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.

6 papers

Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening

Richard Thompson
Clinical Medicine Summary & key facts 2018 97 citations

There is increasing evidence that exposure to plants and green space, and particularly to gardening, is beneficial to mental and physical health, and so could reduce the pressure on NHS services. Health professionals should therefore encourage their patients to make use of green space and to work in gardens, and…

Climate Change and Health Impacts Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements Urban Green Space and Health

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

The Effect of Walking on Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Zijun Xu

This systematic review pooled 75 randomized trials with 8,636 people to see if walking changes symptoms of depression and anxiety. In adults, walking reduced depressive symptoms (SMD −0.591, 95% CI −0.778 to −0.403, P

Climate Change and Health Impacts Occupational Therapy Practice and Research Urban Green Space and Health

Shinrin-Yoku 森林浴 (Forest Bathing): A Scoping Review of the Global Research on the Effects of Spending Time in Nature

Amber Vermeesch, Alexis Ellsworth-Kopkowski, Jenifer G. Prather, Cheryl Passel, Heidi Rogers, Margaret M. Hansen

The practice of SY has physiological (PHYS) and psychological (PSYCH) benefits across age groups. Research findings indicate either the natural or the virtual environment (VW) has significant health benefits. Continued research is encouraged globally for short- and long-term health outcomes for all individuals. The connection with nature benefits the mind,…

Climate Change and Health Impacts Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies Urban Green Space and Health

We didn’t start the fire…or did we?—a narrative review of medical gaslighting and introduction to medical invalidation

Alexandra Fuss, Christina H Jagielski, Tiffany Taft

This paper reviews what is known about “medical gaslighting,” especially in gastroenterology. The authors found no studies that directly measure gaslighting in chronic digestive diseases, so they drew on related research about gaslighting, doctor–patient communication, burnout, and stigma. They propose the new term “medical invalidation” to cover situations where a…

Climate Change and Health Impacts

Seeding hope: restoring nature to restore ourselves. Nature restoration as an essential mental health intervention

Catriona Mellor, Stella Botchway, Nicholas Barnes, Sam Gandy
PubMed Summary & key facts 2022 9 citations

This 2022 commentary argues that restoring nature and reconnecting people to healthy natural places should be a key public‑health approach for mental health. The authors use hopeful stories and UK examples to show how access to nature and a sense of kinship with the natural world can support well‑being, and…

Climate Change and Health Impacts Health, psychology, and well-being Urban Green Space and Health
Summaries and links are for general information and education only. They are not a substitute for reading the original publication or for professional medical, legal, or other advice. Always refer to the linked source for the full study.