New research from Monash University published in Addiction reveals a sharp increase in cannabis-related hospital admissions across Victoria over the past decade, raising concerns about cannabis-related psychosis and the growing burden on the state's healthcare system.
A mother details the difficult reality of visiting her son at Rampton high-security hospital in Nottinghamshire, where he has been held for eight years. The account challenges perceptions that such facilities are lenient, following the transfer of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana to Broadmoor hospital.
Outro, a New York-based neuroscience platform that helps patients safely discontinue psychiatric medications, announced it raised $7 million in combined pre-seed and seed funding. The funding will support the company's mission to close America's deprescribing gap and advance research in partnership with academic institutions.
Canada's Justice Minister announced the government will indefinitely suspend plans to allow medical assistance in dying for people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness. The decision follows a parliamentary committee recommendation to pause the expansion.
The FDA has granted 510(k) clearance to Motivista, a prescription digital therapeutic developed by Click Therapeutics for adults with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The treatment is cleared as an adjunct to clinician-managed outpatient care, addressing symptoms that current medications targeting hallucinations and delusions do not effectively treat.
Baroness Kate Lampard, chair of a public inquiry into mental health deaths in Essex, said she would issue interim recommendations if urgent patient safety risks are identified. The inquiry is also evaluating whether to recommend ending a controversial patient-monitoring camera technology linked to the deaths.
A specialist clinic at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool is treating children as young as 13 for severe bladder conditions caused by sustained ketamine use. Patients describe devastating symptoms including loss of bladder control, with doctors warning about the serious health consequences of the drug's misuse among young people.
Researchers are making progress on techniques to detect chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in living individuals, a significant advancement since the degenerative brain disease has previously only been diagnosable after death.
Array Behavioral Care, a Chicago-based virtual behavioral health provider, introduced a new triage and routing capability designed to help healthcare providers better respond to patients requiring urgent mental health care.
The Guardian reviews Derek Owusu's new work The Recovery House, praising it as a uniquely honest exploration of mental health that draws unexpected connections, including references to the Cranberries' 1994 song Zombie.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical presented new phase 3b clinical trial results for SIMTRIYO (centanafadine) at Psych Congress 2026, demonstrating consistent improvements across ADHD symptoms, anxiety, executive function, and emotional dysregulation in adults with ADHD and comorbid anxiety disorders.
The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to Definium Therapeutics' DT120 Orally Disintegrating Tablet after preliminary clinical evidence showed significant improvements in treating major depressive disorder.
The National Association of Head Teachers has demanded an end to graded Ofsted inspections, warning they pose a 'risk to life' for school staff. Nearly three-quarters of school leaders report the new inspection regime is harming mental health and creating greater stress than the system it replaced.
Multiple telehealth companies offering quick prescriptions for sensitive conditions like weight loss, sexual health, and mental health are repeatedly exposing customers' private medical data due to gaps in U.S. health privacy regulations. The FTC has filed suit against Hims & Hers over data practices and prescribing standards.
Compass Pathways executives revealed plans to model their upcoming psychedelic treatment launch after Johnson & Johnson's strategy for Spravato, the ketamine nasal spray, as the FDA considers approval. The move comes as psychedelic therapeutics face a critical juncture following Lykos' failed MDMA therapy approval in 2024.
New research led by The University of Queensland reveals that people with severe mental illness die more than 10 years earlier than the general population, highlighting significant mental health inequality.
Researchers have made two breakthrough advances in autism research: identifying convergent patterns among 1,200+ autism-risk genes in brain activity, and successfully implanting human brain organoids into engineered mice to create living models for testing treatments for autism and epilepsy.
A new survey of 1,000 doctors by a physician advocacy group found that nearly half have made or considered major career changes in the past year due to well-being concerns, with a widening mental health gap between employed and independent physicians.
New research suggests that cats are the only common household pet associated with higher rates of anxiety and behavioral issues in young children, raising questions about pet ownership decisions for families with toddlers.
A major international meta-analysis found that both short- and long-term exposure to common air pollutants — particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide — are significantly associated with an increased risk of death by suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation.
Definium Therapeutics reported that its oral LSD-based treatment DT120 reduced symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in a second successful late-stage study, marking the company's third Phase 3 win this year for the candidate.
A new CDC report reveals that approximately 71.5% of adults in the United States experienced fatigue on multiple days, with contributing factors including healthcare costs, economic uncertainties, and anxieties about emerging technologies like AI.
A Calgary study found emergency department visits for suicide attempts among youth increased 22% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Separately, Boston researchers discovered smartphone check-ins can help predict suicide risk days before an attempt in patients with serious mental illness.
A trauma clinic in Birmingham that opened in July is providing mental health services to asylum seekers dealing with trauma. The center offers therapeutic support to individuals like Azad, an Iranian asylum seeker, who are seeking refuge in the UK.
Researchers at the University of Warwick analyzed data from more than 1.9 million people across 23 studies and found that ADHD is associated with nearly double the odds of constipation, 58% higher odds of irritable bowel syndrome, and an almost 50% increase in overall gastrointestinal symptoms.
The FDA indicated openness to innovative approaches for studying psychedelic therapies, including the use of comparators other than placebo, signaling potential regulatory accommodation for this emerging treatment class.
The chief executive of Mind has stated that mental health organisations have failed to acknowledge the risk of violence from a minority of people with severe mental illnesses, speaking ahead of the closure of an inquiry.
Researchers have mapped critical protein interactions associated with profound autism using lab-grown brain organoids. The study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying severe forms of autism spectrum disorder.
A Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy case after jurors deadlocked on whether the mother who killed her three children was legally insane, highlighting ongoing debates about postpartum mental health and criminal responsibility.
New Zealand's pharmaceutical regulator has approved two psychiatrists to prescribe pharmaceutical-grade MDMA to patients suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, marking a significant shift in mental health treatment policy.
New research reveals that the number of young people with no close friends has risen fivefold since 2014, with experts attributing the trend to austerity, the pandemic, and social media's impact on a generation now described as the "loneliest generation."
Meta agreed to implement changes for minors on Instagram and Facebook, including cutting off access at night and during school hours. However, a whistleblower criticized the settlement as insufficient to meaningfully address harms to teen mental health.
A bipartisan coalition of 29 U.S. states began a landmark federal trial in Oakland, California, accusing Meta Platforms of intentionally designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and harm young users' mental health. The case could potentially reshape the social media platforms.
The high-profile murder trial of Lindsay Clancy has brought postpartum psychosis into the spotlight. Women who have experienced the condition and medical professionals are calling for more research and understanding of this difficult mental illness.
A large study of over 2,000 women found those who used estrogen-only hormone therapy later in life were less likely to develop dementia and showed fewer signs of Alzheimer's disease in their brains upon autopsy.
Definium Therapeutics announced its experimental LSD-based pill significantly reduced anxiety symptoms in a late-stage study, meeting the trial's main goal. The results mark the company's second major win in two months and sent shares up more than 20% in premarket trading.
Healthcare facilities in Canada, the UK, India, Australia, and the US are grappling with critical staffing shortages, leading to reduced patient care, bed closures, and workforce burnout. The crisis spans from intensive care units operating short-staffed to mental health facilities struggling with junior staff burnout and courts ordering governments to fill vacant positions.
More than two-thirds of NHS mental health providers in England are planning to cut services, with half expected to eliminate jobs, threatening to increase wait times for millions of adults and children seeking mental health care.
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million to address harms to young people from Facebook and Instagram in the second phase of a landmark trial. The ruling brings Meta's total penalties in the case to over $1 billion and requires sweeping protections for teen users.
A randomized controlled trial conducted through the NHS in England found that a single dose of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, produced significant improvements in depression symptoms among 60 adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder compared to placebo, with good tolerability.
The UK government has unveiled plans to open more than 100 walk-in mental health hubs in accessible community locations including libraries, banks and high street premises across England, alongside dedicated mental health emergency departments in hospitals. Health Secretary Andy Burnham described the initiative as the 'biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation' aimed at providing earlier intervention and preventing people from reaching crisis point.
A randomized controlled trial in Germany found that dronabinol, a cannabis-derived THC medication, significantly decreased nightmares in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder in a double-blind study published in Nature Medicine.
Supernus Pharmaceuticals and Indivior Pharmaceuticals announced an all-stock merger to create a combined company with approximately $2.2 billion in annual revenue and a portfolio of 11 commercialized medicines focused on neurological, psychiatric, and addiction-related conditions. The deal, described as a merger of equals, is expected to generate $125 million in cost savings.
Researchers found that mild inflammation during pregnancy led mouse offspring to develop persistent brain overactivity and autism-like behaviors, but remarkably, one dose of rapamycin reversed these symptoms in adult mice within hours.
An international research team led by the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim has published the largest genome-wide association study on borderline personality disorder to date, analyzing data from approximately 13,000 individuals and identifying 11 genetic locations and 9 genes associated with the condition. The findings, published in Nature Genetics on July 20, 2026, represent the first significant genetic clues for this complex mental health disorder.
Eli Lilly is in advanced talks to acquire AtaiBeckley, a psychedelic medicine company, with a deal potentially announced this week. The acquisition underscores growing interest from major pharmaceutical companies in psychedelic therapies.
An experimental drug called diranersen demonstrated the ability to lower levels of tau protein in the brain and slow cognitive decline in early Alzheimer's patients, offering a new treatment approach distinct from current therapies. Clinical trial data released July 14, 2026, showed the drug can reduce tau tangles, one of the hallmark proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease.
HHS and the VA signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding on July 13, 2026, to collaborate on research, clinical development, and deployment of rapid-acting psychedelic drug products for veterans with serious mental illness and substance use disorders, pending FDA approval.
Compass Pathways reported results from a pivotal study showing its psilocybin-based therapy demonstrated long-lasting benefits for treatment-resistant depression, though investor reaction was mixed as shares fell nearly 10% on the data.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced more than $281 million in grant funding opportunities across 15 programs aimed at addressing addiction, overdose, and mental illness. The funding was made available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The Trump administration is moving to relaunch the specialized LGBTQ+ option for the 988 crisis intervention hotline after initially ending it, but The Trevor Project, the nonprofit that helped pioneer the service, is being excluded from eligibility to operate it.
Definium Therapeutics reported that a single dose of its LSD-based experimental pill significantly reduced symptoms of major depression in patients in a late-stage trial, sending shares higher. The data brings the drug closer to potential FDA approval.
Health officials under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. explored banning certain SSRI antidepressants as part of plans to reduce their use in the United States, sparking significant debate over medication safety and federal regulatory authority.
Research published in Nature Communications shows that a 25mg dose of psilocybin induced both acute functional changes (detected via EEG one hour later) and enduring anatomical changes (detected via DTI one month later) in 28 healthy adults experiencing their first psychedelic trip.
A clinical trial of 108 adults with obesity and alcohol use disorder found that once-weekly semaglutide injections reduced heavy drinking days in the past 30 days by an average of roughly 12 days, representing a 50% reduction compared to placebo.
New research using brain imaging has revealed three distinct subtypes of ADHD, each associated with different underlying brain systems, co-occurring conditions, and learning challenges. The findings suggest that inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptom profiles follow separate neural pathways, potentially enabling more targeted treatment interventions.
Medical professionals and researchers are expressing serious concerns about GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like Ozempic being misused by people with eating disorders or triggering disordered eating behaviors, with patients describing the drugs as addictive and relapse-inducing.
New research published in The Lancet shows that accelerated continuous theta burst stimulation (a-cTBS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, improved social communication in autistic children at one-month follow-up after just five days of treatment.
The federal autism committee met for the first time since HHS Secretary Kennedy fired most scientific experts and replaced them with activists and advocates, focusing on 'profound autism.'
A new study shows that suicide rates among young people dropped 11% following the U.S. launch of the 988 national suicide and crisis hotline, with increased calls to the hotline correlating with reduced suicide deaths.
President Trump signed an executive order directing the FDA to expedite reviews of breakthrough psychedelic therapies for PTSD, depression, and trauma, and to reevaluate their status as controlled substances. The order targets substances including psilocybin.
Medical professionals and patients on social media are increasingly reporting a phenomenon called 'Ozempic personality,' characterized by emotional flattening and reduced ability to experience joy while taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss.
Research from Emory University and University of Iowa demonstrates that noninvasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can calm the brain's fear center and significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, offering a non-surgical, non-medication treatment option.
Kratom-related poisonings have increased by 1,200% over the past decade, with proposals to ban or regulate the plant-based substance making headlines across the United States as lawmakers and regulators grapple with safety concerns.
