A novel approach to probing the biological origins of schizophrenia has identified excess production of hydrogen sulfide in the brain as a factor. Share on PinterestNew research suggests that analyzing human hair may offer clues into a person’s mental health. The recent EMBO Molecular Medicine study also suggests that an enzyme that helps to produce […]
The so-called negative symptoms of schizophrenia, which include anhedonia, can be particularly debilitating. One recent study attempted to identify their neurological roots. Share on PinterestUsing PET scans, scientists investigated the origins of schizophrenia’s negative symptoms. Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that affects an estimated 1% of the United States population. Scientists tend to divide […]
New research examines the brains of people with schizophrenia and finds disrupted patterns of expression in genes linked with sleep-wake cycles. New research into schizophrenia finds disruptions in the rhythmicity with which some genes are expressed in the brain. Worldwide, schizophrenia is one of the top 15 leading causes of disability, affecting about 1% of […]
Ancient viruses have left behind traces in our DNA. Researchers believe these contribute to neurological conditions. Could inhibiting our viral passengers pave the way for future treatments? What links neurological conditions and ancient viruses? Transposable elements, which scientists also call transposons or jumping genes, are stretches of DNA that harbor the ability to move around […]
People’s language could reveal clues about their future risk of developing psychosis. Scientists concluded this after studying the subtle features of people’s everyday speech. Subtle differences in word use can indicate psychosis risk, and machine learning can help identify it. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and Harvard University in Boston, MA, used a […]
The current schizophrenia treatments rely on antipsychotic drugs that come with unwanted side effects. However, new research has found that a chemical called sulforaphane could reduce and even prevent symptoms of the condition. Broccoli sprouts contain a chemical that may alleviate schizophrenia. Many people with schizophrenia experience hallucinations and delusions that can significantly impact their […]
A person can experience visual hallucinations for many reasons, including consuming hallucinogenic substances or as a symptom of schizophrenia. But what are the brain mechanisms that explain hallucinations? New research aims to reveal more about how hallucinations manifest in the brain. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines hallucinations as “perception-like experiences […]
New research finds that vitamin D deficiency affects a type of brain “scaffolding” that supports the neurons. This finding could lead to new therapies for the neurological symptoms of mental health conditions such as schizophrenia. Our bodies produce vitamin D in response to sun exposure. New research helps explain why this vitamin is key for […]
Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are psychiatric conditions that have some common traits, but also key differences. Bipolar disorder causes shifts in mood, energy levels, and thinking. Schizophrenia causes a person to appear to lose touch with reality. People with bipolar disorder may experience episodes of mania and depression, often separated by periods of relative stability. […]
Researchers pin down the faulty brain circuitry that drives negative symptom severity in schizophrenia and look at noninvasive methods of targeting and “repairing” this breakdown. A new study identifies the brain network that drives the severity of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a mental health condition with characteristic symptoms that include delusions and hallucinations. […]