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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/individuals-perceiving-their-social-status-as-higher-tend-to-be-worse-at-perceiving-emotions-of-others/" 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;">Individuals perceiving their social status as higher tend to be worse at perceiving emotions of others</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 22nd 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>New research has found that individuals who perceive their own social status as higher tend to be worse at perceiving the emotions of other people. The study also reported evidence that self-assessed increases in social status over one’s lifespan were associated with worse emotion perception as well. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01493-2"><em>Scientific Reports</em></a>.</p>
<p>Humans are highly social beings. Interactions with other humans are crucial for them. The core ability for having satisfying interactions with others is the ability to understand how others are feeling and what they are likely thinking. However, some studies have indicated that emphatic accuracy, i.e. one’s ability to identify and perceive the emotions of others, depends on one’s social status.</p>
<p>Social status is the relative position or rank a person holds within a group or society. Throughout evolution, higher status meant better access to resources, mates, and protection, which increased chances of survival. Today, social status influences access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. It also affects psychological well-being, as people with higher status tend to report greater self-esteem and life satisfaction.</p>
<p>Low social status, on the other hand, is linked to higher stress, anxiety, and feelings of exclusion. Status shapes how individuals are treated by others, guiding respect, trust, and influence in social interactions. Recent studies have indicated that individuals of lower social status tend to rely more on their social perception abilities to guide their interactions with others. This is not surprising, as for those who possess relatively few resources, these social cognitive abilities (i.e., abilities to accurately tell how others are feeling and what they are thinkings) are important for survival. On the other hand, there are also views that better social cognitive abilities will allow a person to improve his/her social status.</p>
<p>Study author Victoria K. Lee and her colleagues wanted to address this question – is better use of social cognitive abilities something that is characteristic of people with lower social status, or is it something that advances one’s social status, meaning that people with higher social status will have better social cognitive abilities? They conducted an online experiment.</p>
<p>Study participants were 1197 U.S. adults recruited via Prolific. They were required to be fluent in English and to have had at least 98% of their previous Prolific submission approved. Participants’ average age was 38 years, 50% of them were female. 74% were white. 50% declared themselves to be Democrats. Participants received $4 for their participation, with an opportunity to earn up to $2 more based on their performance.</p>
<p>Participants first completed two emotion perception tasks – one examining their ability to perceive emotions of individuals (the Geneva Emotion Recognition Test), and one examining their ability to perceive emotions of groups (the Ensemble Emotion Task). In the scope of the second task, they also completed a non-social perception task as a control condition. After completing these tasks, participants answered a series of questions asking about their subjective and objective measures of social status, and demographic information.</p>
<p>Subjective social status was assessed using the MacArthur Subjective Social Status Scale, Subjective Social Class Scale, and Subjective SES Scales. The first of these shows participants a ladder in which the highest rung represents the people who are best off (e.g., most money, education, career prospect), and the lowest rung those who are the worst off in the society. Participants’ task is to indicate the rung that corresponds to their situation. Objective measures of social status were participants’ answers to questions about income and education attainment (their own and that of their parents).</p>
<p>The results showed that individuals who self-reported their social status as better tended to be worse at perceiving emotions expressed by individuals. However, this association did not extend to perception of emotions of groups or to nonsocial perception. Study authors also report finding preliminary evidence that self-assessed increases in social status over the lifespan were associated with worse emotion perception.</p>
<p>“These patterns support the perspective that social status shapes emotion perception abilities, but importantly, this relationship depends on one’s subjective sense of their status, both in comparison to others and in evaluations of one’s own lifespan trajectory,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between social status and social cognitive abilities. However, it should be noted that the emotion perception tasks used in the study included making judgements about emotions of people shown in pictures, and not perceiving emotional states of real people. Results of studies looking into perception of emotions in real life might differ.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01493-2">Higher self-assessed subjective social status is associated with worse perception of others’ emotions,</a>” was authored by Victoria K. Lee, Mel W. Khaw, Rachel E. Kranton, and Scott A. Huettel.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/ptsd-symptoms-linked-to-the-tendency-to-absorb-others-stress-reactions/" 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;">PTSD symptoms linked to the tendency to absorb others’ stress reactions</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 22nd 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03548-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Translational Psychiatry</a></em> has found that individuals exposed to war-related trauma who experience a strong physiological and emotional response when observing others in distress may be more likely to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings suggest that the tendency to resonate with others’ stress—through elevated heart rate, subjective stress, and other physiological responses—may not necessarily increase vulnerability to PTSD, but may instead reflect the presence of PTSD symptoms themselves.</p>
<p>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event, such as war, violence, or forced displacement. It often involves persistent symptoms like hyperarousal, intrusive memories, emotional detachment, and disrupted sleep. Refugees and migrants who have experienced war or persecution are at particularly high risk for developing PTSD, given both the trauma they endured and the continued stress they face in the process of resettlement.</p>
<p>While not all individuals exposed to trauma develop PTSD, researchers have been working to identify factors that influence who is more likely to struggle with long-term psychological effects. One emerging area of interest is the idea of “stress resonance,” or the extent to which someone shares in another person’s emotional or physiological stress.</p>
<p>This resonance, closely related to empathy, occurs when observing another person in distress triggers similar responses in the observer’s own body and emotions. While empathy can promote connection and cooperation in social settings, some researchers have hypothesized that it could become harmful when it leads to heightened and repeated internal stress responses.</p>
<p>The new study explored whether heightened stress resonance could act as a vulnerability factor for PTSD, or whether it might instead be a byproduct of the disorder. The researchers focused on refugees and migrants from Arabic-speaking countries who had resettled in Germany, aiming to test whether individuals who responded more strongly to another person’s stress were more likely to experience PTSD symptoms.</p>
<p>“The study was based on the idea that people differ in how much empathy they feel, and these differences may affect whether someone is more vulnerable or more resilient when facing war-related trauma,” said study author <a href="https://www.uniklinikum-jena.de/mpsy/Team/Mitarbeiter_innen/Mitarbeiter+auf+Planstellen+in+Forschung+und+Lehre/Christiane+Wesarg.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christiane Wesarg-Menzel</a> of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Friedrich-Schiller University.</p>
<p>The study included 67 adult participants from Arabic-speaking countries, some of whom had entered Germany as refugees and others as migrants. Refugees had fled war, violence, or persecution, while migrants had relocated for reasons such as work or study and reported no major trauma exposure. All participants observed a German-speaking individual undergo a standardized laboratory stress test known to trigger physiological and emotional stress.</p>
<p>During this procedure, participants observed the stressed person through a one-way mirror as they completed tasks designed to induce social-evaluative stress, such as a mock job interview and a challenging mental arithmetic task in front of an evaluative panel. Throughout the process, researchers measured multiple indicators of stress in both the person undergoing the test and the observers. These included heart rate, heart rate variability, salivary cortisol levels, and self-reported stress ratings.</p>
<p>The goal was to assess whether the observers’ responses matched the stress levels of the person being watched. This degree of synchronization—termed stress resonance—was calculated by comparing changes in physiological and emotional markers between the observer and the person undergoing stress. The researchers then looked at how these resonance scores related to each participant’s reported level of PTSD symptoms, measured through a validated questionnaire.</p>
<p>The researchers initially hypothesized that stress resonance would increase the link between trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms, suggesting it might be a trait that makes some individuals more vulnerable. However, the results did not support this idea. Instead, the analysis indicated that higher levels of stress resonance were directly associated with higher PTSD symptom severity, even when taking trauma exposure, age, and sex into account.</p>
<p>“We started off with the hypothesis that people who strongly ‘pick up’ on the stress of others would be more vulnerable to developing mental health problems than those who resonate less, even if both had gone through similar traumatic experiences,” Wesarg-Menzel told PsyPost. “However, our data did not support this idea. Instead, we found that individuals reporting more severe PTSD symptoms resonated more with a stranger under stress. This was visible not only in how stressed they said they felt, but also in their heart rate and heart rate variability.”</p>
<p>In particular, greater alignment in subjective stress, heart rate, and heart rate variability between the observer and the stressed individual was linked to more severe PTSD symptoms. Cortisol-based stress resonance, on the other hand, did not show a significant association. The authors interpret this pattern as suggesting that heightened stress resonance may be better understood as a correlate—or possible symptom—of PTSD, rather than a pre-existing risk factor.</p>
<p>Additional findings revealed that some participants exhibited such strong physiological responses while observing the stress test that their stress levels surpassed those of the individuals actually undergoing the test. This phenomenon was observed in both refugees and migrants, with no significant group differences in stress resonance across physiological markers.</p>
<p>The researchers also found that stress resonance was modestly related to self-reported personal distress, a trait-level measure of empathy characterized by discomfort or anxiety in response to others’ suffering. This connection adds weight to the idea that emotional sensitivity to others’ stress may play a role in how PTSD symptoms manifest.</p>
<p>Importantly, the researchers note that while trauma exposure was strongly related to PTSD symptoms, it was not linked to the degree of stress resonance. This suggests that the observed resonance effects were not merely a byproduct of trauma history alone, but rather tied more specifically to current psychological symptoms.</p>
<p>“Refugees and migrants from Arabic-speaking countries have often been exposed to many traumatic experiences, which puts them at higher risk of developing mental health problems,” Wesarg-Menzel said. “In our study, we found that people who reported more symptoms of PTSD resonated more with a stranger undergoing a stress test. This means that their heart rate and feelings of stress rose in ways that closely mirrored the stranger’s reactions. We believe this heightened tendency to ‘take on’ another person’s stress may be a symptom of PTSD.”</p>
<p>There are some limitations. The cross-sectional nature of the study limits the ability to draw conclusions about causality. It remains unclear whether heightened stress resonance precedes the development of PTSD symptoms or whether it is a result of them. It is also possible that both emerge together in the aftermath of trauma. Longitudinal studies are needed to trace how stress resonance and PTSD symptoms evolve over time.</p>
<p>The researchers aim to extend their work by examining how empathy influences mental health in adolescent refugees, with a particular focus on the roles that parents and peers may play.</p>
<p>“We want to expand this research into the family context,” Wesarg-Menzel said. “We are currently applying for funding to study how the empathic abilities of adolescent refugees affect their health after displacement, and how parents and peers can support their resilience. Our long-term goal is to help develop interventions that strengthen the mental health of refugees.”</p>
<p>“I would like to once again thank our participants for taking part in the study, our Arabic-speaking student assistants for their support and valuable advices during data collection, and Beyond Conflict and the Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, for funding.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03548-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adding to the burden: the tendency to resonate with others’ stress is linked to higher PTSD symptom severity in individuals with war-related trauma</a>,” was authored by Christiane Wesarg-Menzel, Mathilde Gallistl, Michael Niconchuk, and Veronika Engert.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/common-cinnamon-metabolite-shows-potential-for-alzheimers-treatment-by-reducing-amyloid-in-blood/" 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;">Common cinnamon metabolite shows potential for Alzheimer’s treatment by reducing amyloid in blood</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 22nd 2025, 07:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study suggests that an oral medication, sodium benzoate, may reduce the levels of disease-related proteins in the blood of patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease. The research also indicates that patients who had higher initial levels of a specific protein, called amyloid-beta 1–42, experienced greater cognitive benefits from the treatment. These findings, published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-025-03492-3" target="_blank">Translational Psychiatry</a></em>, point toward a potentially safe and convenient therapeutic option for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
<p>Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually diminishes memory and other important mental functions. For decades, a leading theory has suggested that the buildup of proteins called amyloid-beta peptides in the brain is a primary cause of the nerve cell damage and cognitive decline seen in the disease. This idea has gained support with the recent approval of new treatments that directly target and remove these amyloid-beta proteins. </p>
<p>These therapies, which are administered through intravenous infusions, have shown an ability to slow cognitive decline. However, they can be associated with side effects, including brain swelling or bleeding, and they present logistical challenges for patients and healthcare systems due to their high cost and the need for regular hospital visits for infusions and monitoring.</p>
<p>This situation has prompted a search for safer and more accessible treatments that can also address the amyloid-beta buildup. One candidate is sodium benzoate, a compound that is a metabolite of cinnamon and is widely used as a food preservative. It is also approved as a treatment for certain metabolic disorders. </p>
<p>Previous research provided early hints of its potential. Studies in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease showed that oral sodium benzoate could reduce the amyloid protein load in the brain and improve learning and memory. Clinical trials in humans subsequently found that daily doses of 750 milligrams or 1000 milligrams improved cognitive function in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, with a safety profile comparable to a placebo. </p>
<p>The current investigation was designed as a secondary analysis of a previous trial to explore two key questions: can oral sodium benzoate lower the levels of amyloid-beta peptides in the blood of people with Alzheimer’s, and is there a connection between a patient’s initial amyloid-beta levels and their cognitive response to the treatment?</p>
<p>To answer these questions, Chieh-Hsin Lin of Chang Gung University and Hsien-Yuan Lane of China Medical University Hospital in Taichung City analyzed data from a previously conducted clinical trial. The original study was a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 149 patients from three medical centers in Taiwan. The double-blind design means that neither the participants nor the investigators knew who was receiving the active treatment versus an inactive placebo, which helps prevent bias in the results. </p>
<p>Participants were individuals between 50 and 100 years old who had been diagnosed with probable mild Alzheimer’s disease. They were generally in good physical health and had cognitive scores within a specific range that indicated a mild stage of the disease. The patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups for the 24-week period. One group received a placebo, while the other three groups received different daily doses of sodium benzoate: 500 milligrams, 750 milligrams, or 1000 milligrams.</p>
<p>Throughout the study, researchers assessed the cognitive function of each participant using a standard test called the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale. This is a common tool used in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease, and on this scale, a lower score indicates better cognitive performance. Before the trial began and after it concluded at 24 weeks, blood samples were collected from the participants. </p>
<p>The research team used these samples to measure the plasma concentrations of two specific amyloid-beta peptides: amyloid-beta 1–40 and amyloid-beta 1–42. The analysis focused on whether the levels of these proteins changed after treatment and if these changes related to cognitive outcomes. The study combined the data from the two higher dose groups, 750 and 1000 milligrams per day, as these were the dosages that showed cognitive benefits in the original trial.</p>
<p>The analysis revealed that sodium benzoate had a noticeable effect on amyloid-beta levels. When combining the data from the two effective dose groups, the treatment led to a significant reduction in the levels of amyloid-beta 1–40 in the blood compared to the placebo group. A similar significant reduction was seen in the total amount of amyloid-beta, which is the sum of both the 1–40 and 1–42 peptides. While there was a trend toward lower amyloid-beta 1–42 levels in the treatment group, this change was not statistically significant on its own. The 500-milligram dose did not produce significant changes in amyloid levels when analyzed separately.</p>
<p>The study also uncovered a predictive relationship between initial amyloid-beta levels and the treatment’s cognitive benefits. Among patients receiving the effective doses of 750 or 1000 milligrams of sodium benzoate, those who started the trial with higher levels of amyloid-beta 1–42 in their blood showed greater cognitive improvement over the 24 weeks. This improvement was measured as a larger decrease in their cognitive assessment scores. </p>
<p>This connection between higher baseline amyloid-beta 1–42 and better cognitive outcomes was not observed in the group that received the placebo, suggesting the effect was specific to the sodium benzoate treatment. The study also looked at other biological markers related to antioxidants but found no correlation between them and the changes in amyloid-beta levels.</p>
<p>The researchers identified some limitations to their work that suggest areas for future inquiry. The sample size was moderate, which might mean that some real but smaller effects were too subtle to be detected with statistical confidence. The 24-week duration of the trial is also relatively short, so it is unknown if the cognitive and biological benefits would persist or grow over a longer period. </p>
<p>Additionally, the participants were of Han Taiwanese descent, and more studies would be needed to confirm if the results apply to people of other ethnic backgrounds. Future research could also explore if different dosages, perhaps even higher ones, might produce different or stronger effects. A significant question that remains is how changes in amyloid-beta levels in the blood relate to the amount of these proteins in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid, where they are thought to cause the most damage. </p>
<p>Future studies could incorporate brain imaging techniques to directly observe the treatment’s impact on the brain, providing a more complete picture of its mechanism. Despite these limitations, the findings suggest that sodium benzoate, an oral medication with an excellent safety record, has the potential to become a new therapy for Alzheimer’s disease that works by reducing amyloid-beta proteins.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03492-3" target="_blank">Sodium benzoate treatment decreased amyloid beta peptides and improved cognitive function among patients with Alzheimer’s disease: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial</a>,” was authored by Chieh-Hsin Lin and Hsien-Yuan Lane.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/lower-creatine-intake-associated-with-greater-depression-and-anxiety/" 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;">Lower creatine intake associated with greater depression and anxiety</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 22nd 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>A large epidemiological study from South Korea provides new evidence that people who consume more creatine in their daily diets tend to have better mental health. The research, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2025.2558118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nutritional Neuroscience</a></em>, found that lower creatine intake was associated with greater depression severity, more frequent suicidal thoughts, and higher anxiety symptoms. While the results are not definitive, they point toward a potential role for creatine-rich diets in supporting psychological well-being.</p>
<p>Creatine is a compound made naturally by the human body, but it is also found in certain foods, especially animal-based proteins like meat, poultry, and fish. It plays a key role in maintaining energy levels in cells, including in the brain. The average adult needs about two grams of creatine per day, roughly half of which is typically obtained from diet. While creatine is most commonly known as a supplement used by athletes to improve muscle performance, research has been expanding into its effects on brain function.</p>
<p>Previous studies have suggested that creatine may support cognitive function and may even reduce the risk of depression, particularly in older adults. Some small clinical trials have explored creatine as a treatment for depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. However, no large-scale study had examined its effects across a general population that includes both adolescents and adults, or outside of a Western context. The new study aimed to fill that gap by focusing on individuals living in South Korea, where dietary patterns differ significantly from the United States and other Western countries.</p>
<p>“This study is part of a larger, ongoing research program aimed at understanding the potential role of food-derived creatine in public health nutrition,” explained study author Sergej M. Ostojic, a professor of nutrition at the University of Agder.</p>
<p>“Over the past several years, we have explored various health risks associated with low dietary creatine intake, including its links to impaired cognitive function in older adults and an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Personally, I am particularly interested in investigating how dietary creatine intake relates to mental health outcomes, given my background as a physician trained in psychiatry. This intersection of nutrition and mental health represents an exciting and understudied area with significant implications for prevention and treatment strategies.”</p>
<p>The researchers used data from the 2022 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a government-led initiative that gathers health and nutrition information from a representative sample of the population. In this analysis, they included 5,257 participants aged 12 and older who had provided complete dietary intake information and underwent at least one mental health assessment.</p>
<p>Daily creatine intake was calculated based on the types and amounts of food reported by each participant, focusing on known creatine-rich sources such as meat and dairy. The researchers excluded any creatine obtained through supplements. They then grouped participants into four levels—or quartiles—based on their creatine intake per kilogram of body weight. These ranged from the lowest intake group (3.71 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight per day) to the highest group (more than 13.80 milligrams per kilogram).</p>
<p>Mental health outcomes were assessed using several standard questionnaires. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and anxiety was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7). Participants were also asked about their experience of suicidal thoughts, suicide planning, suicide attempts, and whether they had received mental health counseling in the past year.</p>
<p>The researchers applied a variety of statistical models to examine the relationships between creatine intake and mental health outcomes. These models accounted for factors such as age, gender, household income, education level, physical activity, smoking, sleep, and overall nutritional intake.</p>
<p>Mean creatine intake for the full sample was 10.3 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, which is relatively low compared to levels reported in Western populations. The researchers found that people in the lowest quartile of dietary creatine intake consistently showed worse mental health outcomes across multiple measures.</p>
<p>“Our study confirmed and reinforced the findings of previous epidemiological and interventional research on creatine, providing further evidence of its potential role in mental health,” Ostojic told PsyPost. “Importantly, we expanded the scope of investigation beyond prior studies, which were predominantly conducted in U.S. populations, by examining a non-U.S. cohort.”</p>
<p>“In addition, our analysis included participants across a broader age spectrum, encompassing not only adults and older individuals but also adolescents. This wider demographic perspective offers valuable insights into the relationship between dietary creatine intake and mental health outcomes across different life stages and cultural dietary patterns, thereby strengthening the generalizability and relevance of our findings.”</p>
<p>On average, depression scores among those in the lowest quartile of dietary creatine intake were higher than those in the higher intake groups. The prevalence of clinically significant depression was also highest in this group at 6.9 percent, compared to 3.3 to 4.3 percent in the other quartiles. Suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts within the past year were also more commonly reported by participants in the lowest intake group, and the prevalence of these outcomes tended to decrease across higher creatine intake levels.</p>
<p>Anxiety symptoms showed a similar pattern, though the evidence was less consistent. While the highest creatine consumers had slightly lower anxiety scores, the relationship was statistically significant only when adjusting for age, gender, education, and income. Once additional factors such as exercise and other nutrients were taken into account, the association between creatine and anxiety became weaker and was no longer statistically significant.</p>
<p>When looking at daily stress levels, the researchers found that higher creatine intake was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting mild or no stress, and a lower likelihood of reporting severe stress. This trend remained even after adjusting for basic demographic variables.</p>
<p>“I believe that creatine obtained from dietary sources—found exclusively in animal-based foods—may offer modest protective effects against several mental health conditions, as observed in the Korean population studied, including depression and anxiety,” Ostojic explained. “However, creatine should not be viewed as a ‘magic bullet’ for mental health. Rather, it may serve as one important component of a balanced, nutrient-rich diet aimed at supporting brain function and psychological well-being.”</p>
<p>“Creatine likely plays a supportive role by enhancing brain energy metabolism, which is essential for optimal neuronal activity and resilience under stress. In addition, its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, both of which are implicated in mood disorders. Through these mechanisms, creatine could contribute to maintaining neurotransmitter balance and overall mental vitality, complementing other lifestyle and therapeutic interventions for mental health.”</p>
<p>The study, like all research, includes some caveats. Because the study was cross-sectional, it only provides a snapshot in time and cannot prove that low creatine intake causes depression or other mental health problems. People who are already experiencing poor mental health may eat less or have less balanced diets, which could influence their creatine intake.</p>
<p>Another limitation involves how creatine intake was measured. The calculations relied on average creatine content in various food groups, without distinguishing between different types of meat or preparation methods. Additionally, important variables such as genetic risk, use of psychiatric medications, and environmental stressors were not fully captured in the dataset.</p>
<p>“Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify these relationships,” Ostojic said.</p>
<p>Still, the researchers see the findings as an important step toward understanding the broader role of diet in mental health. They suggest that creatine could be an overlooked nutrient with potential benefits for psychological well-being, especially in populations that consume low levels of meat or animal-based products.</p>
<p>“My research group is dedicated to advancing the understanding of creatine as a semi-essential nutrient with broad relevance for public health,” Ostojic explained. “Our aim is to rigorously investigate creatine’s role in supporting normal energy metabolism across the entire population, moving beyond its traditional view as merely a dietary supplement for athletes or muscle performance. We emphasize that creatine is not just important for skeletal muscle but also plays a critical role in brain function and neurodevelopment.</p>
<p>“Adequate creatine availability is essential for maintaining neuronal energy balance, supporting cognitive processes, and fostering healthy brain maturation, particularly during periods of rapid growth such as childhood and adolescence. By reframing creatine as a key nutrient rather than solely a sports supplement, our work seeks to highlight its potential for preventing deficiencies and promoting lifelong metabolic and neurological health.”</p>
<p>“Many populations may be at risk of inadequate creatine intake from food sources, including vegans, vegetarians, the elderly, and individuals following restrictive diets,” Ostojic continued. “These groups could benefit most from increasing their consumption of creatine-rich foods to support mental well-being. Ideally, they should first consider adjusting their dietary patterns to include more animal-based foods, such as fish, which is an excellent natural source of creatine.”</p>
<p>“Alternatively, they can turn to creatine-fortified foods or dietary supplements to correct deficiencies and ensure sufficient intake of this important nutrient, which plays a key role in maintaining brain function and overall neurological health.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2025.2558118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dietary creatine intake and mental health among the Korean population</a>,” was authored by Sergej M. Ostojic, Sonja Baltic, and Dragana Zanini.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/caffeine-fails-to-alter-brain-network-dynamics-tied-to-attention-in-early-adolescents/" 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;">Caffeine fails to alter brain network dynamics tied to attention in early adolescents</a>
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<p><p>A recent study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327385" target="_blank">PLOS One</a></em> failed to find evidence that caffeine consumption is linked to changes in a brain connectivity marker associated with attention in early adolescents. Researchers examined whether drinking caffeinated beverages affects the relationship between two key brain networks involved in attention and internal thought. While previous research in adults has suggested caffeine can alter brain connectivity, this large-scale investigation did not find any such effects in youth.</p>
<p>Caffeine is widely consumed across all age groups, including children and adolescents. Beverages like soda, tea, coffee, and energy drinks are common sources of caffeine among youth in the United States. Surveys suggest that a majority of adolescents ingest caffeine on a typical day. This has raised questions about how the stimulant may impact developing brains, especially since past research indicates that caffeine use in children may be linked to lower scores in memory and attention-related tasks.</p>
<p>Previous studies have shown that caffeine affects brain activity in adults, especially within the brain’s large-scale functional networks. These networks, including the default mode network and the dorsal attention network, operate in opposition to each other. The default mode network tends to be active when people are engaged in self-reflective or inward-focused thinking, while the dorsal attention network is more active during tasks that require external focus and attention. In healthy brains, these two systems show a negative correlation or “anticorrelation,” which means that when one is more active, the other tends to be less active. This dynamic balance is thought to be important for attention and task performance.</p>
<p>In adults, stronger anticorrelation between these networks is often linked with better attention and mental focus. Studies have also found that caffeine can change patterns of brain connectivity in adults, although it is not yet clear whether these same effects occur in younger individuals. This prompted the researchers to explore whether recent caffeine intake in early adolescents might alter the anticorrelation between these two brain networks.</p>
<p>“I am fascinated by society’s most popular drug, caffeine. Caffeine can have a negative impact on cognitive functioning in youth, and many youths consume caffeinated beverages. The default mode network and dorsal attention network are two anticorrelated brain networks that are linked to attention. We wanted to explore whether caffeine consumption among youths was associated with the anticorrelation of these two large anticorrelated brain networks that are linked to attention,” said study author <a href="https://www.drorrinware.com/" target="_blank">Orrin Ware</a>, an <a href="https://ssw.unc.edu/employees/orrin-ware/" target="_blank">assistant professor at the University of North Carolina</a> at Chapel Hill School of Social Work.</p>
<p>To answer this question, the researchers analyzed baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term study of brain development in the United States. This dataset includes detailed information about brain imaging, behavior, and lifestyle factors from thousands of children. For the current study, the researchers focused on a sample of 4,673 youth, aged around 9 to 10 years, who had completed brain scans and provided self-reported data on their caffeine consumption.</p>
<p>Participants were asked whether they had consumed any caffeinated beverages in the past 24 hours and how many caffeinated drinks they typically consumed per week. The researchers then calculated the strength of anticorrelation between the default mode network and the dorsal attention network using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. This technique measures spontaneous brain activity while the participant is not performing any specific task.</p>
<p>The researchers used statistical models that accounted for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, attention problems, body mass index, head movement during the scan, and the specific MRI scanner used. They tested whether recent or regular caffeine use was associated with changes in the anticorrelation between the two networks.</p>
<p>Contrary to their expectations, the researchers found no significant associations. About 16 percent of participants reported having a caffeinated drink in the past 24 hours, and around 71 percent reported drinking such beverages weekly. However, neither the short-term nor the weekly caffeine intake predicted differences in brain network connectivity. The anticorrelation between the default mode network and the dorsal attention network remained unaffected by caffeine use, even after adjusting for other variables.</p>
<p>The researchers also tested whether the combined effect of both recent and weekly caffeine consumption might influence the network relationship, but this interaction was also not statistically significant. The findings were consistent across multiple types of statistical analysis, including a comparison of models with and without caffeine-related variables.</p>
<p>“After controlling for other factors such as age and sex, we did not find an association between caffeinated beverage consumption and the anticorrelation between the default mode network and the dorsal attention network,” Ware told PsyPost.</p>
<p>Although caffeine intake was not linked to changes in the main outcome of interest, some covariates were associated with differences in the anticorrelation strength. For example, older children and girls showed slightly stronger anticorrelations. Children with more attention problems or those who were underweight tended to have weaker anticorrelations. Greater head motion during the scan and differences in the MRI scanner also contributed to variations in the results.</p>
<p>The lack of a significant relationship between caffeine intake and network connectivity may have several explanations. One possibility is that the amount of caffeine consumed by these children was too low to produce detectable effects on brain function. It is also unclear whether participants drank caffeinated beverages before or after the scan, which could influence the results.</p>
<p>“An important limitation is that the caffeinated beverage consumption data were self-reported,” Ware noted. “Another limitation is the variability in the amount of caffeine in milligrams among different brands of caffeinated beverages.”</p>
<p>The findings have implications for interpreting brain imaging studies in young people. Since some children may consume caffeine before undergoing a scan, there was a concern that this might distort measures of brain function. The current study suggests that, at least in early adolescence, typical levels of caffeine consumption are unlikely to significantly affect this key network measure.</p>
<p>However, the study also raises questions about other possible effects of caffeine on brain connectivity and behavior that were not captured here. For example, the researchers only examined the relationship between two networks. Future studies might explore whether caffeine impacts other brain systems involved in reward, emotion, or executive function.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327385" target="_blank">Examining recent effects of caffeine on default mode network and dorsal attention network anticorrelation in youth</a>,” was authored by Orrin D. Ware, Sarah E. Chang, Wesley K. Thompson, Alexandra S. Potter, Hugh Garavan, Micah E. Johnson, and Lucina Q. Uddin.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/a-40-year-study-finds-higher-science-funding-under-republicans/" 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;">A 40-year study finds higher science funding under Republicans</a>
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<p><p>A sweeping 40-year analysis of United States government spending reveals that federal science and research programs received more funding when Republicans controlled the House of Representatives and the presidency. The new research, which challenges common assumptions about political support for science, was published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx5154" target="_blank">Science</a></em>.</p>
<p>The study was motivated by a need to better understand the relationship between political power and science funding in an era of increasing polarization. The United States government is the largest single funder of research in the world, and its investments set a precedent for other nations. Scientific progress often requires decades of consistent support, a timeline that can conflict with the short-term nature of political cycles. </p>
<p>While high-profile political battles over funding for specific fields like climate science or gun violence research have occurred, there has been no systematic, large-scale evidence showing how partisan control broadly affects the full scope of federal science investment over time. Researchers sought to fill this gap.</p>
<p>To conduct their investigation, a team led by researchers at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management examined public records from the U.S. Government Publishing Office and the Congressional Budget Office from 1980 to 2020. They focused on appropriations bills, the legislation Congress passes annually to fund the regular operations of the government. This approach allowed them to capture the direct funding decisions made by policymakers for 171 different federal science and research accounts across 27 different agencies.</p>
<p>This method provided a comprehensive view of science funding. It included not only grants awarded by agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, but also the scientific work conducted directly by federal agencies and research performed by private companies through government contracts. The team analyzed data from four key stages of the yearly budget process: the president’s initial budget request, the separate funding bills developed by House and Senate committees, and the final version of the bill enacted into law. This multi-stage analysis allowed them to see how the priorities of each institution shaped the final funding levels.</p>
<p>One of the study’s initial findings was that competitive grants, which are often the focus of discussions about science funding, represent a relatively small portion of the total federal investment in science. The analysis revealed that from 1980 to 2020, grants made up between 7% and 24% of total science and research appropriations. A much larger share of the funding is directed toward contracts with private firms and for research conducted within government agencies themselves, such as at national laboratories or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.</p>
<p>The central finding of the study emerged from statistical models that compared funding levels under different political configurations, while also accounting for the overall size of the federal budget. The analysis showed that when Republicans controlled the House of Representatives, the average science and research account received approximately $150 million more in funding than when Democrats held the majority. Similarly, when a Republican was in the White House, these accounts received about $100 million more on average compared to years with a Democratic president. Control of the Senate did not show a similarly strong association with funding levels.</p>
<p>This pattern of increased funding under Republican leadership was not confined to a single area like defense. While the Department of Defense did see significantly higher science appropriations under Republican presidents, the trend extended to other major research bodies. For example, the researchers found that Republican control of the House was associated with more funding for science at the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>
<p>The researchers suggest the larger influence of the House and the presidency may be due to institutional structures. The House majority party has significant procedural control over the agenda, allowing it to more directly shape spending bills. The president, as a single executive, can set priorities in a budget proposal without needing to negotiate internally. In contrast, the Senate’s rules often require broader, bipartisan support to pass legislation, which may temper the influence of the majority party alone.</p>
<p>The study also examined a separate dataset of federal grants to see if political control affected how money was distributed across different fields of research. Using data that tracked over a trillion dollars in grants from 1952 to 2019, the researchers confirmed that the total amount of grant money disbursed was higher when Republicans controlled the House. </p>
<p>However, they found no substantial difference in how that money was divided among broad scientific fields. The proportion of funding going to areas like life sciences, physical sciences, or social sciences remained remarkably stable regardless of which party controlled Congress. This suggests that while politics may influence the total size of the science budget, the internal processes of funding agencies, such as peer review, help maintain consistency in the allocation of research grants across different disciplines.</p>
<p>The authors propose several possible explanations for their main finding. One is that Democratic lawmakers may have more competing priorities for discretionary spending, such as social programs, education, or healthcare, leading to difficult trade-offs when budgets are set. Another possibility is that Republicans may be more inclined to support science funding because a large portion of it is directed to private companies through contracts, which aligns with priorities of economic growth and private sector innovation.</p>
<p>The study has some limitations. The analysis identifies a strong association between party control and funding levels, but it cannot definitively prove a cause-and-effect relationship. The 40-year period studied offers limited instances of shifts in political control, which can make it difficult to isolate the precise impact of any single factor. The authors also caution that their findings are historical and may not predict future trends, especially given recent shifts in political rhetoric around science. They note that the observed historical support from Republicans is not a guarantee of future funding priorities.</p>
<p>For future research, a deeper investigation into the specific mechanisms driving these funding patterns is needed. Understanding the motivations and trade-offs that legislators from both parties face during the budget process could provide a more complete picture. The researchers suggest that their findings could inform how science advocates communicate with policymakers. Instead of assuming partisan division, advocacy could focus on shared priorities that appeal across the political spectrum, such as economic competitiveness, national security, and technological advancement, which have historically attracted bipartisan support for science.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx5154" target="_blank">Partisan disparities in the funding of science in the United States</a>,” was authored by Alexander C. Furnas, Nic Fishman, Leah Rosenstiel, and Dashun Wang.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/gender-diverse-youth-report-slightly-elevated-emotional-sensitivity-and-interpersonal-distress/" 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;">Gender-diverse youth report slightly elevated emotional sensitivity and interpersonal distress</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 21st 2025, 16:00</div>
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<p><p>A study of young people recruited across Europe found that gender-diverse individuals (that is, those identifying with genders not corresponding to their biological sex) tend to report somewhat elevated levels of negative affect, detachment, and borderline personality features compared to their gender-conforming peers (whose gender identity corresponds to their assigned sex). The paper was published in the <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.1177/26318318251355397"><em>Journal of Psychosexual Health</em></a>.</p>
<p>In recent years, there has been a substantial rise in the number of adolescents and young adults reporting psychological distress related to gender identity, most often in the form of gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a psychological condition where a person experiences distress due to a mismatch between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. </p>
<p>This distress can manifest emotionally, socially, and physically, often leading to significant discomfort. People with gender dysphoria feel that their body does not align with who they truly are. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, irritability, and withdrawal from social situations. Some individuals seek gender-affirming treatments, such as hormone therapy or surgery, to reduce their dysphoria.</p>
<p>Study authors Nils Konstantinovs and Petr Weiss set out to examine the relationship between gender identity and personality trait expression among adolescents and young adults. Specifically, they investigated whether individuals who identify as gender-diverse differ in maladaptive personality traits and borderline personality features compared to gender-conforming peers. They hypothesized that gender-diverse individuals would tend to report higher levels of these traits.</p>
<p>Study participants included 269 young people aged 14 to 26, recruited from community-based settings across Europe, including recreational youth centers and online platforms catering to gender-diverse youth.</p>
<p>Participants completed assessments of maladaptive personality traits (the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 – Brief Form), borderline personality features (the 11-item Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children), and gender dysphoria (the Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale). They also reported demographic information, including their gender identity and sex assigned at birth.</p>
<p>Maladaptive personality traits were assessed across five broad domains: negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition, and psychoticism. Negative affectivity reflects a tendency toward frequent and intense negative emotions. Detachment captures social withdrawal and reduced positive emotionality. Antagonism involves hostility, grandiosity, and manipulativeness. Disinhibition represents impulsivity, risk-taking, and irresponsibility. Psychoticism reflects eccentric behavior, cognitive-perceptual disturbances, and unusual beliefs. These traits describe personality patterns that can become maladaptive when extreme, although they are not themselves diagnostic of a personality disorder.</p>
<p>The results indicated that gender-diverse participants, on average, reported slightly to moderately higher levels of negative affect, detachment, and borderline personality features compared to their gender-conforming peers. Younger participants—those aged 14 to 16—tended to report modestly higher levels of antagonism, disinhibition, psychoticism, borderline personality features, and gender dysphoria compared to older age groups. Participants with more pronounced gender dysphoria also tended to report higher levels of negative affect, detachment, and borderline features.</p>
<p>“Gender-diverse participants reported higher levels of negative affect, detachment, and borderline features than gender-conforming peers, with younger adolescents showing modestly greater distress and impulsivity overall. These findings highlight the potential influence of minority stress and developmental context on psychological well-being during gender identity exploration,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between gender, viewed as a socially constructed characteristic, and various maladaptive psychological trait. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from these results. Additionally, all data used in the study were collected using self-report measures leaving room for reporting bias to have affected the results.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="http://www.doi.org/10.1177/26318318251355397">Examining the Relationship Between Personality Traits and Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents and Young Adults,</a>” was authored by Nils Konstantinovs and Petr Weiss.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/scientists-detect-sleep-like-brain-pulsations-in-awake-individuals-with-narcolepsy/" 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 detect sleep-like brain pulsations in awake individuals with narcolepsy</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 21st 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>New research has found that people with narcolepsy type 1 exhibit patterns of slow brain pulsations that resemble those seen in healthy sleep. The findings, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2501578122" target="_blank">PNAS</a></em>, suggest that orexin—a neuropeptide involved in maintaining wakefulness—may play a key role in the brain’s fluid-clearing system, known as the glymphatic system. This study offers insights into how altered brain activity in narcolepsy may influence the transport of waste out of the brain, a process believed to be important for protecting against neurodegeneration.</p>
<p>Narcolepsy type 1, also known as NT1, is a rare neurological disorder characterized by the loss of orexin-producing neurons in the hypothalamus. People with this condition often experience sudden sleep episodes, cataplexy, and fragmented nighttime sleep. While the disorder is typically understood in terms of disrupted arousal and sleep-wake regulation, recent work has begun to explore its broader effects on brain physiology.</p>
<p>One area of interest is the glymphatic system, a clearance pathway that removes metabolic waste from the brain. This system is more active during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, when the brain enters a state of slow, rhythmic pulsation. These pulsations are thought to drive the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through brain tissue, aiding in the removal of waste products such as amyloid beta.</p>
<p>Because orexin influences both arousal and noradrenaline release—two systems that affect these pulsations—the researchers wanted to understand whether people with narcolepsy type 1 exhibit brain pulsation patterns similar to those seen in sleep. They proposed that orexin deficiency might reshape the forces driving glymphatic flow, and that these changes could be measured using advanced brain imaging.</p>
<p>“NT1 is a rare and life-long disease and thus new research shedding insights into the pathology is valuable to these patients,” said study author Matti Järvelä of the University of Oulu. “Our lab is interested in brain pulsations that drive intracranial fluid flow and thus facilitate brain clearance. As NREM sleep, a state where orexinergic activation is low, has been shown to increase efflux of fluid and waste from the brain, NT1 presents a natural human model to study how the lack of orexins/hypocretins may affect the drivers of this efflux.”</p>
<p>The researchers used a fast functional MRI technique called magnetic resonance encephalography (MREG) to measure brain pulsations in three groups: 21 individuals with narcolepsy type 1, 79 healthy people who were awake during scanning, and 13 healthy individuals who were scanned while in NREM sleep. All participants were scanned at the same hospital under standardized conditions, with additional measurements of EEG, heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure.</p>
<p>The research team focused on three types of physiological brain pulsations that are believed to drive CSF flow: slow vasomotor waves (linked to blood vessel tone), pulsations tied to the heartbeat, and pulsations associated with respiration. They examined the strength and complexity of these pulsations using several signal analysis methods, including spectral power, coefficient of variation, and spectral entropy.</p>
<p>To validate that MREG could detect these types of fluid-related brain activity, the team also built a phantom model by pumping water through a pineapple using a peristaltic pump. This allowed them to test how water flow affected the MRI signal, simulating CSF and blood flow in the brain.</p>
<p>The researchers found that people with narcolepsy type 1 exhibited elevated vasomotor brain pulsations—similar to those observed during sleep—even while awake. These pulsations were stronger than those seen in healthy individuals who were awake but comparable to those in the sleeping group. This suggests that the absence of orexin leads to a brain state that resembles sleep in some physiological respects, at least in terms of how blood vessels oscillate.</p>
<p>“My initial thought was that the strength of especially vasomotor pulsations would be somewhere in between the states of healthy wakefulness and sleep,” Järvelä told PsyPost. “It was very interesting to find that this does not seem to be the case and that the lack of orexins may have such a powerful effect on brain pulsations.”</p>
<p>At the same time, the narcolepsy group showed lower cardiac-related pulsations than both the healthy awake and sleeping groups. These heartbeat-driven brain pulsations are thought to be especially important for pushing cerebrospinal fluid into the brain’s tissue. The drop in cardiac pulsations among people with narcolepsy could point to a weakened ability to initiate the clearance of metabolic waste, which typically depends on such rhythmic arterial pressure.</p>
<p>The respiratory-related pulsations were strongest in the sleeping group and weaker in both the narcolepsy and awake groups. This indicates that breathing-induced brain fluid movement is most active during sleep and is not markedly different between narcolepsy and normal wakefulness.</p>
<p>A measure called spectral entropy, which reflects the complexity of brain signals, was also lower in the narcolepsy group than in healthy individuals. Low entropy indicates that the brain signal is more regular and predictable, as is typical during sleep. In fact, the narcolepsy group had even lower entropy in some regions than the healthy sleep group, suggesting an unusual concentration of slow oscillatory activity.</p>
<p>When the researchers analyzed a particular area in the occipital lobe, they found that arterial brain pulsations in this region could reliably distinguish between the three groups. This area partly overlaps with the default mode network, which plays a role in internally directed thought and has been implicated in brain clearance. The distinction was especially strong between the narcolepsy and sleep groups, as well as between the narcolepsy and awake groups.</p>
<p>The phantom model further supported these findings. The experiment showed that increased water flow produced stronger signal oscillations in the MRI data, confirming that the observed brain signals likely reflect real physiological changes in fluid dynamics.</p>
<p>“While NT1 is a chronic disease, there may be a silver lining to it in the form of increased slow cerebral vasomotion that drives brain clearance,” Järvelä explained. “The power of this vasomotion does not, at least statistically, differ from that seen in NREM sleep where the brain clearance is most active.” </p>
<p>“The results also underline the importance of sleep to facilitate brain homeostasis and long term health, and suggest that there may be a way to enhance vasomotor pulsations with a pharmacological intervention – albeit this has not been studied at the current time. Well-functioning brain clearance is of importance, as dysfunctional waste clearance from the brain may underlie prevalent neurological diseases e.g. Alzheimer’s disease.”</p>
<p>As with all research, the study has limitations that should be taken into account. First, while the data suggest altered brain pulsations in narcolepsy type 1, the exact mechanisms remain uncertain. Orexin deficiency likely affects multiple neurotransmitter systems, especially noradrenaline, but the relative contribution of each is unclear. Additionally, although the participants with narcolepsy were instructed to stay awake during scanning, the researchers could not confirm this with simultaneous EEG for all participants, raising the possibility that some may have briefly dozed off.</p>
<p>“It is not yet clear what downstream effect or indeed effects of orexin depletion is the main character behind our pulsation findings, but the earlier literature points to decreased cortical excitation and inconsistent noradrenergic tone from locus coeruleus,” Järvelä noted. “Also, the results quantify the forces driving brain clearance, but as we are studying macroscopic phenomena, we do not directly observe the microscopic motion of brain metabolite waste products in NT1. As always, more research is warranted.”</p>
<p>Future research may explore whether pharmacological manipulation of the orexin system affects these pulsations. If orexin antagonists used as sleep aids induce brain pulsation patterns similar to narcolepsy, this might offer clues about how to regulate brain clearance. </p>
<p>“It would indeed be interesting to see whether orexin antagonists would have the same effect on brain pulsations as NT1 and if agonists would have the reverse effect,” Järvelä said. “Apart from using orexin antagonists as sleep medication, there may be potential to use them to boost brain clearance.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2501578122" target="_blank">Orexin effect on physiological pulsations of the human brain</a>,” was authored by Matti Järvelä, Janne Kananen, Heta Helakari, Vesa Korhonen, Niko Huotari, Tommi Väyrynen, Katariina Hautamäki, Lauri Raitamaa, Johanna Tuunanen, Mika Kallio, Johanna Piispala, Hanna Ansakorpi, and Vesa Kiviniemi.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/multinutrient-supplements-may-ease-biological-stress-in-children-with-adhd/" 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;">Multinutrient supplements may ease biological stress in children with ADHD</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Sep 21st 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who took a multinutrient supplement for eight weeks showed reduced levels of reactive oxygen metabolites, according to a new analysis of biological samples collected during a previously published randomized controlled trial. These findings suggest that improved oxidative balance may be one of the ways multinutrient treatment helps reduce behavioral symptoms in some children with ADHD.</p>
<p>ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions in children. It is characterized by patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning in academic, social, and family settings. While its causes are not fully understood, researchers have increasingly focused on the role of oxidative stress as a possible contributing factor. </p>
<p>Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the body’s ability to neutralize them with antioxidants. This imbalance can damage cells and may be particularly harmful to the brain, which consumes high levels of oxygen and has limited antioxidant defenses.</p>
<p>The study, published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547251355998" target="_blank">Journal of Attention Disorders</a></em>, builds on earlier work from the Micronutrients for ADHD in Youth (MADDY) trial. That randomized controlled trial showed that children ages 6 to 12 who took a broad-spectrum multinutrient supplement had greater behavioral improvements than those who took a placebo. In the new analysis, researchers examined blood plasma samples from a subset of 77 children who participated in the original trial. Their goal was to find out whether the supplement influenced markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant activity, and whether those changes were related to clinical improvements.</p>
<p>“Children with ADHD often struggle not only with attention and behavior but also with poor eating habits which can lead to nutrient deficiencies,” explained study authors Lisa M. Robinette, a<br>
postdoctoral scientist at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Irene Hatsu, an associate professor of human sciences at The Ohio State University.</p>
<p>“Previous clinical trials suggested that broad-spectrum multinutrient supplements containing all essential vitamins, minerals, and some amino acids, can improve ADHD symptoms. This study is a secondary analysis of one of those trials, which showed behavioral improvements in children with ADHD taking multinutrients compared to placebo. To examine how the multinutrients produced benefits in children with ADHD, we explored the links between improvements and changes in antioxidant and oxidative stress pathways, which are believed to be important in brain health.”</p>
<p>To evaluate oxidative balance, the researchers looked at several biological markers in the blood. These included glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, two antioxidant enzymes involved in the body’s defense system. They also measured the oxidative stress index, which reflects the ratio between oxidative damage (reactive oxygen metabolites) and antioxidant capacity (biological antioxidant potential). Blood samples were collected before the start of the trial and again after eight weeks of daily supplementation with either the multinutrient formula or placebo.</p>
<p>After eight weeks, children who had taken the multinutrient supplement showed a significant reduction in reactive oxygen metabolites, while those who received placebo experienced an increase. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant. This suggests that the supplement helped reduce the level of oxidants in the body. </p>
<p>A similar trend was observed for the oxidative stress index, but the difference did not meet the conventional threshold for statistical significance unless samples with signs of hemolysis were excluded. The antioxidant capacity, as measured by biological antioxidant potential, did not change significantly in either group. Similarly, there were no meaningful group differences in the activity levels of the two antioxidant enzymes.</p>
<p>“We expected that the multinutrient group would have increased antioxidant capacity, since many of the nutrients included support antioxidant defenses,” Robinette and Hatsu told PsyPost. “Instead, we found that while oxidative stress markers went down, antioxidant enzyme activity and capacity did not change significantly. This was somewhat surprising, and it suggests that nutrients may help reduce the production of harmful oxidative molecules rather than boosting antioxidant enzymes directly.”</p>
<p>Although the reduction in oxidative stress markers was modest, the pattern of results indicates that the multinutrient supplement may have supported the body’s ability to manage oxidative damage. The researchers also explored whether changes in oxidative stress might help explain the behavioral improvements observed in the original trial. Statistical models hinted at a possible mediating role, with reductions in reactive oxygen metabolites being associated with a higher likelihood of clinical response to the supplement. However, these relationships did not reach statistical significance and were considered exploratory.</p>
<p>The supplement used in the trial contained a wide range of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidant compounds. Many of these nutrients, such as selenium, zinc, and vitamins C and E, are involved in the body’s antioxidant defense system. Selenium, for example, is a required component of the glutathione peroxidase enzyme, while riboflavin and niacin support the activity of glutathione reductase. Given the number of nutrients that contribute to redox balance, a broad-spectrum approach may help support biological systems that regulate oxidative stress.</p>
<p>“Our study found that children with ADHD who took multinutrient supplements for eight weeks showed a reduction in markers of oxidative stress, while those on placebo did not,” Robinette and Hatsu explained. “This suggests that multinutrients may support the body’s ability to cope with biological stress. While not a cure, these results add to evidence that nutrition can play a role in supporting mental health in children.”</p>
<p>While the findings provide evidence that multinutrient treatment can reduce markers of oxidative stress in children with ADHD, the researchers note some limitations. One is the relatively small sample size, especially when it came to evaluating sex-specific effects. The placebo group in this subsample had a higher proportion of females than the treatment group, which could have influenced some of the results. The researchers accounted for this by including sex as a covariate in their analyses and confirmed that baseline oxidative stress levels were similar between boys and girls.</p>
<p>Another limitation is that plasma measurements may not fully reflect what is happening in the brain, which is the organ most directly implicated in ADHD. The antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase is found at much higher concentrations in red blood cells than in plasma, and levels can be affected by sample handling. While the researchers measured hemoglobin and conducted sensitivity analyses to address possible effects of hemolysis, more direct measures of oxidative stress in neural tissue would be needed to draw firm conclusions about brain-specific effects.</p>
<p>“Importantly, as it was a secondary analysis of clinical trial data, it was not originally designed to answer this specific research question,” the researchers noted. “In addition, the eight-week timeframe is short, and we don’t yet know how long-term nutrient supplementation might influence oxidative stress and ADHD symptoms. Larger and longer studies, designed specifically for this purpose, are needed.”</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the study contributes to a growing body of research suggesting that oxidative stress plays a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. Previous studies have found elevated levels of reactive oxygen metabolites in children with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing peers. Other work has suggested that antioxidant status may be related to symptom severity. Some studies have also examined how nutritional interventions, including antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, affect oxidative stress levels, but findings have been inconsistent.</p>
<p>This analysis is among the first to examine whether changes in oxidative stress may help explain how a multinutrient supplement produces behavioral improvements in children with ADHD. While the study does not provide definitive evidence of a causal link, it raises the possibility that reducing oxidative damage could be part of the mechanism. The fact that reductions in reactive oxygen metabolites were associated with better clinical outcomes suggests that oxidative stress might be a target worth exploring in future interventions.</p>
<p>“Our long-term goal is to better understand the biological underpinnings of ADHD and how nutrition can support children’s mental health,” Robinette and Hatsu told PsyPost. “We want to identify which children are most likely to benefit from nutrient approaches, and how these interventions work in the body. Ultimately, we hope this will help develop more personalized and accessible treatment options.”</p>
<p>“I think it’s important to emphasize that nutritional interventions are not yet a replacement for other evidence-based ADHD treatments, but they show promise as an additional tool for families. Such approaches may not only improve ADHD symptoms but also support long-term health.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547251355998" target="_blank">Multinutrients Decrease Oxidative Stress in Children With ADHD: Mediation/Moderation Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial Data</a>,” was authored by Lisa M. Robinette, Irene E. Hatsu, Olorunfemi Adetona, Chieh-Ming Wu, Jeanette M. Johnstone, Alisha M. Bruton, Hayleigh K. Ast, James B. Odei, Ouliana Ziouzenkova, Brenda M. Y. Leung, and L. Eugene Arnold.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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