in healthcare? New study confirms
Using placebos in primary care to reduce overprescribing, conserve existing antibiotics and limit further resistance, is publicly acceptable, a new study shows.
News • Overcoming a common mental health belief
Suppressing negative thoughts might not be so bad after all
The commonly-held belief that attempting to suppress negative thoughts is bad for our mental health could be wrong, a new study from scientists at the University of Cambridge suggests.
News • The "Rx" factor
GP burnout linked to higher opioid and antibiotic prescribing
When in doubt, write a prescription? New research links burnout in GPs to higher antibiotic and strong opioid prescribing, especially in more deprived areas of the North of England.
News • Long-term anxiety
Cardiac arrest 'haunts' women more often than men
More than 40% of women report anxiety four months after a cardiac arrest compared with 23% of men, according to research presented at ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2023.
News • Access to medical information
Bad news from test results? Patients still want to know right away
A recent survey of more than 8,000 patients found that users overwhelmingly supported receiving their test results immediately, even if their provider had not yet reviewed them.
News • Temporal anomalies? Not quite
Our heartbeat can distort our perception of time
Do you feel like time sometimes flies, or can drag on when you're bored? A recent study by academics at Royal Holloway shows how our heartbeats can lead to distortions in our perception of time.
News • Curative effects of Sonata KV488
Epilepsy: researchers dispel "Mozart myth"
A new study by psychologists at the University of Vienna shows that there is no scientific evidence supporting the alleged positive effect of Mozart's Sonata KV448 on epilepsy.
News • Psychological issues of NCMP
Childhood obesity programme: doing more harm than good?
England’s National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is designed to tackle childhood obesity. However, a new study suggests it might give rise to mental health problems in children.
News • "Critical" critical care
Study shows soaring mental health challenges for frontline Covid nurses
Nurses who worked in critical care during the Covid pandemic are at an increased risk of mental health problems, according to a new study.
News • Mental health
Robots can be used to assess children’s mental wellbeing
According to a new study, robots can be better at detecting mental wellbeing issues in children than parent-reported or self-reported testing.
News • Dementia destigmatisation
"This Is Us": Alzheimer's storyline in TV drama found to have positive impact
The inclusion of a narrative about Alzheimer’s disease in primetime TV drama “This Is Us” was found to help reduce stigma around dementia and motivate family discussions about plans for aging.
News • Surprising results
Experts expected smoking to increase during the pandemic – but the opposite happened
Danish smokers bought less tobacco and more quit smoking during the Covid pandemic, new research finds. This comes as a surprise given that mental health and exercise habits waned during the lockdown.
News • Impact of language in PCOS patients
“Words matter” when diagnosing women with polycystic ovary syndrome
The language used by doctors when diagnosing female patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can negatively impact their wellbeing and how they view their condition, new research finds.
News • For the first time
Similarity between schizophrenia and dementia dicovered
Researchers for the first time compared schizophrenia and frontotemporal dementia, disorders that are both located in the frontal and temporal lobe regions of the brain.
News • Hashtag hygiene
Covid-19 disinformation: experts explain "infodemic"
More than 225,000 tweets with the hashtags #scamdemic and #plandemic led to an “infodemic” of misinformation and disinformation on Twitter during the first year of the pandemic, a new study finds.
News • Effects on anxiety, depression
Is having a dog good for mental health? Yes and no, say experts
It is often believed that a close relationship between owners and their dogs can bring many mental health benefits to owners, but findings from a new study paint a more complicated picture.
News • During pandemic
Extent of moral injuries faced by healthcare workers
Staff across all levels of UK health and social care reported feeling betrayed, morally violated and being treated unjustly and unfairly at work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
News • "Broken heart syndrome"
Brain changes linked to emotion discovered in Takotsubo syndrome
Changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion have been identified in people with Takotsubo syndrome, sometimes known as broken heart syndrome, according to new research.
Article • Patient-focused radiography
Dementia and autism patients in the MRI: not aggressive, just lost
Patients with neurological conditions such as dementia or autism can prove especially challenging for radiographers. A session at the ECR Overture in March gave insights to a patient-focused approach.
News • Workforce exodus
A third of GPs plan to jump ship within five years
Around 33% of GPs are likely to quit direct patient care within five years, according to a UK survey. The high percentage of young physicians is especially alarming.
Article • Chatbots & co
E-mental health: A solution for a rising challenge
E-mental health services could provide a response to these challenges and offer effective ways for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare.
