TL;DR: A 2026 review in Annals of Medicine argues that circadian rhythm disruption in major depressive disorder (MDD) reaches beyond poor sleep, linking clock-gene variation, sleep-wake timing, stress-hormone rhythms, melatonin signaling, and chronotherapy targets. Key Findings 264 million affected: The review frames MDD as a leading global disability cause affecting more than 264 million people. …
TL;DR: A 2026 randomized follow-up study in Maternal & Child Nutrition found no overall hair-cortisol difference at ages 9-11 after early-life small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation, but children whose mothers had 0-5 years of schooling had lower cortisol if they received SQ-LNS. Key Findings No overall cortisol shift: Usable hair cortisol data from 680 children showed …
TL;DR: A 2026 review in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment argues that miR-425-3p is a candidate depression biomarker because it connects stress biology, MAPK/Wnt signaling, inflammation, and antidepressant response evidence. Key Findings 280 million MDD burden: The review opens from the scale of major depressive disorder, which affects more than 280 million people worldwide. About 20-fold …
TL;DR: A 2026 study in Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology found that adulthood stressor severity was linked to higher hair cortisol in a longitudinal sample, while early-life stress, recent stress, daily phone-based stress reports, and the cortisol/DHEA ratio did not show consistent associations. Key Findings 2 aligned samples were tested: Study I included 79 adults, and Study II …
TL;DR: A 2026 review in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that chronic primary pain studies most consistently linked higher pain sensitivity with lower mean arterial pressure, higher cortisol, higher heart rate during recovery, and lower parasympathetic recovery. Key Findings The evidence base covered 52 studies; 37 contributed qualitative evidence and 21 had enough data for …
When Depression Threatens Pregnancy: A 34% Elevated Miscarriage Risk TL;DR: Untreated depression increases miscarriage risk by 34% across nearly 9 million women, but antidepressants reduce that risk to 24%—meaning the medication is safer than the disease during pregnancy. For decades, obstetricians have asked the wrong question about depression in pregnancy. They worried: Is the antidepressant …
Obesity and Depression Share Five Converging Biological Pathways Obesity and depression represent two of the world’s fastest-growing epidemics. By 2030, over 1 billion people will have obesity, while depression will affect more than 350 million. Yet they are rarely treated together despite overwhelming evidence they are mechanistically linked. Epidemiological data reveal a striking bidirectional relationship: …
Elevated fingernail cortisol levels can distinguish individuals with lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD) from healthy controls, suggesting it as a promising biomarker for MDD. Highlights: Individuals with lifetime MDD had significantly higher fingernail cortisol concentrations compared to healthy controls (p = 0.041). Higher fingernail cortisol concentrations were correlated with the number of depressive episodes experienced …
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) shows potential as an effective new treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Key facts: FMT aims to restore a healthy gut microbiome which is thought to impact mood and mental health. Studies show links between gut microbiome abnormalities and depression. FMT has successfully treated depression symptoms in animal models. A few …
Suicide is a devastating public health problem, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide each year. Understanding the underlying biological and psychological factors that increase suicide risk is key for developing effective prevention and intervention approaches. A recent article comprehensively reviews research on biological markers of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, providing important insights and guidance …
