How useful is exercise for people with severe depression, anxiety, or chronic mental illness? Hundreds of studies suggest it may help, but the actual causal relationships between exercise and mental health remain unclear. The December issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter outlines several possible explanations for the apparent mood-enhancing effect of exercise.
New research indicates that a gene previously known to play an important role in how the brain thinks and builds memories may influence an individual’s risk of developing bipolar disorder. The research also reveals an important regulatory pathway between the gene and a second gene, discovered in 2000, which has been shown to be linked to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
This month’s newsletter from the Society for Neuroscience describes research that could lead to better diagnostic techniques and improved treatment options for individuals suffering from bipolar disorder.
The darkening days of fall and winter seem to bring on depression and anxiety in hamsters, just as they do for many humans, according to a new study examining symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
Two studies outline dangers of mixing stress, deprivation and tempting foods. The studies show that when animals are stressed, deprived and exposed to tempting food, they overeat, with different degrees of interaction. The powerful interplay between internal and external factors helps explain why dieters rebound and even one cookie can trigger a binge if someone’s predisposed to binge. The results may help even non-stressed people to avoid overeating, keep their weight down and improve their health.
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