Shared genetic patterns found across 14 psychiatric disorders

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Psychiatric disorders share genetic variants that cluster into five main factors. Understanding shared biology could improve treatment, but more diverse genetic data urgently needed.

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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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From pills to people: the rise of social prescribing

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Can we reduce our reliance on medication by prescribing nature walks, art classes and community groups instead? Two new 2025 studies shed light on who’s getting referred to social prescribing, and who isn’t.

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Unravelling bipolar disorder: insights from the biggest genetic study to date

Bipolar disorder is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease with significant impact on quality of life, functioning and suicide risk.

A massive new multi-ancestry genetic study of bipolar disorder has uncovered hundreds of risk loci and highlighted biological pathways that may guide more precise treatments and prevention strategies in the future.

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When help feels out of reach: mental health and the menstrual cycle

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KCL MSc student Chiara Roux considers a survey study on help-seeking behaviours and experiences for mental health symptoms related to the menstrual cycle.

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Can green space help protect us from self-harm and suicide?

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Trish Darcy on a systematic review which suggests a protective association between green space exposure and all suicide-related outcomes. The protective associations were stronger for women than for men.

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Nature’s healing benefits: breaking down barriers for South Asian communities in the UK

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Jingni Ma considers a systematic review on the barriers that South Asian people living in the UK can face when trying to access natural green spaces, and the psychological benefits that nature can provide.

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Care farms: can they help with depression, anxiety and quality of life?

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In her debut blog, Sophie Large appraises a recent Campbell systematic review exploring the impact of care farms on quality of life, depression and anxiety among different population groups.

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Should European cities be going green for our mental health?

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Eleana Frisira summarises a recent scoping review on the impact that green spaces can have on the mental health of people living in urban settings.

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“Mens sana in corpore sano”: outdoor activities can shape the body and mind

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Francesca Bentivegna and Dafni Katsampa summarise a recent mixed methods study, which looks at the mental health benefits of purposeful activities in public green spaces in urban and semi-urban neighbourhoods.

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