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.
9 papers
This review looked at studies that measured cortisol (a stress hormone) after people visited forests, a practice called forest bathing or shinrin-yoku. The authors found that people in forest groups had lower salivary cortisol than people in urban groups, both before and after the visits. The reviewers say the change…
This review looks at what is known about the safety of repeated low-dose ketamine infusions for people with treatment-resistant depression and whether risks differ by sex and age (adolescence vs adulthood). A single low-dose infusion (commonly 0.5 mg/kg i.v.) can reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts within hours and usually…
This systematic review proves that there is no substantiation that "adrenal fatigue" is an actual medical condition. Therefore, adrenal fatigue is still a myth.
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 small cross-sectional study compared 33 regular yoga practitioners with 35 non‑practitioners aged 17–30. The yoga group had a lower resting heart rate (about 69 vs 81 bpm) and a smaller blood‑pressure response on the sustained handgrip test (about 10.2 vs 16.3), differences the authors report as statistically significant. Other…
This paper combined past studies (a meta-analysis) and a genetic test (Mendelian randomization) to look at blood testosterone and depression in women. The meta-analysis found that women with depression have significantly different serum testosterone levels than healthy women, with a clear result in premenopausal women and weaker (borderline) results in…
This chapter says stress is an important risk factor for bipolar disorder. Stress hormones like (nor)adrenaline and corticosteroids reach the brain and change how neurons work. Right after stress people tend to process emotions more and higher thinking less, and later the opposite can happen. In bipolar disorder, baseline corticosteroid…
The Scott Trust, Guardian Media Group (GMG) and The Scott Trust Endowment Limited (STEL) published a modern slavery statement for the year ending 31 March 2025. It says they use policies, supplier checks, contract clauses, training and investment oversight to try to lower the risk of modern slavery in their…
SPRAVATO (esketamine) is a prescription nasal spray for adults with treatment‑resistant depression to be used together with an oral antidepressant. It must be given and watched by a healthcare provider because it can cause sedation, dissociation, and increases in blood pressure. Patients are observed for at least two hours after…
