Could Dirty Air Spur a Rise in Serious Mental Illness?

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 -- As air quality declines, the prevalence of mental health conditions may rise, a large, new study suggests.

Looking at data on millions of people in the United States and Denmark, researchers found correlations between air pollution exposure and rates of certain psychiatric disorders. In both countries, poorer air quality was linked to a slightly heightened risk of bipolar disorder.

Depression, Alzheimer's Might Be Part of Same Process in Some Aging Brains: Study

MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 -- New research is untangling the complex relationship between symptoms of depression and losses in memory and thinking that often emerge together with Alzheimer's disease.

In fact, the new data suggests that "depression symptoms themselves may be among the early changes in the preclinical stages of dementia syndromes," explained study lead author Dr. Jennifer Gatchel. She works in the division of geriatric psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Too Much Smartphone Time May Invite Host of Health Woes

TUESDAY, July 16, 2019 -- With most people never far from their cellphones, new research on college students finds that "problematic" use is tied to a variety of mental health problems, as well as lower grades and more sexual partners.

The study, which surveyed more than 3,400 students in the United States, also found that alcohol misuse was markedly higher in those with problematic smartphone use, compared to others.

Too Much Social Media a Depression Risk for Teens

MONDAY, July 15, 2019 -- Too much social media might be too much for the mental well-being of teenagers, new research suggests.

The more that teens used social media and watched television, the greater their risk of depression, the study found.