Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Articles

Articles

The Quest to Determine Earliest Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

Johns Hopkins researchers test biomarkers to obtain a more precise diagnosis of the neurodegenerative disease.

Survey Illuminates Effects of Real-World Psilocybin Use

The largest prospective study on naturalistic psilocybin use found improvements in mental health and well-being in those who took the drug outside of clinical trial settings.

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Providing Help for Latina Mothers at Risk for Post-Partum Depression

A Johns Hopkins study shows that virtual group meetings held in partnership with early childhood learning centers offer participants valuable support and social connection.

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Understanding How Cannabis Use Affects Brain Development and Mental Health

Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Christopher Hammond seeks to address risks to adolescents that accompany legalizing the drug.

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Hospital Staff Not Taught to Manage Patient Agitation

Johns Hopkins study shows a lack of training puts physicians, nurses and technicians at risk for workplace injury.

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A More Precise Framework for Understanding and Treating Alzheimer’s Symptoms

A Johns Hopkins team led by Milap Nowrangi considers the biological causes of neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease

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Improving Access to Clozapine for Patients with Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

Clozapine is the treatment of choice for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, and yet it is highly underutilized in the United States.

Mental Health Program in Middle Schools

Goal of ADAP Jr. High is to help young people recognize and manage anxiety.

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Advocacy for Assisted Outpatient Treatment Programs in Maryland

Maryland is one of three states in the country that doesn’t have assisted outpatient (AOT) treatment programs which involve court-ordered mental health treatment for individuals who have severe mental illness and a history of noncompliance with therapy.

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Excess Thyroid Hormone Levels Associated with Higher Risk of Cognitive Disorders Among Older Adults

A Johns Hopkins Medicine study has linked thyrotoxicosis to an increased risk of cognitive disorders among older adults. The researchers are encouraging clinicians to practice caution when prescribing thyroid hormone treatment for people over age 65.

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Brain Scans of Former NFL Athletes Show a Repair Protein in Place Long After Initial Injury

New study from Hopkins Medicine shows TBI protein (TSPO) present in the brain long after initial injury.

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Suicide Prevention in Social Media: Creating Safe Spaces for Children and Adolescents

Social media provides an opportunity to identify mental health concerns or crises in children and adolescents. What can be done to protect youth and help create safe spaces for connection and education?

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Diverse Participation Is Critical Part of Major Bipolar Disorder Study

Johns Hopkins Psychiatrist Erica Richards will lead a team of recruiters to enroll people who are frequently left out of research.

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Johns Hopkins Clinician-Scientists Participate in National Study on Ketamine vs. ECT for Treatment-Resistant Depression

A groundbreaking clinical trial has determined that the medication ketamine appears as effective as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for patients with treatment-resistant depression.

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New Research Tools Could Clear Some of the Smoke Around Medical Cannabis

Clinicians have very little data about the efficacy of cannabis as a therapy. A new National Cannabis Study could begin to fill that information gap.

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Yaden Installed As First Recipient of Griffiths Professorship

David Yaden and his team will explore the effects of psychedelic substances on human health, behavior and worldview.

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Poor Sense of Smell Linked to Increased Risk of Depression in Older Adults

Hyposmia has long been associated with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the elderly; study adds to evidence for its ties to other late-life ailments

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New Evidence: Immune System Cells in the Gut Linked to Stress-Induced Depression

In experiments with mice and humans, a team led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers says it has identified a particular intestinal immune cell that impacts the gut microbiome, which in turn may affect brain functions linked to stress-induced ...

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Unlocking a Healthy Mindset: The Road to Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa

A Q&A with Johns Hopkins psychiatrists Angela Guarda and Colleen Schreyer.

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Renowned Johns Hopkins Psychologist Releases New Book – "Fires in the Dark: Healing the Unquiet Mind"

In Kay Redfield Jamison’s latest celebrated work, she explores psychological suffering and the path toward healing.

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New Research Aims to Elucidate Neurobiology of Anorexia Nervosa

Studies in animal models help scientists identify systems that may induce vulnerability to eating disorders, and aid in pinpointing brain consequences of behaviors that underpin anorexia nervosa.

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Adult Inpatient Brexanolone Service Addresses Postpartum Depression

A new service at Johns Hopkins offers a novel method to treat postpartum depression: administering a rapidly-acting intravenous medication in inpatient psychiatry units, where patients can benefit from related services.

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Entrepreneurship Certificate Program Targets Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

A $1.6M grant will fund efforts to train basic scientists in the development and commercialization of products to prevent and treat substance use disorders.

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New Research into Treatment for Bipolar Depression

Johns Hopkins psychiatrists study whether an unconventional transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) yields more rapid improvements in patients.

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Hope for Patients Grappling with Pancreatic Pain

Psychiatrist and pain specialist Traci Speed works with colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Pancreatitis Pain Program to address each patient’s struggles with pain and mental health.

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School-Based Mental Health Program Aims to Help Kids Become Their Best Selves

Hal Kronsberg, program director for the Johns Hopkins Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program, shares observations about his and his team’s approach to assist children who grapple with mental illness.

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New Center Aims to Bolster Treatment of Schizoaffective Disorders

Experts in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences plan to streamline clinical approaches and better understand each patient’s unique neurobiology.

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New Research and Insights into Substance Use Disorder

A partnership with Ashley Addiction builds on Johns Hopkins clinical care and research to improve outcomes — addressing the “human experience” for those with the condition.

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Why Integrated Behavioral Health Care for Children and Adolescents Matters

Nadia Zaim, child and adolescent psychiatrist, aims to improve outcomes in a population at risk for mental health disorders and suicide.

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Psilocybin Treatment for Major Depression Effective for Up to a Year for Most Patients, Study Shows

Previous studies by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers showed that psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieved major depressive disorder symptoms in adults for up to a month. Now, in a follow-up study of those participants, the researchers ...

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New Research into Adolescent Depression

Johns Hopkins psychiatrists point to the need for earlier, faster-acting treatments.

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Protective Behaviors to Avoid COVID-19 May Aggravate Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Other Conditions in Some Patients

Via two studies, Johns Hopkins psychiatrists show that patients may experience obsessive-like symptoms due to fear of contamination with the virus that causes the disease.

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Support for Young Adults Grappling with Mental Health Struggles

Johns Hopkins psychiatrists and colleagues help 18-35-year-olds cope with life transitions.

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Mood Disorders Precision Medicine Center Elevates Research and Personalized Care

Johns Hopkins psychiatrists and colleagues mine genetic clues and lab results, and use digital assessments to evaluate patients and provide individualized treatments.

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A Comprehensive Approach to Treating Postpartum Depression

At The Johns Hopkins Hospital, certain patients with postpartum depression receive infusions of brexanolone, and are treated and monitored in the inpatient psychiatry unit.

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Deep Brain Stimulation Used for Parkinson’s Tremors May Also Quell Hallucinations for Patients with Schizophrenia

As many as one-fifth to one-half of patients with schizophrenia have symptoms that are resistant to treatment, says psychiatrist Nicola Cascella. A decade ago, Cascella began looking into the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for neuropsychiatric ...

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BHIPP Addresses Rising Mental Health Needs of Children and Families by Serving Primary Care Providers

Maryland Behavioral Health Integration in Pediatric Primary Care (BHIPP) — established in 2012, by Johns Hopkins and local partners — experienced a significant increase in calls from primary care providers during the pandemic.

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U.S. Adults Report Increase in Binge-Watching During the Pandemic: Stress, Obesity and Associated Negative Binge-Watching Behaviors

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers found the increase in binge-watching frequency was greatest in adults with obesity and high stress. Adults reporting high stress noted higher frequency of eating while binge watching.

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From Survive to Thrive: Living Your Best Life with Mental Illness

Meg Chisolm, M.D., translates the Johns Hopkins Perspectives Approach for patients and their families and incorporates a roadmap for patients from surviving mental illness to thriving with mental illness.

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Johns Hopkins Medicine Receives First Federal Grant for Psychedelic Treatment Research in 50 years

Johns Hopkins Medicine was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore the potential impacts of psilocybin on tobacco addiction.

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Amyloid Beta and Serotonin May Be Keys to Predicting Who Develops Late-Life Depression

Looking for ways to image the human brain for the earliest signs of aging and cognitive decline, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers recently identified a pattern that links the accumulation of amyloid beta proteins (associated with cognitive ...

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Gun Shy

Addressing a major risk factor in suicide — particularly among veterans — will require doctors to confront a subject too many feel ill-equipped to discuss.

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CBD Products May Help People with Epilepsy Better Tolerate Anti-Seizure Medications

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have shown that CBD may reduce the adverse effects associated with anti-seizure medications, and seems to improve other aspects of health and quality of life for patients with epilepsy.

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Shedding Light on COVID-19 Survivors’ Mental Health

Johns Hopkins neuropsychologist Tracy Vannorsdall discusses her research into the psychological effects of post-acute COVID on patients.

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Case Study Illustrates How Schizophrenia Can Often Be Overdiagnosed

Study author Russell Margolis, director of the Johns Hopkins Schizophrenia Center, answers questions on misdiagnosis of the condition and reiterates the importance of thorough examination.

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Clozapine-Associated Myocarditis: A Protocol for Monitoring Upon Clozapine Initiation and Recommendations for How to Conduct a Clozapine Rechallenge

This study assessed the distribution of race, ethnicity, and sex within the US psychiatry physician workforce and trends from 1987 to 2016.

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Study Shows Pandemic Stress Affects How Parents Feed Their Children

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers surveyed families across the United States to learn how stress related to the pandemic is affecting the ways parents feed their children and in turn, what the children are eating.

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Racial Divide: Maryland Suicides During the Pandemic Halved in Whites, Doubled in Blacks

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have found that suicide deaths increased dramatically among Black Marylanders during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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New Research into Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder During Pregnancy

Two biomarkers shown to predict postpartum depression may foretell complications of symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder for patients who are pregnant.

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Johns Hopkins Medicine Collaborates on $45 Million Grant to Change the Way Communities Respond to Behavioral Health Crises

Johns Hopkins Medicine and 14 other Maryland hospitals will use a $45 million grant on an initiative to reduce unnecessary emergency department use and police interactions for substance use and mental health crises.

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Bridge Builder John Campo

The new director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry practices integration of medical services and public health to improve mental health outcomes.

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Text-Message Intervention May Prevent Relapse in Patients with Schizophrenia

Study shows that sending daily text messages could help identify early signs of relapse.

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Creating an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit for Patients with Asymptomatic COVID-19

What it took to contain the spread of disease while supporting patients emotionally.

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New Insight into Caffeine Use Disorder

Johns Hopkins researchers recently conducted the most thorough evaluation to date of the prevalence and clinical significance of caffeine use disorder, as well as the correlates of meeting proposed criteria for the condition.

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Milestone Study Shows Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression

Findings of small study of adults with major depression suggest psilocybin may prove effective in larger population of patients with intractable depression.

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Psychedelics Research and Psilocybin Therapy

The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research is leading the way in exploring innovative treatments using psilocybin.

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Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression, Study Shows

In a small study of adults with major depression, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that two doses of the psychedelic substance psilocybin, given with supportive psychotherapy, produced rapid and large reductions in depressive ...

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Achieving 'Balance': How a Johns Hopkins Program Boosts Corporate Mental Health

Companies across the U.S. are turning to Johns Hopkins experts for psychological guidance for their employees.

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Diversity by Race, Ethnicity, and Sex within the US Psychiatry Physician Workforce

This study assessed the distribution of race, ethnicity, and sex within the US psychiatry physician workforce and trends from 1987 to 2016.

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‘New Terrain’: Psychiatrist Opens Up About Caring for Patients Recovering from COVID-19

Johns Hopkins Medicine psychiatrist Adam Kaplin, MD, works with a multidisciplinary team in a virtual clinic called the Post-Acute COVID Team (PACT) to provide mental health care to COVID-19 survivors after they are released from the ICU.

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Gearing Up for COVID-19’s Mental Health Toll

Psychologist George Everly offers guidance on how to help patients and providers build resilience against the pandemic’s psychological effects.

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Treating Substance Use Disorder During COVID-19

During coronavirus pandemic, Johns Hopkins addiction treatment facilities continue to provide the best care they can, whether virtual or face-to-face.

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Gene Reveals Itself As Key Epigenetic Regulator in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

For 10 years, psychiatrist-researcher Atsushi Kamiya has investigated how genetic risk factors and environmental factors lead to impairment of brain function regulating cognitive and mood-related behaviors.

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First-of-Its Kind Psychedelic Research Center Debuts at Johns Hopkins

Matthew Johnson and Roland Griffiths are leading research on psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms.

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Genetic Syndrome of Intellectual Disability Fixed in Mice Using Precision Epigenome Editing

Using a targeted gene epigenome editing approach in the developing mouse brain, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers reversed one gene mutation that leads to the genetic disorder WAGR syndrome.

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Bob Roca's Back-to-the-Future Moment

Robert Roca discusses a new residential treatment center for mood and anxiety disorders, which is in the early stages of planning.

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Why Defining Impulsive/Reactive Aggression in Youth Matters

In a recent paper published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, Young and her colleagues shared results of a study that aimed to develop a data-driven definition of impulsive/reactive aggression in children ages 5 through 18.

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Using Big Data to Decode Alzheimer’s Disease

Kostas Lyketsos and his team are collecting data from tens of thousands of patient medical records, looking for demographic and genetic factors that determine how the disease progresses over time.

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Some CBD Products May Yield Cannabis-Positive Urine Drug Tests

Small study concludes that caution is warranted for users of “high CBD, low THC” cannabis products

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Lab Studies Dive Headfirst into Pathways Touched by Schizophrenia

A series of studies using suforaphane — a natural compound derived from broccoli sprouts — showed potential to tweak chemical imbalances in the brains of people with schizhophrenia.

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Low-Cost Intervention Reduces Risk of Opioid Overdose

A new online, self-paced tutorial about opioids improves knowledge and reduces risky behaviors.

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Esketamine: A New Approach for Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression

For patients with intractable depression, a new esketamine clinic — among the first in the U.S. — can provide immediate relief.

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Johns Hopkins Launches Center For Psychedelic Research

Researchers to use psychedelics to study the mind and identify therapies for diseases such as addiction, PTSD and Alzheimer’s.

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High Fat Diet During Pregnancy Slows Learning in Offspring, Rat Study Suggests

Rat study shows impact of pregnant mother’s diet on pups’ brain development and metabolism.

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Deep Brain Stimulation Eases Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms by Boosting Dopamine

Deep brain stimulation is usually the next line of treatment when dopamine-enhancing medications, such as levodopa, fail to relieve Parkinson’s symptoms.

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‘Stressors’ In Middle Age Linked To Cognitive Decline In Older Women

Women’s stressful experiences in midlife linked to cognitive decline later in life.

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Study Suggests Overdiagnosis of Schizophrenia

Reported symptoms of anxiety and hearing voices most common reasons for misdiagnosis by non-specialty physicians.

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Research Roundup: New Studies on Insomnia, Buprenorphine and More

Learn about the latest developments in dementia care research, chronic pain and insomnia research and more.

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Substance Use Disorders in Later Life: A Growing Threat

Increasingly, older adults are misusing alcohol and other substances — raising their risk for falls, confusion and morbidity.

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Measuring Differences in Brain Chemicals in People with Mild Memory Problems

These studies may ultimately help to reveal what initiates memory decline and may, perhaps, even predict dementia risk.

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Amos Food, Mind and Body Center Tackles Gut-Brain Connection

Collaboration brings together gastrointestinal and psychiatric experts to better understand —and treat — patients in physical and emotional distress.

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Mouse Studies Advance Search for New Class of Antidepressants

Drug developed at Johns Hopkins targets brain chemical distinct from other antidepressants on the market

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New Scan Technique Reveals Brain Inflammation Associated with Post-Treatment Lyme disease Syndrome

News and Publications November 5, 2019

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Study Affirms Challenges in Managing Severe Pain of Sickle Cell Disease

News & Publications - November 27, 2018

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How Marijuana May Damage Teenage Brains in Study Using Genetically Vulnerable Mice

News & Publications - December 17, 2018

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Vaping Cannabis Produces Stronger Effects Than Smoking Cannabis For Infrequent Users

News & Publications - December 4, 2018

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Could Virtual Reality Improve Treatments for Kids with Anxiety or OCD?

Brain Wise Winter 2019

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Therapy Group Offers ‘Mature Coping Skills’ to Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

Brain Wise Winter 2019

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Community Psychiatry Program Extends Help to the Neediest Patients

Brain Wise Winter 2019

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Mining Genes, Data and Human Brains to Assess Mood Disorder Risk

Through a unique partnership, Johns Hopkins psychiatry researchers are mining genes, data and human brains to assess risk for developing mood disorders — using insights to advance targeted treatments.