Is it a gut feeling? How the microbiome may shape perinatal mental health in women with higher body weight

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What if perinatal mental health started in the gut? New research from Finland suggests certain bacteria may be associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and after birth, raising questions about inflammation, causality, and the future of microbiome-based screening and treatment.

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Solastalgia and the mental health impacts of environmental loss

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Climate change is reshaping not just the planet but our emotional lives. Could solastalgia (“solace” (comfort) and “nostalgia” (homesickness)) be a key pathway linking environmental loss to mental distress? This new scoping review of global studies investigates.

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Is intolerance of uncertainty in preschool children a risk factor for later anxiety?

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Do preschoolers who struggle with tolerating uncertainty get more anxious as they grow older? This longitudinal study followed preschool children across three timepoints, and found that the two are strongly related, but the rest of the picture is not as clear cut.

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Out at work? A systematic review of LGBTQ+ mental health in the workplace

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Depression, anxiety, and suicidality are higher among LGBTQ+ workers, especially in hostile or unsupportive workplaces. But are research and policy keeping up? This new review sets out the case for change.

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Prescribing in borderline personality disorder: Evidence, relationships, and the realities of practice

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No drugs are officially approved for borderline personality disorder, yet prescribing is widespread. This systematic review explores why clinicians prescribe, the pressures they face, and what it means for patient care.

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Targeting teenage worry: network analysis of anxiety symptoms over time

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Nervousness, irritability, excessive worry, uncontrollable worry… not all anxiety symptoms weigh the same at different ages. This new Chineses study shows how anxiety networks tighten as young people grow older, and where the best intervention targets may lie.

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Closing the care gap: Why so few people with mental disorders receive effective treatment worldwide

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Effective treatment for mental health disorders remains the exception rather than the rule. A new 21-country study reveals where in the treatment cascade people are most likely to drop out and which factors improve the odds of getting the care they need.

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“It’s not just for attention”: New research highlights the increased risk of PMDD in women with ADHD

With better public and clinician education,  timely assessment and intervention could bypass several years of diagnostic and interventional delay, for women with ADHD and PMDD.

Women with ADHD are up to 4 times more likely to experience severe premenstrual mood symptoms than those without ADHD, especially if they also live with depression or anxiety. This new UK study shines a light on a neglected area of research, and calls for better awareness, assessment, and support.

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Pragmatic prescribing: why GPs offer beta-blockers for anxiety, despite guideline gaps

GPs’ perceived benefits of beta-blockers for anxiety underscore a need for further research and updated clinical guidance to align practice with evidence.

Beta-blockers like propranolol are being prescribed more often for anxiety in UK primary care, even though they don’t appear in national guidelines. This new qualitative study explores why GPs turn to them, and what that says about evidence, safety, and patient choice.

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