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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/adults-treated-with-psychostimulants-for-adhd-show-increased-brain-surface-complexity-study-finds/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Adults treated with psychostimulants for ADHD show increased brain surface complexity, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 10th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A neuroimaging study of adults treated for ADHD with psychostimulants reported that these individuals show increased surface complexity in their brains. They displayed higher gyrification in the right Rolandic operculum, left supplementary motor area, and several other regions compared to medication-naïve individuals with ADHD—not healthy controls, as was mistakenly stated. They also showed increased sulcal depth in the inferior and superior orbitofrontal regions. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.111992"><em>Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging</em></a>.</p>
<p>Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It typically begins in childhood and is often identified when these behaviors begin to interfere with school or home life. In many individuals, ADHD persists into adulthood, affecting academic, occupational, and social functioning. People with ADHD may struggle with focusing, following instructions, staying organized, or sitting still.</p>
<p>The causes of ADHD are not fully understood, but brain imaging studies have revealed structural and functional differences in individuals with the condition, particularly in areas involved in attention, executive control, and emotional regulation. Symptoms and severity can vary widely, with some individuals showing predominantly inattentive symptoms, others showing hyperactive-impulsive behaviors, and many exhibiting a combination of both. Treatments often include behavioral therapy, educational support, and medication—particularly psychostimulants.</p>
<p>Study author Sherief Ghozy and his colleagues aimed to investigate whether long-term psychostimulant treatment leads to structural brain differences in adults with ADHD. They compared individuals who had taken ADHD medications—such as methylphenidate or amphetamines—with those who had never received such treatment. The authors hypothesized that any differences in brain morphology might reflect the effects of long-term stimulant use.</p>
<p>The research team used data from the UCLA Consortium for Neuropsychiatric Phenomics (OpenNeuro dataset ds000030), which includes structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical information. They analyzed data from 26 adults diagnosed with ADHD, 13 of whom had a history of stimulant treatment and 13 who were medication-naïve. All participants were between 23 and 40 years old and were free from other psychiatric or neurological conditions.</p>
<p>In addition to MRI data, the researchers used several standardized clinical measures: the Adult ADHD Clinical Diagnostic Scale (ACDS) to assess symptom severity and three questionnaires to measure impulsivity—Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), Dickman Impulsivity Inventory-II, and Eysenck’s Impulsivity Inventory.</p>
<p>Surface-based morphometric analysis revealed that individuals who had been treated with psychostimulants showed increased gyrification (cortical folding) in several brain regions, including the left supplementary motor area, left superior temporal gyrus, right Rolandic operculum, right fusiform gyrus, and left cuneus. Gyrification increases the brain’s surface area and is thought to be related to cognitive functioning.</p>
<p>These treated individuals also had greater sulcal depth in the right inferior orbitofrontal gyrus and in the left inferior and superior orbitofrontal regions. They additionally showed increased fractal dimension—a measure of cortical surface complexity—in the left superior orbitofrontal gyrus. These findings suggest that psychostimulant use may be associated with structural changes in brain regions involved in emotional regulation, reward, and decision-making.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the medication-naïve group exhibited significantly greater cortical thickness in the left superior frontal gyrus and bilateral supplementary motor areas. Cortical thickness is a different structural measure that may reflect neural development or preservation of brain tissue.</p>
<p>While the treated group exhibited significant differences in surface-based brain metrics, voxel-based analysis found no differences in overall gray matter volume between the two groups. Nor were there statistically significant differences in ADHD symptom severity, as measured by the ACDS.</p>
<p>On the impulsivity questionnaires, the only significant difference between groups was found on Eysenck’s Impulsivity Inventory: the medication-naïve group scored higher on venturesomeness, a trait associated with risk-taking. Among treated individuals, venturesomeness scores positively correlated with the gray matter volume of the right middle cingulate gyrus and negatively with the right superior occipital gyrus—suggesting a possible neuroanatomical basis for risk-related behaviors in ADHD.</p>
<p>“Our results suggest a limited treatment effect on ADHD scores and grey matter volume in adults. Despite significant surface-based metrics, these changes were not accompanied by improvements in the clinical scores,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on neural structure specificities of individuals with ADHD treated with psychostimulants. However, it should be noted that the design of this study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results. While the authors of this study interpret the observed differences as being the effect of psychostimulants, the design of the study itself does not exclude alternative explanations for the reported differences. Additionally, the number of participants whose data were analyzed in this study was small. Results on larger samples might differ.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.111992">How psychostimulant treatment changes the brain morphometry in adults with ADHD: sMRI Comparison study to medication-naïve adults with ADHD,</a>” was authored by Sherief Ghozy, Jennifer Meiza, Ahmed Morsy, Sadiq Naveed, Adam A. Dmytriw, Kevin Kallmasi, and Sara Morsy.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/is-humor-inherited-twin-study-suggests-the-ability-to-be-funny-may-not-run-in-the-family/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Is humor inherited? Twin study suggests the ability to be funny may not run in the family</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 10th 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>Some people seem naturally funny, always ready with a clever joke or a witty comment. Others struggle to land a punchline. But is a sharp sense of humor something we’re born with, or does it come from our surroundings and experiences? In a new twin study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2025.10010" target="_blank">Twin Research and Human Genetics</a></em>, researchers found that while people’s beliefs about their own sense of humor may reflect inherited traits, their actual ability to produce jokes that make others laugh appears to come almost entirely from environmental factors.</p>
<p>The study was led by <a href="https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/psychology/staff-profiles/listing/profile/gig9/" target="_blank">Gil Greengross</a> of Aberystwyth University and marks the first scientific attempt to measure the heritability of what researchers call “humor production ability.” While previous research has found that other cognitive abilities, such as intelligence and creativity, have moderate to strong genetic components, humor production ability had never been specifically examined in this way. The researchers wanted to fill this gap and better understand what contributes to individual differences in how funny people are.</p>
<p>“There is an ongoing debate about sources of individual differences for many psychological traits. How much of it is due to genes and how much is due to the environment. It’s well established the cognitive traits such as intelligence and creativity has a genetic basis but we were the first to test whether humor ability is also rooted in our genes,” explained Greengross, a lecturer in psychology.</p>
<p>To investigate how humor ability develops, the researchers turned to a long-standing method in behavioral genetics: twin studies. By comparing identical twins, who share nearly all their genes, with fraternal twins, who share only about half, researchers can estimate how much of a trait is influenced by genetics versus the environment. </p>
<p>The research team recruited over 1,300 adult twins from the TwinsUK registry in Britain, including 448 identical twin pairs and 196 fraternal pairs. The participants ranged in age from 21 to 89, with a median age of 66. Most were women, reflecting the demographics of the registry.</p>
<p>The researchers measured humor in several ways. Participants were asked to rate how funny they thought they were, as well as how often they made other people laugh. They were also asked to rate their twin’s sense of humor using the same questions. This provided a measure of subjective humor—how funny someone sees themselves or their sibling to be.</p>
<p>But to get a more objective measure of humor ability, the researchers used a widely accepted test from psychological studies: cartoon captioning. Each participant was shown two captionless cartoons and asked to write a funny caption for each. The cartoons, drawn from The New Yorker’s famous caption contests, featured quirky scenarios, like a wet bear taking restaurant orders or a couple viewing a house in outer space.</p>
<p>To rate how funny the captions were, the researchers enlisted 40 judges from the local community. Each judge rated a subset of the captions on a five-point scale from “not funny” to “very funny.” Captions were grouped into blocks and rated by different judges to avoid fatigue and bias. Three anchor judges rated samples from each block to ensure consistency across all ratings. The researchers then used a statistical method called the Many-Facet Rasch Model to generate a humor ability score for each participant, adjusting for variation in cartoon difficulty and rater leniency or severity.</p>
<p>What did the researchers find? People’s beliefs about their own sense of humor were moderately influenced by genetics. Identical twins tended to rate themselves and each other more similarly than fraternal twins did, suggesting some inherited component. In contrast, the judges’ ratings of the cartoon captions—the actual humor performance—showed no meaningful genetic influence. Both identical and fraternal twins performed similarly when it came to crafting funny captions, suggesting that the environment, not shared genes, played the biggest role.</p>
<p>This finding stands in contrast to much of the existing research on the heritability of cognitive traits. Studies consistently find that abilities like intelligence and creativity have significant genetic components, with heritability estimates often ranging between 40% and 80%. Humor ability, which overlaps with these traits in some ways, was expected to follow the same pattern.</p>
<p>“We found no heritability component for humor production ability, which counter all existing literature showing that cognitive abilities such as intelligence and creativity have substantial heritability,” Greengross told PsyPost.</p>
<p>Why might that be? One possibility is that creating humor is more socially and contextually shaped than other cognitive skills. Humor depends on timing, cultural knowledge, language, and social dynamics—all factors that can vary widely between individuals and environments. Unlike intelligence tests or math problems, humor tasks rely on subjective interpretation and audience feedback. This makes them harder to standardize and more sensitive to a person’s upbringing, peer group, education, or life experiences.</p>
<p>Another possibility is that the task itself—a cartoon caption contest—doesn’t fully capture what it means to be funny. Everyday humor is often spontaneous, conversational, and situational. Writing a caption in isolation is a cognitively demanding and somewhat artificial task, especially for older adults. Since most of the participants were over 60, some may not have been as comfortable with the exercise or as practiced at performing humor on demand. The judges, on the other hand, were younger, and their comedic preferences might not have aligned with the older participants’ styles.</p>
<p>The study also found a gap between people’s perception of their humor and their actual humor ability. Self-rated humor was only weakly correlated with caption performance. People who thought they were funny didn’t always write the funniest captions, and vice versa. This mismatch is consistent with past research showing that many people overestimate their sense of humor—especially men. In one previous study, over 90% of participants believed they had an average or above-average sense of humor.</p>
<p>The researchers also looked at how humor ability related to other traits, including general cognitive ability, as measured by a short test called the Cognitive Reflection Test. This test includes brainteasers that require people to override an intuitive, wrong answer in favor of a more thoughtful one. While the test scores showed high heritability, they were only weakly correlated with humor ability, again defying expectations.</p>
<p>“Science is complicated and unexpected,” Greengross said. “Our study reveals surprising results that are not in line with previous research. It might be a fluke, sometimes studies fail to find what they expect even though the effect is there, or perhaps we discovered something new, which is very exciting. We need to be careful as this is the first study on the topic and we will know more one a replication is conducted.”</p>
<p>Like any study, this one had limitations. Most of the participants were older women, so the findings might not generalize to younger populations or to men. The method of testing humor through captioning is widely used but doesn’t reflect real-world humor in conversation or performance. </p>
<p>“It’s not easy to assess humor ability,” Greengross noted. “We used a somewhat artificial task that ask participants to generate funny captions to captionless cartoons, later to be rated by independent judges. This is not the same as spontaneous everyday humor.”</p>
<p>And although the sample was large for a twin study, it may not have been big enough to detect small genetic effects. According to the researchers’ power calculations, a much larger sample—about six times the current size—would be needed to rule out the possibility of a small inherited component.</p>
<p>Still, the findings raise interesting questions about the origins of humor. If the ability to make people laugh doesn’t come from our genes, what parts of our environment shape it? Is it the media we consume, the people we grow up with, our level of education, or our personality traits? And why do some families seem to produce multiple funny people—like the Marx Brothers—while others don’t?</p>
<p>“We are working on a replication study to test how robust our results are on a different sample of twins,” Greengross said.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2025.10010" target="_blank">Heritability of Humor Production Ability – A Twin Study</a>,” was authored by Gil Greengross, Nancy Segal, Stephanie Zellers, Paul Silvia, Claire Steves, and Jaakko Kaprio.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/scientists-discover-weak-dems-have-highest-testosterone-but-theres-an-intriguing-twist/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Scientists discover weak Dems have highest testosterone — but there’s an intriguing twist</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 10th 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study has found that administering testosterone to weakly affiliated Democratic men reduced their identification with the Democratic Party and made them feel significantly warmer toward Republican presidential candidates. The hormone had no similar effect on strongly affiliated Democrats or Republicans. These findings suggest that short-term changes in biology can influence political preferences—at least for those who are less firmly attached to their political identity.</p>
<p>The research was published in the journal <em><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.70651" target="_blank">Brain and Behavior</a></em> and adds to a growing body of work examining how neuroactive hormones shape human behavior in subtle but measurable ways. In this case, the hormone under investigation was testosterone, which is best known for its role in shaping male traits such as muscle growth and sexual function but also influences behavior through its action in the brain.</p>
<p>The scientists behind the new study <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11109-012-9219-8" target="_blank">had previously found</a> the hormone oxytocin boosted interpersonal trust overall and led Democrats with initially low trust levels to express greater trust in both Democratic and Republican politicians, as well as in the federal government.</p>
<p>They were interested in testosterone because of its wide-ranging effects on decision-making, competition, and social behaviors. Higher testosterone levels have been associated with traits such as risk-taking, dominance, and reduced empathy, all of which may influence how people evaluate political messages and candidates. Past studies have shown that men with higher testosterone tend to be more competitive and less supportive of redistributive policies, which are typically associated with liberal platforms.</p>
<p>“My current work is examining how small factors change decision-making,” said study author Paul J. Zak, a professor at Claremont Graduate University, director of <a href="https://neuroeconomicstudies.org/" target="_blank">the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies</a>, and author of <a href="https://amzn.to/4lLKqp5" target="_blank">The Little Book of Happiness</a>. “We had shown in a 2013 publication that administration of the neurochemical oxytocin changed political preferences for weakly affiliated Democrats. Testosterone is the ‘anti-oxytocin’ in terms of its behavioral effects and to confirm our previous finding that weak Dems are more susceptible to influence, we ran the current study.” </p>
<p>To investigate, the research team recruited 136 healthy young men with no serious health conditions. The average age of participants was 22, and they were ethnically diverse. Before starting the experiment, the researchers collected blood samples to measure each participant’s natural testosterone levels. Participants were also asked about their political affiliation—whether they identified as Democrats, Republicans, or Independents—and how strongly they felt connected to their chosen party. On average, Democrats made up 44% of the sample, while Republicans were just over 8%, with the rest identifying as Independents or having no clear affiliation.</p>
<p>To test how testosterone might influence political preferences, participants were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of synthetic testosterone gel or a placebo gel that looked and felt the same. The experiment was conducted in a double-blind fashion, meaning neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received testosterone and who received the placebo. The gel was applied to the participants’ shoulders and upper back, and they returned the next day for follow-up tests, including a second blood draw to measure testosterone levels after the treatment.</p>
<p>The researchers used surveys to assess political feelings. On the second day, participants rated their warmth or favorability toward a set of prominent Democratic and Republican presidential candidates using a “feeling thermometer” scale ranging from 0 to 100. Higher scores meant greater favorability. Participants also rated how strongly they identified with their political party and completed measures of mood and anger to rule out emotional side effects of testosterone.</p>
<p>Before any treatment was given, the researchers noticed that weakly affiliated Democrats—those who said they didn’t feel strongly tied to the Democratic Party—had higher natural testosterone levels than their strongly affiliated counterparts. In fact, weakly affiliated Democrats had about 19% higher basal testosterone on average than strong Democrats. This difference did not appear among Republicans.</p>
<p>When researchers looked at what happened after testosterone was administered, they found that the hormone significantly changed political attitudes—but only in one group. Among weakly affiliated Democrats who received testosterone, the average strength of their identification with the Democratic Party dropped by about 12%. These individuals also reported a striking 45% increase in warmth toward Republican presidential candidates. </p>
<p>“The size of the change in preferences was very large, indicating it was not a fluke,” Zak told PsyPost.</p>
<p>In contrast, strongly affiliated Democrats and all Republicans, whether they received testosterone or placebo, showed no meaningful changes in political affiliation or feelings toward the opposing party.</p>
<p>“As in our oxytocin administration study, testosterone had no effect on any Republicans or strong Democrats,” Zak said. “These appear to be true believers, even weakly affiliated Republicans.”</p>
<p>The researchers concluded that testosterone appears to make weakly affiliated Democrats more open to Republican candidates and less connected to their own party. This specific response did not seem to be driven by mood or emotional changes. Measures of positive affect and self-reported anger remained stable across all groups, suggesting that the shift in political attitude wasn’t due to increased aggression or happiness. It also wasn’t explained by general changes in emotional intensity.</p>
<p>This change in political views was not observed in Independents or Republicans. Among these groups, testosterone did not alter feelings toward either Democratic or Republican candidates, nor did it influence party identification. This suggests that the effects of testosterone are selective, emerging only in people with a particular combination of weak political identity and biological traits—specifically, higher natural testosterone levels.</p>
<p>The researchers believe these results reflect how hormone levels may amplify or unmask existing but latent preferences, especially in people who are undecided or only loosely aligned with a political party. One possible explanation is that testosterone interacts with brain regions involved in decision-making and risk, such as the striatum. In prior research, testosterone has been shown to increase dopamine activity in this region, which is involved in anticipating rewards and making bold choices. This might explain why testosterone shifted attitudes in a group already showing greater biological sensitivity.</p>
<p>Another possibility is that some weakly affiliated Democrats may feel social pressure to identify with a liberal party but hold more conservative views privately. The testosterone administration may have reduced that internal conflict, allowing them to express preferences that were already present but not consciously endorsed. Since testosterone has been linked to dominance and self-assertion, it may have given participants the psychological confidence to report attitudes that diverged from their stated affiliations.</p>
<p>“People’s stated preferences may not correspond to actual behaviors,” Zak explained. “We showed that people who self-identified as weak Democrats had basal testosterone higher than all other groups, suggesting they are ‘wolves in sheeps clothing’ or wanted to be ‘cool’ by stating their liberality even in an anonymous survey. We changed this self-report with testosterone. There is some evidence that men who are physically stronger, typically those with higher testosterone, are more likely to support conservative views and our testosterone treatment mimicked this effect.” </p>
<p>“Second, weakly affiliated Democrats appear to be the swing voters politicians covet and they, unlike the other political groups tested, are more effectively unconsciously influenced by neurochemical changes based on both of our published studies. If political operatives want to influence these swing voters, they should think about ads and live events that increase testosterone. Many of the Trump rallies, at least what I saw online, were very ‘muscular’ with America-first slogans. So, our controlled study provides some insight into why so many voters swung towards Trump.”</p>
<p>But, as with all research, the findings come with limitations. One major constraint is the sample itself. Most participants were young men, many of whom were college students. Republicans were underrepresented in the sample, which means the results may not generalize to the broader population. Testosterone was only administered to men because the gel used in the study is only approved for males. Future research will need to examine whether similar effects occur in women, or in older adults, or in more politically balanced samples. The study also measured only self-reported attitudes, not actual voting behavior or campaign support.</p>
<p>However, the results raise intriguing questions about how campaign messaging and social environments might influence swing voters by triggering biological changes like testosterone increases. </p>
<p>“We are not advocating drugging voters,” Zak said. “Testosterone is a controlled substance and was used here to determine the causal effect on political preferences. Yet, many competitive settings increase testosterone so our work does correspond, in a controlled way, to experiences outside the lab. For example, winning a sporting match, even chess, raises testosterone, as does watching ‘your team’ win a game on TV.”</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the research team hopes to explore how these effects play out in other populations, including women and older adults. They are also interested in linking hormonal changes to actual political behaviors, not just reported preferences. Their broader goal is to understand the ways in which unconscious biological processes shape decision-making. “My group continues to examine decision inconsistency and where this comes from in the brain so that people can make better decisions and live happier lives,” Zak said.</p>
<p>“The most general interpretation of our findings is that people are malleable in ways they themselves do not consciously understand,” he added. “So, we should be kind to everyone as we’re not aware of our unconscious emotional motivations for our preferences and behaviors. I say that ‘everyone is a weirdo’ and that makes life interesting!”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70651" target="_blank">Testosterone Administration Induces a Red Shift in Democrats</a>,” was authored by Rana Alogaily, Giti Zahedzadeh, Kenneth V. Pyle, Cameron J. Johnson, and Paul J. Zak.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/can-sunshine-make-you-happier-a-massive-study-offers-a-surprising-answer/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Can sunshine make you happier? A massive study offers a surprising answer</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 9th 2025, 21:00</div>
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<p><p>People often say that a sunny day can lift your spirits, but how strong is the connection between sunshine and well-being? A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19485565.2025.2487977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biodemography and Social Biology</a></em> provides one of the most detailed investigations to date, using a massive dataset from China to examine how sunlight exposure on specific days relates to how people feel about their lives and their mental health. The researchers found that people reported slightly higher life satisfaction on sunnier days and showed a small decrease in depressive symptoms after a sunnier week. While these effects were statistically reliable, they were modest in size.</p>
<p>The research was motivated by an interest in understanding how environmental factors influence subjective well-being. Although the harmful effects of air pollution and extreme temperatures have been well documented, studies on sunlight exposure have been inconsistent. Some have found that sunnier conditions improve mood or reduce symptoms of depression, while others have found no clear connection.</p>
<p>The researchers wanted to clarify the issue using a more precise and comprehensive approach than what has been done previously. They aimed to measure not only the immediate effects of sun exposure but also how sunshine over the past week might be associated with changes in mental health symptoms.</p>
<p>To answer these questions, the researchers combined eight years of data from the China Family Panel Studies with daily weather records from hundreds of meteorological stations. The survey data included repeated interviews with nearly 30,000 people across five waves conducted between 2010 and 2018.</p>
<p>Participants answered questions about their life satisfaction and, in some years, completed a standardized questionnaire that assessed recent depressive symptoms. Because these interviews were conducted across all seasons and regions, and because the interview dates were not planned in advance, the researchers could match each person’s responses with the amount of sunshine recorded in their area on that specific day or over the preceding week.</p>
<p>Life satisfaction was assessed using a standard question asking people to rate their satisfaction with life on a scale from 1 (not satisfied at all) to 5 (very satisfied). Depressive symptoms were measured with a shortened version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. This included eight items asking about symptoms like sadness, loneliness, or restless sleep over the past week, with scores ranging from 0 to 24, where higher scores indicate more symptoms.</p>
<p>The sunshine data came from a network of 824 monitoring stations. For each survey respondent, the researchers interpolated weather information to the geographic level of their county and matched it with the exact date of their interview. They calculated the number of sunshine hours on the day of the interview and over the previous seven days. Sunshine was categorized into five bins: 0–3 hours, 3–6 hours, 6–8 hours, 8–11 hours, and more than 11 hours. The 6–8 hour range served as the reference group for comparison.</p>
<p>After adjusting for a wide range of factors—including air pollution, temperature, precipitation, wind speed, humidity, income, age, education, and health—the researchers found a small but consistent association between sunshine and life satisfaction. People interviewed on days with more sunshine reported slightly higher life satisfaction. For example, a day with more than 11 hours of sunshine was associated with a slight increase in life satisfaction compared to a cloudy day.</p>
<p>Conversely, interviews conducted on days with less than 3 hours of sun were associated with a small drop in satisfaction. The effect of sunshine on life satisfaction appeared linear, with satisfaction increasing as sunshine hours increased.</p>
<p>In contrast, the effects on depressive symptoms were more complicated. Sunshine on the interview day did not show a significant connection with the depressive symptom scores. However, when the researchers looked at cumulative sunshine over the past week, they found a nonlinear relationship. People who experienced an additional day with more than 11 hours of sunshine in the week leading up to the interview tended to report slightly fewer depressive symptoms.</p>
<p>Notably, this reduction was modest—only a fraction of a point on the depression scale—but it was statistically significant. The findings suggest that extended sun exposure may be more important for mental health than a single sunny day.</p>
<p>The researchers also explored whether certain groups were more sensitive to sunshine than others. People who worked outdoors, such as farmers or construction workers, were more affected by sun exposure. Their life satisfaction was more sensitive to the amount of sun on the interview day, and they experienced a stronger reduction in depressive symptoms after a sunnier week.</p>
<p>Families with young children also seemed to respond more to sunshine, especially in terms of life satisfaction. The researchers speculated that this might be because people with small children spend more time outside, making them more attuned to the weather. Older adults appeared to benefit more from a sunny week in terms of reduced depressive symptoms, while younger adults’ life satisfaction was more responsive to same-day sunshine.</p>
<p>To check the reliability of their findings, the researchers conducted several tests. They verified that future sunshine—that is, the amount of sunlight after the interview—did not predict well-being, which supports the idea that the effects they observed were not caused by unrelated trends or confounding variables. They also re-analyzed the data using different sets of statistical controls and found similar results. In addition, they considered only respondents interviewed after 7 p.m.—who would have already experienced nearly all of the day’s sunlight—and still found that same-day sunshine was associated with higher life satisfaction.</p>
<p>Despite these strengths, the authors acknowledged some limitations. One issue is that people might be more or less likely to agree to an interview depending on the weather, which could introduce bias. Another concern is that people may give more socially acceptable answers in face-to-face interviews, which could inflate reported well-being. Finally, although the study controls for many individual and environmental factors, there is always the possibility that some unmeasured influences remain.</p>
<p>But the findings still contribute to a growing body of research exploring how daily environmental conditions relate to mental and emotional well-being. By using detailed and long-term data, the study offers stronger evidence than many earlier efforts. It shows that while sunshine can have a real effect on how people feel, the impact is relatively modest. These results may help correct overly optimistic beliefs about the power of sunny weather to improve mood and instead suggest a more measured view: sunshine does matter, but it’s only one piece of a larger puzzle when it comes to human happiness and mental health.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19485565.2025.2487977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Happiness in the sky: The effect of sunshine exposure on subjective well-being</a>,” was authored by Shiwen Liu, Xin Zhang, and Caiyi Zhao.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-why-people-use-pornography-to-day-to-day-couple-behavior/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">New study links why people use pornography to day-to-day couple behavior</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 9th 2025, 16:00</div>
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<p><p>New psychology research sheds light on how motivations behind pornography use are tied to the daily interactions couples have with one another. Using pornography to reduce stress or escape emotions was associated with fewer positive behaviors and more conflict toward partners. In contrast, when people used pornography for sexual pleasure or as a shared activity with their partner, they tended to report more warmth and less tension in their daily interactions. The findings were published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251335813" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</a></em>.</p>
<p>Some past studies have linked pornography use to lower satisfaction and less intimacy, while others found it could enhance sexual connection and even improve desire. Many of these previous studies have relied on general surveys or long-term averages, without capturing the day-to-day experiences couples have. Very few studies have examined the motivations behind pornography use or how it relates to positive and negative behavior patterns between partners on a daily basis. The current research aimed to fill that gap.</p>
<p>The team drew on what’s known as the approach-avoidance theory of sexual motivation. This theory proposes that people engage in sexual behavior for different underlying reasons. Some motivations are “approach” oriented—such as seeking pleasure, intimacy, or curiosity—and tend to be associated with better relationship outcomes. Others are “avoidance” oriented—such as trying to reduce stress, distract from negative feelings, or avoid conflict—and are more likely to be linked to negative relationship experiences. The researchers expected these patterns to show up in how partners behaved toward each other on a given day, depending on the reason behind their pornography use.</p>
<p>To test these ideas, the study followed 327 cohabiting couples, most of whom were in mixed-gender relationships, for 35 consecutive days. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 69, with an average age of just over 31 years. Each evening, both partners completed a short online diary reporting whether they had used pornography that day, what motivated that use, and how they had interacted with their partner.</p>
<p>Positive behaviors included listening, showing affection, or doing something thoughtful. Negative behaviors included criticizing, yelling, or expressing anger. Participants could report more than one reason for using pornography, and the researchers tracked nine distinct motivations, such as sexual pleasure, curiosity, stress relief, emotional distraction, boredom, and using pornography with a partner.</p>
<p>The results suggest that context matters. On days when a person used pornography to manage stress or to suppress difficult emotions, they reported doing fewer kind or affectionate things for their partner. In the case of emotional distraction, they also reported being more hostile or critical toward their partner that day. These patterns were consistent with avoidance motives leading to more strained interactions.</p>
<p>On the other hand, some motivations were associated with more positive behavior. When someone reported using pornography for sexual pleasure, they tended to report fewer negative interactions with their partner that day. And when people used pornography as a shared activity with their partner, they described doing more positive things for their partner that day. These findings aligned with the idea that approach motives—such as pleasure or connection—can support healthier daily interactions.</p>
<p>The study also examined how one partner’s pornography use might influence the other partner’s behavior. In most cases, when someone used pornography for personal reasons—whether approach or avoidance—their partner tended to report fewer positive behaviors toward them that day. This was true for motivations like fantasy, boredom, dissatisfaction with their sex life, stress relief, emotional suppression, and self-exploration.</p>
<p>However, there were some exceptions. When a partner used pornography out of curiosity, the other partner reported fewer negative behaviors toward them, possibly suggesting an openness or mutual benefit to that kind of motivation.</p>
<p>Gender differences also emerged. On days when men used pornography for sexual pleasure, their female partners reported fewer positive behaviors toward them, possibly reflecting discomfort or resentment. But when women used pornography for partner-related reasons, their partners reported more positive behaviors, indicating that shared use may foster connection. In both cases, the motivations seemed to carry different social meanings depending on who was using pornography and why.</p>
<p>One of the strengths of the study was its use of daily diary methods, which helped capture the short-term associations between pornography use and relationship behavior. However, the researchers emphasized that these methods cannot determine whether pornography use <em>causes</em> these behavior changes, or whether the behaviors might influence the motivations. For instance, someone feeling disconnected or stressed might be more likely to seek pornography as a coping mechanism, which could then coincide with more tense interactions. The direction of these effects remains uncertain.</p>
<p>The researchers also conducted follow-up analyses to see whether pornography use on one day predicted behavior the next day. They found no significant associations, suggesting that the effects were short-lived and occurred within the same day. This highlights the importance of studying sexual behaviors in real time, rather than relying on long-term averages that may miss these rapid shifts in interaction.</p>
<p>The authors suggest that future research should look more closely at the situations in which pornography use occurs. For example, whether it is hidden or openly shared, whether it happens before or after sexual activity, and how satisfied each partner is with their sexual relationship may all play a role. Understanding how these factors interact with motivations could help therapists and couples navigate the role of pornography in their relationships more effectively.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251335813" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Are pornography use motivations related to behaviors toward the romantic partner? A dyadic daily diary study</a>,” was authored by Mandy Vasquez, Marie-Ève Daspe, Beáta Bőthe, Sophie Bergeron, Samantha J. Dawson, and Marie-Pier Vaillancourt-Morel.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/virtual-reality-meditation-eases-caregiver-anxiety-during-pediatric-hospital-stays-with-stronger-benefits-for-spanish-speakers/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Virtual reality meditation eases caregiver anxiety during pediatric hospital stays, with stronger benefits for Spanish speakers</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 9th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in the <em><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23743735251326671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Patient Experience</a></em> provides preliminary evidence that virtual reality–guided meditation can reduce anxiety among caregivers of pediatric inpatients. The intervention, delivered through a short immersive experience tailored to the caregiver’s preferred language, led to greater reductions in self-reported anxiety compared to standard methods such as using a phone or talking to someone. The effect was especially strong for Spanish-speaking participants.</p>
<p>The researchers conducted the study to address a common but often overlooked problem: the anxiety experienced by caregivers while their children are hospitalized. Parents and guardians frequently endure emotional stress while managing their child’s illness and navigating the hospital environment. This anxiety can impact not only their own health but also their children’s well-being, as caregiver distress has been linked to increased pain and anxiety in pediatric patients.</p>
<p>Although various therapies—like music, play, and counseling—have been developed to alleviate stress, these are not consistently implemented in inpatient settings. Moreover, language and cultural barriers often leave Spanish-speaking caregivers with even fewer options for support. The research team sought to test whether a language-concordant, virtual reality meditation could serve as an accessible and effective solution for this gap in care.</p>
<p>“We can only begin to imagine the stress parents feel when their child is hospitalized. While medical care rightly focuses on the patient, the emotional toll on families is often overlooked,” said study author <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/thomas-caruso" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thomas Caruso</a>, a professor at Stanford Medicine and co-director of <a href="https://chariot.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Stanford Chariot Program</a>. “We know that when parents and caregivers feel less anxiety, they’re better able to support their children. That’s why it felt essential to develop a targeted intervention—using thoughtful, technology-driven care to support the entire family during a difficult time.”</p>
<p>The study was carried out at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, a large academic pediatric hospital in California. From June 2023 to February 2024, caregivers of hospitalized children were recruited to participate in a randomized trial comparing two conditions: standard care or a virtual reality meditation. Standard care consisted of whatever relaxation activities caregivers normally practiced while visiting the hospital, such as using a smartphone, reading, or talking with others.</p>
<p>In the virtual reality group, participants wore an Oculus Go headset that played a six-minute guided meditation video called “Aurora,” which included breathing cues and peaceful natural scenery like waterfalls and the northern lights. The meditation was presented in either English or Spanish depending on the caregiver’s language preference.</p>
<p>The researchers used a few tools to measure anxiety. The primary tool was the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety, a self-report scale that asks participants to rate their anxiety from 0 (no anxiety) to 100 (maximum anxiety). A second tool, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, included two parts: one that measured general tendencies toward anxiety (trait anxiety), and another that measured how anxious someone felt in the moment (state anxiety). Participants completed both assessments before and after the intervention. The study also included satisfaction surveys to measure how much participants liked the experience and whether they would want to use it again.</p>
<p>A total of 200 caregivers completed the study and were included in the analysis. The sample was evenly split between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking participants. Most were between the ages of 31 and 50, and the majority identified as Hispanic or Latino. The standard care group (99 people) engaged in typical self-soothing activities like using their phone or talking with others. The virtual reality group (101 people) received the six-minute immersive meditation experience.</p>
<p>After the intervention, the virtual reality group showed lower anxiety levels compared to the standard care group. The average anxiety rating dropped from about 53 to 31 in the VR group, while the standard care group dropped from around 52 to 44. The difference between the groups was statistically significant. Participants in the VR group also reported a greater drop in their state anxiety scores, even after accounting for their general tendency toward anxiety. This suggests that the virtual reality meditation was not only calming in the moment but also effective regardless of a person’s usual anxiety level.</p>
<p>When the researchers broke down the data by language, they found that both English- and Spanish-speaking participants benefited from the VR intervention, but Spanish speakers experienced a larger reduction in anxiety. Spanish-speaking caregivers who used the VR meditation had an average post-intervention anxiety score of 21, compared to 41 for those in the standard care group. English-speaking participants also benefited, but the difference between the VR and standard care groups was not as large.</p>
<p>“The study found that parents who primarily spoke Spanish experienced a greater reduction in anxiety after the VR meditation session compared to English-speaking participants,” Caruso told PsyPost. “There are so few mental health resources available for Spanish-speaking communities. We believe the stronger effect reflects a deeper, unmet need.”</p>
<p>Participants generally responded positively to the VR experience. More than 80 percent of caregivers in the VR group reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the intervention. Only a few people reported minor side effects, such as dizziness or eye strain, which resolved quickly. The high satisfaction rate and minimal side effects support the feasibility of using VR meditation as a regular service in pediatric hospitals.</p>
<p>“Immersive technologies like virtual reality open the door to new, drug-free ways to reduce anxiety,” Caruso said. “As VR becomes more affordable and widely available, our study suggests it could be a valuable tool for hospitals looking to support caregivers and deliver more family-centered care. ”</p>
<p>But the study had some limitations. It was conducted at a single hospital, which may limit how well the findings apply to other settings. However, the diverse sample and large size strengthen the reliability of the results. Another limitation is that the study only looked at the short-term effects of a single VR session. Future studies should explore whether repeated sessions have long-lasting effects.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the findings suggest that virtual reality–guided meditation is a promising tool for improving caregiver well-being in hospital settings. Because VR is portable, relatively inexpensive, and easy to use, it could be integrated into routine care without placing additional strain on staff. Offering the experience in both English and Spanish helped make the intervention more inclusive and addressed a gap in mental health support for non-English-speaking families.</p>
<p>“We know it can be challenging for a busy children’s hospital to offer treatment for every parent’s mental health needs,” Caruso said. “We have found that VR is a reasonable alternative — one that can be widely available, quickly scaled and highly effective for parents who speak any language.”</p>
<p>The research team emphasized that supporting caregivers is an important part of delivering family-centered care. Caregivers play a key role in their children’s recovery, and their emotional state can influence how children experience illness, pain, and treatment. Making tools like VR meditation available helps ensure that caregivers’ emotional needs are not overlooked. Going forward, the researchers plan to continue developing and studying virtual reality programs for both patients and caregivers.</p>
<p>“We will continue studying the benefits of VR-guided meditation for patients’ parents and guardians,” Caruso told PsyPost. “This research is part of our greater efforts at the Stanford Chariot Program to develop a range of initiatives aimed at reducing pain and anxiety in pediatric patients before both major and minor procedures using virtual and augmented reality, as well as other immersive technologies. We focus on family-centered care by integrating mental health and emotional well-being into the patient’s experience.”</p>
<p>“The study was in part inspired by the wide range of tools our team has designed to help children feel more at ease during their hospital stay. Our clinical team offers VR headsets to pediatric patients to help ease their pain and anxiety during medical procedures, inspire them to continue their school studies, and enhance their rehabilitation. Time and again, while we were working with a child, a parent or caregiver would say they wished for a quick escape too. After the success of this study, we have made VR meditation sessions part of the regular services offered by the Stanford Chariot Program.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735251326671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Culturally Sensitive Treatment of Caregiver Anxiety With Virtual Reality: A Prospective, Pragmatic, Randomized Study</a>,” was authored by Ricardo T. Jimenez, Michelle Zuniga-Hernandez, Man Yee Suen, Ruth Feng, Kassandra Pinedo, Faaizah Arshad, Faith Collins, Avani Ganesan, Christian Jackson, Ellen Y. Wang, Samuel T. Rodriguez, and Thomas J. Caruso.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/fascinating-new-advances-in-psychedelic-science-reveal-how-they-may-heal-the-mind/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Fascinating new advances in psychedelic science reveal how they may heal the mind</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 9th 2025, 11:00</div>
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<p><p>New studies are revealing how psychedelics interact with neural circuits, receptor systems, and psychological processes in ways that may support lasting mental health improvements. By combining brain imaging, behavioral testing, and molecular tools, researchers are beginning to isolate the pathways through which these substances influence mood, cognition, and self-perception. These findings mark a shift from anecdotal and early-phase trials toward a more mechanistic understanding of psychedelic effects in both clinical and non-clinical populations.</p>
<p data-start="92" data-end="225">The 14 studies summarized below highlight some of the most interesting recent findings shaping the future of psychedelic science.</p>
<h3><strong>1. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psychedelics-anti-anxiety-effects-can-be-separated-from-hallucinations-by-targeting-specific-brain-circuits/">Switching anxiety off in mice without sparking hallucinations</a></strong></h3>
<p>Scientists at the University of California, Davis gave mice the psychedelic compound 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, watched it turn on a precise set of nerve cells in the medial prefrontal cortex, and saw the animals behave with markedly less anxiety. A day later, when the drug had vanished from the body and the brief head-twitches linked to psychedelic‐like sensations had stopped, the team re-activated only those previously tagged cells with pulses of light. The mice once again buried fewer marbles and roamed the exposed arms of a raised maze, even though no drug was present.</p>
<p>The finding shows that the calming benefit of a classic psychedelic can be separated from its mind-bending aspect at the level of individual circuits. By mapping the activated cells, the researchers discovered a mixed population of excitatory and inhibitory neurons that together produce the effect. Blocking serotonin receptors before dosing prevented both the behavioral shift and the ability to recreate it later, confirming that the initial drug hit is needed to “teach” the circuit. The work opens the door to treatments that mimic only the helpful part of a psychedelic experience while leaving hallucinations behind.</p>
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<h3><strong>2. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psilocybin-and-escitalopram-produce-antidepressant-effects-via-distinct-brain-mechanisms-study-suggests/">Comparing mushroom compound therapy with a standard antidepressant</a></strong></h3>
<p>In a double-blind study at Imperial College London, people with moderate to severe depression received either two supervised sessions with psilocybin plus daily placebo capsules, or six weeks of the antidepressant escitalopram plus two mock dosing sessions. Brain scans taken six weeks after treatment showed that escitalopram dampened responses to happy, fearful, and neutral faces across many cortical regions and in the emotion-processing amygdala. Participants in this group often reported the familiar “emotional flatness” that can accompany selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.</p>
<p>Psilocybin did not mute emotional brain activity. Responses to faces were largely preserved, and some areas reacted more strongly to neutral expressions. Both groups improved on depression scores, yet those who had the psychedelic sessions reported greater gains in pleasure, well-being, and emotional richness. The contrast suggests that traditional medication may work by lowering the volume of feelings, whereas psilocybin may relieve depression while keeping emotional life intact—an attractive option for people troubled by blunted affect on conventional drugs.</p>
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<h3><strong>3. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psychedelics-may-buffer-against-ptsd-finds-new-study-of-survivors-of-nova-music-festival-massacre/">Real-world evidence from a tragic mass-trauma event</a></strong></h3>
<p>Researchers surveyed 343 survivors of the October 7, 2023 attacks at the Nova music festival in Israel, asking what they had ingested before the assault and how they felt three weeks later. Those who had taken classic psychedelics such as psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide reported noticeably lower anxiety and fewer acute stress symptoms than peers who had used the stimulant-empathogen often called ecstasy or no psychedelic at all. The benefit remained after accounting for age, gender, past psychiatric history, and prior experience with mind-altering substances.</p>
<p>The effect was strongest among survivors who had not mixed psychedelics with alcohol or cannabis, hinting that extra substances might cancel the protective window offered by serotonin-activating drugs. Because everything was self-reported and no doses were recorded, the study cannot prove cause and effect. Even so, it provides rare data on how being under the influence during trauma may shape the memory trace and, by extension, later mental health—an area that cannot easily be reproduced in laboratories.</p>
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<h3><strong>4. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/ayahuasca-entity-encounters-linked-to-lasting-religious-belief-changes-especially-in-men/">Meeting “beings” in ayahuasca visions can shift belief in the divine</a></strong></h3>
<p>An online survey of 415 ayahuasca drinkers found that men entered ceremonies noticeably less religious than women—yet after vivid encounters with perceived entities, the gender gap disappeared. The proportion of male participants calling themselves atheist dropped from one in five to one in fourteen, and agnostic identification fell by more than half in both sexes.</p>
<p>Ayahuasca combines dimethyltryptamine with plant-based enzyme inhibitors, leading to intense visions that many describe as meetings with spirits, ancestors, or alien intelligences. The study suggests that such encounters can prompt lasting changes in worldview, especially for those who began with little or no faith tradition. Because there was no control group, it remains possible that other aspects of the retreat environment influenced beliefs, but the pattern underscores how psychedelic experiences can rewrite personal narratives about the sacred.</p>
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<h3><strong>5. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psilocybin-therapy-shows-similar-benefits-for-patients-with-and-without-recent-antidepressant-use/">Tapering off antidepressants may not be necessary before psilocybin therapy</a></strong></h3>
<p>At a Canadian clinic, twenty-six adults with treatment-resistant depression received twenty-five milligrams of synthetic psilocybin with supportive psychotherapy. Seventeen had recently stepped down from antidepressant medication, while nine had not been on such drugs. Over two months, both groups showed similar and substantial drops in clinician-rated and self-reported depression and anxiety.</p>
<p>Participants who had tapered did not experience weaker mystical experiences or smaller mood improvements, contradicting earlier hints that residual medication might blunt the psychedelic effect. Given the discomfort and risk involved in tapering—especially for people already feeling low—these preliminary data suggest that future trials should test psilocybin therapy without forcing all volunteers to discontinue existing prescriptions, potentially widening access to those most in need.</p>
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<h3><strong>6. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-experiences-can-both-cause-and-resolve-spiritual-struggles-study-suggests/">Psychedelics can both ease and spark spiritual struggles</a></strong></h3>
<p>Across three connected surveys, more than five hundred United States adults described how past psychedelic journeys influenced inner conflicts about meaning, morality, or the divine. Experiences were just as likely to soothe a struggle as to intensify it. Mystical-style trips marked by feelings of unity and transcendence were often linked to growth, but challenging sessions that unsettled prior beliefs could leave lingering doubt or distress.</p>
<p>Younger participants, those who already identified as spiritual, and people with positive expectations of psychedelics were more apt to report resolution of conflict. In contrast, participants with concerns about substance use or who viewed psychedelics as potentially demonic were more likely to feel new or worsening turmoil. The results underscore that these powerful experiences are not automatically healing; context, mindset, and guidance matter greatly when working with matters of the soul.</p>
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<h3><strong>7. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/flipping-two-atoms-in-lsd-turned-it-into-a-powerful-treatment-for-damaged-brain-circuits/">A safer cousin of lysergic acid diethylamide shows promise for brain repair</a></strong></h3>
<p>Chemists at the University of California, Davis tweaked the structure of lysergic acid diethylamide by switching the position of two atoms, creating a compound dubbed JRT. In laboratory dishes and in mice, JRT spurred robust growth of dendritic branches and synapses in the prefrontal cortex, even reversing stress-induced shrinkage. Yet it failed to trigger the head-twitch response that signals hallucinogenic activity in rodents, and it blocked that response when the classic psychedelic was later given.</p>
<p>Unlike the antipsychotic clozapine, JRT showed little affinity for receptors linked to sedation or weight gain, hinting at a cleaner safety profile. Gene-expression tests suggested it avoids molecular signatures associated with schizophrenia. While human trials are still ahead, the study points toward designer psychedelics that keep neuro-restorative qualities while sidestepping perceptual upheaval—an advance that could benefit people with conditions involving cortical atrophy, such as severe mood disorders or early cognitive decline.</p>
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<h3><strong>8. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psilocybin-induces-large-scale-brain-network-reorganization-offering-insights-into-the-psychedelic-state/">Mapping how psilocybin reorganizes rat brain networks in real time</a></strong></h3>
<p>Using high-density electroencephalography, researchers infused rats with three escalating doses of psilocybin and watched patterns of electrical synchrony shift across twenty-seven cortical sites. Moderate doses strengthened high-frequency connections between distant brain areas and broke the usual timing link between slow theta rhythms and fast gamma bursts. Higher doses moved the system into a second phase where frontal gamma activity dominated while posterior theta connectivity waned, even as the animals became less mobile.</p>
<p>The work shows that a psychedelic state involves more than a single brain configuration; instead it unfolds through dose- and time-dependent stages with distinct network signatures. Because the changes persisted after movement quieted, they likely reflect altered consciousness rather than mere arousal. The findings help validate rodents as models for studying how psychedelics reshape communication among brain regions, information that could guide dosing and timing for therapeutic use.</p>
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<h3><strong>9. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/single-dose-psilocybin-therapy-shows-promise-for-reducing-alcohol-consumption/">One psilocybin session cut heavy drinking in people with alcohol use disorder</a></strong></h3>
<p>Ten adults who drank at heavy levels took part in an open-label program that combined two preparatory meetings, a single twenty-five-milligram psilocybin dose with supportive music and two therapists present, and two integration sessions. Over the following twelve weeks, participants reduced the proportion of heavy-drinking days by more than one-third and cut their average daily consumption by about three and a half drinks.</p>
<p>Blood tests revealed wide differences in how strongly and how quickly each person absorbed psilocybin, yet these pharmacokinetic variables did not predict success. Instead, the depth of the subjective experience—especially feelings that met criteria for a mystical-type event—tracked with lasting change. Although the sample was small and lacked a control group, the study strengthens the idea that a single well-supported psychedelic journey can spark meaningful behavioral shifts, even among individuals who have struggled to change through standard approaches.</p>
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<h3><strong>10. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psilocybin-assisted-therapy-linked-to-reduced-depression-in-people-with-bipolar-disorder-small-study-finds/">Early signal that psilocybin might aid bipolar II depression without triggering mania</a></strong></h3>
<p>Four adults with long-standing depressive episodes related to bipolar II disorder received one or two psilocybin sessions within a structured psychotherapy program. Depression scores dropped noticeably two weeks after each dose and remained lower six months later, while ratings of manic symptoms stayed near zero throughout. No participant showed psychosis or dangerous mood elevation, outcomes that have long worried clinicians considering psychedelics for bipolar illness.</p>
<p>Because the pilot included only four people and everyone knew they would receive the drug, firm conclusions must wait for larger randomised trials now underway. Even so, the absence of mania or hypomania is encouraging and suggests that, with proper screening and support, psilocybin therapy could eventually offer relief to individuals whose bipolar depression resists existing medications.</p>
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<h3><strong>11. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/study-links-moderate-awe-in-psychedelic-ayahuasca-journeys-to-better-well-being/">Awe during ayahuasca retreats: when vastness helps and when it hinders</a></strong></h3>
<p>Sixty adults reflected on a recent ayahuasca retreat and rated both their well-being and the intensity of awe they felt—specifically the sense of facing something vast that challenges understanding. Mystical experiences that carried a moderate amount of perceived vastness were linked to higher well-being, whereas those marked by overwhelming vastness correlated with lower well-being.</p>
<p>One survey item—feeling “meaningless” before the experience—was actually associated with healthier outcomes, suggesting that a humbling perspective can be helpful if it remains within tolerable bounds. The findings hint that there is an optimal emotional range for transformative experiences: large enough to shake habitual thinking but not so gigantic that integration becomes difficult. Skilled facilitation may be key to keeping participants in that sweet spot.</p>
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<h3><strong>12. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/neuroscience-regular-psychedelic-users-exhibit-different-brain-responses-to-self-related-thoughts-study-finds/">Regular psychedelic users process self-reflective thoughts differently</a></strong></h3>
<p>Electroencephalography recorded while volunteers pondered prompts about their identity showed that people who had taken classic psychedelics many times displayed weaker increases in alpha and beta brain waves in regions tied to self-focused rumination compared with peers who planned to try psychedelics but had not yet done so. The pattern was evident in one large dataset and less clear in a second smaller group, suggesting the need for replication.</p>
<p>Psychological questionnaires partly echoed the brain data: in one sample, experienced users reported lower anxiety, depression, and repetitive negative thinking, alongside higher reflective insight. The study cannot say whether psychedelic use caused these changes or merely attracted individuals who already thought differently. Still, it provides a glimpse of how ongoing engagement with these substances might reshape the neural backdrop of inner dialogue.</p>
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<h3><strong>13. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-study-reveals-how-mdma-rewires-serotonin-and-oxytocin-systems-in-the-brain/">Tracing the social and mood effects of ecstasy in young zebrafish</a></strong></h3>
<p>Researchers exposed adolescent zebrafish to various concentrations of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, watched their swimming patterns, and measured gene activity linked to serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin. A moderate dose reduced anxiety-like behaviors—fish ventured into the open water and dark zones more readily—while the lowest dose boosted time spent near fellow fish, hinting at greater sociability.</p>
<p>Molecular tests showed lower expression of serotonin-related genes and higher expression of oxytocin-receptor genes, implying that enhanced sensitivity to the bonding hormone may underlie the behavioral changes. Very high doses slowed movement and appeared toxic, illustrating the narrow margin between benefit and harm. Although fish brains differ from human brains, the study illuminates how this compound can simultaneously influence mood and social circuits, guiding future work in mammals and, eventually, therapeutic settings.</p>
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<h3><strong>14. <a href="https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-compound-blurs-boundary-between-self-and-others-in-the-brain-study-finds/">Ayahuasca-inspired mixture blurs the brain’s line between self and others</a></strong></h3>
<p>Thirty volunteers inhaled a nasal spray of dimethyltryptamine combined with oral harmine in one session, took harmine alone in another, and received a placebo in a third. During each visit they viewed photographs of their own face, known celebrities, and strangers while wearing an electroencephalography cap. The psychedelic combination heightened early visual responsiveness yet disrupted the brain signal that normally recognises a face as a structured whole. Most strikingly, the later signal that gives special weight to one’s own face shrank, making self-images neurologically resemble other faces.</p>
<p>Participants who showed the greatest flattening of these signals reported stronger experiences of “ego dissolution”—the feeling that the boundary between self and world has softened. The brain still distinguished familiar celebrities, suggesting that social relevance remains intact even as self-priority fades. This diminution of self-bias may underpin the heightened connectedness often reported after psychedelic use and could be one reason such experiences hold promise for disorders characterised by rigid self-focus.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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