Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.

3 papers

Therapeutic Effect and Mechanisms of Essential Oils in Mood Disorders: Interaction between the Nervous and Respiratory Systems

T.K.H. Fung, Benson Wui-Man Lau, Shirley P.C. Ngai, Hector W. H. Tsang

Essential oils (EOs) are extracted from plants and contain active components with therapeutic effects. Evidence shows that various types of EOs have a wide range of health benefits. In our previous studies, the potential of lavender EO for prevention and even treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms was demonstrated. The…

Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies Sleep and Wakefulness Research

New Insights into the Pivotal Role of the Amygdala in Inflammation-Related Depression and Anxiety Disorder

Ping Hu, Ying Lü, Bing‐Xing Pan, Wenhua Zhang

This 2022 review looks at studies linking stress, inflammation, and changes in the amygdala to depression and anxiety. It says stress can trigger inflammation in the body and brain, that inflammation can change neurons and circuits in the amygdala, and that these changes are linked to depression- and anxiety-like signs…

Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms Stress Responses and Cortisol Tryptophan and brain disorders

Modified Cortisol Circadian Rhythm: The Hidden Toll of Night-Shift Work

Aikaterini Andreadi, Stella Andreadi, Federica Todaro, Lorenzo Ippoliti, Alfonso Bellia, Andrea Magrini, et al.

This 2025 narrative review explains that cortisol normally peaks in the early morning and falls to its lowest levels in the early night. Night-shift work often shifts or flattens that pattern, causing a blunted or delayed morning peak and a less steep decline through the day. The authors link this…

Circadian rhythm and melatonin Climate Change and Health Impacts Stress Responses and Cortisol
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