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.
This paper reviewed 20 peer-reviewed studies on brainwave entrainment (BWE). BWE uses rhythmic sounds or flashes of light to change brainwave frequencies. The review found that BWE appears to help with thinking problems, stress and anxiety, pain, headaches or migraines, mood and behavior issues, and premenstrual syndrome. The authors say…
Brexanolone (brand name ZULRESSO) is an FDA-approved drug for moderate-to-severe postpartum depression. In trials it reduced depressive symptoms quickly and had mostly mild side effects, but it is given by IV in a monitored inpatient setting because it can cause heavy sleepiness and even loss of consciousness. It is not…
This review says postpartum depression (PPD) is a common and disabling problem that has been rising in many places. It summarizes known risk factors in social and economic life, childbirth history, lifestyle, and past mental illness. The paper also reviews biological and genetic work (the serotonin transporter gene, SERT, is…
This review explains how the brain controls sexual responses and how three neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline) can change brain activity during erotic stimulation. The authors describe brain networks for different parts of sexual arousal (thinking/appraisal, feeling/pleasure, wanting/goal-directed, and bodily/autonomic responses). They also say pharmaco-fMRI (brain scans after giving drugs)…
This article describes one patient who developed increased sexual urges after bupropion was added to his ongoing fluoxetine treatment. The urges dropped after bupropion was stopped and replaced with mirtazapine. The authors review other studies showing bupropion usually causes fewer sexual problems than SSRIs but can sometimes raise libido, and…
