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.

4 papers

Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 Mental Disorders Collaborators
PubMed Central (PMC) Summary & key facts 2021 5,135 citations

This study reviewed surveys and used global models to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic changed rates of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders in 2020. It found that places with higher COVID-19 infection rates and bigger drops in movement had larger increases in these disorders. The authors estimate about 53.2…

COVID-19 and Mental Health Health disparities and outcomes Long-Term Effects of COVID-19

Social support and mental health: the mediating role of perceived stress

Acoba, Evelyn F.
www.frontiersin.org Summary & key facts 2024 281 citations

This study surveyed 426 Filipino adults online during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to see if perceived stress helps explain links between social support and mental health. Using standard questionnaires, the researchers found that lower perceived stress was linked to more positive feelings and less anxiety and depression when…

COVID-19 and Mental Health Health disparities and outcomes Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Anxiety: A Systematic Review

Reuben Kindred, Glen Bates

This systematic review looked at 33 studies about social anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The studies suggest social anxiety increased in the general population. Women and people with low incomes appeared more likely to report higher social anxiety. Other links to higher social anxiety included poor coping, weaker social support,…

Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes COVID-19 and Mental Health Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies

Is your brain tired? Researchers are discovering the roots of mental fatigue

Lynne Peeples
Nature Summary & key facts 2025 0 citations

This Nature news feature by Lynne Peeples (10 December 2025) looks at new research on mental fatigue — why thinking hard can make people feel worn out. It explains that scientists are trying to build better ways to measure cognitive exhaustion. The article says those better measures could help point…

COVID-19 and Mental Health Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
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