SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " mental " 7,269 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Pokémon GO Datamine Reveals Explorer Gadget, a Virtual Auto-Catching Item
Trainers, a new in-game item that could fundamentally change we Trainers play Pokémon GO has been spotted in the game’s code. According to a recent datamine by the ever-watching PokeMiners, Scopely is working on an item called the Explorer Gadget, which appears to replicate the functionality of physical auto-catching devices like the GO Plus and […]
Hartford mayor fires officer who fatally shot man in mental health crisis after calls for justice
The moves comes just days after the mayor’s state of the city speech was interrupted by protestors calling for the firing of officers involved in two separate fatal shootings.
Reform candidate in Wales steps down after apparent Nazi salute
Party announces Corey Edwards’ decision to quit Senedd election campaign on grounds of mental health
African Content Moderators Have Worse Mental Health than Global Peers, Study Finds
A new study finds African content moderators report worse mental health than global peers, amid low pay, precarious work, and exposure to traumatic content.
I started baking every week; helped me snack less, eat better
I decided to bake one new treat per week, and saw many benefits. I found myself snacking less and more intentionally, and my mental health improved.
SAMHSA advisory addresses ways to close care gaps in behavioral health service deserts
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has released an advisory examining innovative solutions to close gaps in behavioral health care deserts.
Southwest Airlines joins the Certified Green Business list sponsored by the City of Dallas
The Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability is proud to announce that Southwest Airlines has joined the Certified Green Business […]
Studying human-robot interaction, CWRU researcher explores tech-enabled mental health support | CWRU Newsroom | Case Western Reserve University
Editor’s note: Jasmine Vo, the author of this story, is a student employee in the University Marketing and Communications department. She is a fourt...
Mental health providers brace for state budget
As legislators approach Monday's deadline to decide the mental health department’s next budget, the House and Senate haven’t included funding for many of the department's requests in their initial proposals.
50 Years of Environmental Data Can Predict Health and Strandings of Sea Lions Pups in California
For more than 50 years, NOAA Fisheries has conducted vital research on seal and sea lion populations at a remote research station on San Miguel Island, California. The long-term data set provides clues to help us understand what environmental conditions lead to malnourished California sea lion pups and increased stranding levels. This information is important for managing their populations and helping rehabilitation centers prepare for periods when sea lion pup strandings may be elevated.
Ability to remain positive during conflict associated with better overall mental health in young children
Staying positive in stressful situations is a sign of resilience in young children — and it protects against mental health problems.An examination of how young children reacted to challenging and stressful situations by the Arizona State University Department of Psychology has found that those who were able to maintain positive emotions during an argument with their parents experienced fewer mental health problems, such as anxiety, depressive symptoms, behavioral outbursts and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder behaviors.
A Hub for What’s Next
New paths for research take shape at the Environmental Studies and School of Engineering and Applied Science complex
Health Rounds: Researchers find biomarker that could lead to improved schizophrenia treatments
Researchers have identified a biomarker linked to schizophrenia that could lead to new treatments to tackle symptoms of the debilitating mental disorder not addressed by current medicines.
Emotions in Motion: How Movement May Signal Mental Health Issues
Biomedical engineering senior Ian Y. Kim wears a motion capture suit during an experiment in the Neuromuscular and Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Lab at UT Dallas. New University of Texas at Dallas research shows the potential for detecting mental health disorders by analyzing the way a person moves. Using 3D motion capture and machine-learning models, researchers were […]
Breaking down barriers to mental health support
By removing stigmatizing credentialing questions and creating a peer support network, Bayhealth is aiming to help physicians feel comfortable seeking the behavioral health care they need.
Social workers accompanying Hemet police officers for mental health calls
Hemet police partnered with the Riverside University Health Systems to have licensed social workers and detectives respond to mental health calls.
Hemet PD teams up with social workers to respond to mental health calls
Where is money from Sonoma County’s voter-approved tax for mental health, drug addiction, homeless services going?
Sonoma County’s Measure O, which funds mental health, drug abuse and homeless services, generated $33 million in fiscal year 2024-25, according to latest annual report.
How to improve mental health safety on social media – not just for young people
With social media companies losing or settling court cases about their products' impact on young peoples' mental health, experts offer tips for reducing impacts for those who use the platforms.
‘A bad day’: Providence police navigate a record level of mental health calls
There has been a 238 percent increase in mental health incident calls to Providence police in the last decade.
KY chief justice warns drug, mental health courts would be wiped out by budget proposals
Kentucky’s Administrative Office of the Courts said the two-year budget, as it is written now, would underfund its operations by $33 million.
Sports betting boom raises mental health concerns
ABC News' investigative unit is looking at how the evolution of online gambling and sports betting has triggered a potential public health crisis.
Grothman Opens Roundtable on Examining Mental Health in the MAHA Age - United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Dogs can help boost mental and physical health, but it's important to understand their feelings, too
These tips for interpreting a dog's behavior can strengthen our bonds with our pets.
Health influencers talk social media and mental health
In this week's STATus Report, influential health communicators Jessica Knurick, Morgan “Dr. Noc” McSweeney, and Jessica Malaty Rivera chat about the mental health impacts of social media.
Iran war's environmental toll could leave damage and health risks for decades, experts say
The Iran war is unleashing a toxic mix of chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants that threaten everything from agriculture to drinking water to people’s health.
Iran war's environmental toll could leave damage and health risks for decades, experts say
The Iran war is unleashing a toxic mix of chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants that threaten everything from agriculture to drinking water to people’s health.
Young people find mental health support in four-legged friends
One organization has a furry solution for those who are struggling with their mental health
Rodney Priestley, Z. Jason Ren and 15 alumni named AAAS Fellows
The American Association for the Advancement of Science announced today that Dean of the Graduate School Rodney Priestley and Z. Jason Ren, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and the Andlinger Center for Engineering and the Environment, are among the newest AAAS Fellows.
Quantum computers take a step into real materials science
An IBM quantum computer reproduced experimental signatures of real materials, according to a new preprint from IBM and researcher partners.
'No good choice' for GPs as child mental health demand 'skyrockets'
GP says long waits for support mean some doctors feel forced to prescribe medication outside of guidelines.
Ipswich paramedic died after struggling with her mental health
A coroner says Rebecca McLellan, from Ipswich, struggled after her bipolar disorder diagnosis.
WHO is now a Green Climate Fund accredited entity
The Santiago de Chile Declaration calls for urgent, coordinated action to reduce air pollution and advance environmental justice across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Maine mental health agency targeted in Russian ransomware attack
AMHC is the largest behavioral healthcare provider for a large swath of rural Maine, operating in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties.
Meta and YouTube fined $3 million for harming mental health
In a landmark trial, social media giants Meta and YouTube were found negligent and ordered to pay for harming a user's mental health. The decision could force major changes in how social platforms work
Global Chemicals Science Panel Fails to Launch After Chaotic First Meeting - Center for International Environmental Law
Global chemicals science panel stalls after chaotic first meeting in Geneva, exposing political obstruction and delays in tackling toxic pollution.
UConn Health Minute: AI and Teen Mental Health
More teens are using AI chatbots for mental health support. In this UConn Health Minute, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Meha Saxena explains that while q ...
Meta and Google liable for social media harm to children’s mental health in landmark US case
Jury awards at least $3mn in damages with Instagram owner to pay the majority
Jury holds Meta and Google liable for role in young woman's mental health issues
The verdict marks the end of the first-ever jury trial over whether tech giants should be held accountable for social media addiction. It may influence the outcome of 2,000 other pending lawsuits.
Meta and Google damaged girl’s mental health, landmark trial concludes
Social media giants deemed responsible for a teenage user, known as KGM, growing addicted to their platforms, which include Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
Massachusetts hospital EDs have a mental health 'boarding' problem
Such long waits are expensive and unhelpful for patients experiencing psychiatric crises, in addition to tying up in-demand hospital beds, the report said.
Science happens here! Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology invites public to free Open House Saturday, May 2, 2026
Dive into the world of marine science and explore cool tech at this open house you won't want to miss! Have you ever wondered what happens in that unique
KCCI Investigates: What one science teacher taught students about water quality
First- through fifth-grade students at Bergman Academy in Des Moines took on one of Iowa's biggest environmental issues at the school's first science fair: water quality.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment Unveils The Blueprint Studios At Capital One Arena
As part of the ongoing Capital One Arena transformation, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) unveiled renderings for The Blueprint Studios, a new
Poll: 1 in 3 Adults Are Turning to AI Chatbots for Health Information, Equaling the Share Who Use Social Media for Health
About a third (32%) of adults nationally say they have turned to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in the past year for health information, a new KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds. Most who turned to AI for health information say they were in search of quick and immediate advice, though challenges affording and accessing health care also play a role, particularly for younger adults.
Wisconsin passes legislation requiring insurers to cover supplemental breast imaging
Dubbed "Gail's Law" after a breast cancer care advocate, the passage follows years of advocacy from radiologists and patients.
Mental Health Symposium strengthens leaders, builds a fit-to-fight for
Base leadership gathered with mental health experts for a Mental Health Symposium at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, March 17.
Report: Mental health and homelessness services are expanding in Sonoma County under Measure O
Access to mental health care, substance use treatment and homelessness services has expanded across Sonoma County as voter-approved Measure O approaches the midpoint of its 10-year term, according to a new report presented today to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
Verdict on chatbots in mental health screenings? Too judgmental
Chatbots used in mental health screenings aim to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and to expand access to needed services. Because they cannot cast personal judgment, chatbots are considered ...
New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law
The jury agreed that Meta engaged in "unconscionable" trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities of and inexperience of children. Jurors found there were thousands of violations, each counting separately toward a penalty of $375 million.
Pistons’ Duncan Robinson shares personal story while supporting Detroit youth mental health
The Detroit Pistons Foundation, Children’s Foundation of Michigan, Duncan Robinson, and the Robinson Family Foundation made a special announcement in support of SAY Detroit’s LiveWELL Program, which provides school-based youth development programming focused on mental health, wellness, and life skills for Detroit Youth inside the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park.
New Mexico jury finds Meta violated consumer protection law at trial about child safety
A New Mexico jury found Tuesday that social media conglomerate Meta is harmful to children's mental health and in violation of state consumer protection law. Jurors sided with state prosecutors who argued that Meta — which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — prioritized profits over safety. The jury determined Meta violated parts of the state’s Unfair Practices Act on accusations the company hid what it knew about about the dangers of child sexual exploitation on its platforms and impacts on child mental health.
‘R U OK?’ Day bringing awareness to mental health resources in Pitt County
One county in eastern North Carolina is using that question to encourage greater awareness of mental health resources.
Divided Supreme Court weighs the right to seek asylum at the southern border
The case posed a fundamental clash between the government's need to manage surges at the border and the moral and historic right to offer asylum to those fleeing persecution.
How easing regulations on heavy metals air pollution could impact health | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
A recent repeal of federal environmental regulations aimed at limiting the emission of mercury and other heavy metals from power plants could have serious health impacts, according to Harvard Chan School experts.
76ers' Paul George blamed mental health for banned substance use
The Sixers' Paul George, who was suspended 25 games for a failed drug test, is set to return Wednesday when Philadelphia faces the Boston Celtics.
Chan School of Public Health Department Chair Departs for UCLA
Kari Nadeau, an environmental health leader, will serve as the dean of the Fielding School of Public Health.
The 10 Best Beatles Documentaries, Ranked
From rare footage to rooftop concerts, these Beatles documentaries reveal the Fab Four like never before—see which ones made the cut.
Kari Nadeau named dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Nadeau, currently chair of environmental health at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will begin her new role in July.
Can Treating Peyronie’s Disease Improve Mental Health?
A University of Miami Miller School study explores how treatment for Peyronie’s disease may improve depression, anxiety and quality of life.
Lowndes County leaders cut ribbon on medical, mental health jail expansion
The new facility includes 60 cells with a total of 90 beds, according to the county.
Paranovus Entertainment Technology (PAVS) surges 125.9% as low-float dynamics amplify trading volatility
Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd. (PAVS) is up 125.9% today. Here is some analysis on what might have caused this price movement.Analysis: The most likely driver looks technical rather than fundamental: PAVS has been prone to sharp, liquidity-driven swings after its recent reverse split reduced share count and tightened the tradable float. This could also be because traders are positioning around potential changes in the company’s at-the-ma
Scientists Must Speak Clearly, Especially in Court: Five Tips for Clear Communication
As climate impacts intensify, so does the legal push to hold polluters accountable, protect vulnerable communities, and enforce environmental laws. And in these legal cases, science is key. Because science can’t present itself on the stand, scientists are essential to give scientific results a voice
GrayMatters Health Announces Appointment of Five Expert Advisors
/PRNewswire/ -- GrayMatters Health (GMH), the pioneers of digital brain biomarkers for mental healthcare, today announced the addition of five expert advisors....
San Antonio 2026 Teen Mental Health Survey now open
Teenagers can share their experience with mental health in an ongoing survey meant to inform city policy.
New Fathers Face Mental Health Challenges, Study Finds
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, March 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) — New fathers might be proud poppas, but their mental health might be shaky as they adapt to their increased responsibilities, a new study says. Men have a 30% increased risk of depression and stress disorders by the end ...
Timeline: A Milwaukee father's fight for his son's mental health treatment
Pete Christiansen spent eight months trying to get Milwaukee authorities to commit his son for mental health treatment, also known as Chapter 51.
As winters warm, Minnesotans grapple with climate grief
Winters in Minnesota are warming faster than any other season. That’s jeopardizing seasonal traditions in the state — and mental health experts say that takes a toll on mental health.
Singing in Britain's Got Talent choir 'helps mental health' says farmer
Ben Brooke is part of a choir of farmers which has wowed viewers of Britain's Got Talent.
We disagreed on politics. We agreed on wine. That was enough.
At the Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond earlier this month, a very dapper gentleman approached me and introduced himself. In his light-colored suit and bowtie, he looked very Southern in a classical sense, the sort of Virginia Gentleman you used to see south of the Rappahannock as recently as my college days. “I’m a longtime reader and fan of your writing, if not your politics,” he said. His comment was the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, simultaneously conveying praise and disapproval while establishing boundaries. Man, I wish we still discoursed like this instead of shouting bromides and insults to try and “own” our opponents with a funny meme and a furrowed brow. Subscribe “Well, we’ll always have wine to share together,” I said, and thanked him for his kind words. We clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries about the delicious gold medal-winning wines being poured that evening, and went our separate ways. Our exchange reminded me that more unites us than divides us. Wine brings people together to share a meal and a few hours of joy despite our differences.1 That’s why I refer to the wine community — including readers and consumers — rather than the wine industry. Together, we are so much more than production, distribution and sales statistics. A few minutes later the evening’s awards ceremony began. Applause grew as the 12 winemakers who made the top-scoring wines for the Governor’s Case took the stage, including a loud cheer for Jonathan Wheeler of Trump Winery and his 2018 Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. All the winemakers on stage had reason to be proud, Wheeler perhaps more so. Trump Winery was the only winery to win six gold medals in the competition this year. (Wineries are limited to six entries.) Two of Wheeler’s ciders also won gold medals in a separate competition. When you cover the labels and take the sour taste of politics off your palate, the wines are pretty darn good.2 Then Gov. Abigail Spanberger, newly elected Democrat and Virginia’s first female governor, was introduced to great applause to announce which of the 12 wines had won the Governor’s Cup. She spoke for a few minutes about the importance of wine to Virginia’s economy and tourism and the international acclaim Virginia wine has received. Just two weeks earlier, she gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union speech, but this night wasn’t about politics. That didn’t stop several people in the crowd from speculating on the irony should she have to present the trophy to Trump Winery. In the end, Valley Road Vineyards was displayed on the screen behind Spanberger as the winning winery. Blue Bee Cidery in Richmond took top honors for that category. The crowd cheered a female governor presenting the state’s highest trophy to a female winemaker and then resumed the evening’s festivities, united by their mutual love of wine. A whiff of politics couldn’t dim the cheer of celebration and a community united by its love of wine. In Memoriam: Michel Rolland The global wine community lost a giant March 20, with the passing of Michel Rolland. He was 78. Rolland was the original “flying winemaker,” a globe-trotting consultant who helped Bordeaux regain its mojo in the 1970s and then shaped the rise of Napa Valley cult Cabernet as consultant to Simi, Harlan, Newton, Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Dalle Valle and other wineries. He was instrumental in Argentina’s rise to prominence and even had his own winery, Clos de los Siete, in a partnership with other wine families. Rolland’s career arc paralleled that of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential critic. Parker championed many of the wines Rolland consulted on, helping build his reputation and demand for his services. It also made him a target for Parker’s critics. As W. Blake Gray wrote on Wine-Searcher in his excellent tribute to Rolland: Rolland created the type of wines Parker loved: rich body, plenty of fruit, soft tannins. He sometimes faced the accusation of creating a generic international style of red wine, where the great wines he made in Argentina were indistinguishable from the great wines he made in France. Rolland chafed at that critique, as did many of his fans. He was credited with championing green harvesting and leaf pulling, as well as careful selection of grapes in the winery, practices we nearly universally think of today for high-quality winemaking. “Michel was an incredible innovator who changed how wine was made and how grapes were grown,” Napa Valley winemaker Aaron Pott wrote on Facebook. “His work has transformed the wine trade. He created new ways of looking at wine, tasting wine, evaluating ripeness and quality. … This was not just a man with a ‘style’ that he imposed on vineyards but a man that understood how to make great wine from great sites.” Rolland started his consulting company in 1973 in Libourne, in Bordeaux, with his wife, Dany. Both had graduated the year before from Bordeaux’s Institute d’Oenologie. The couple sold their majority share in the business in 2020, according to Wine Spectator. Over his career, Rolland reportedly worked with more than 100 wineries in 20 countries. He even made it to Virginia, where he consulted for Kluge Estate in the mid-2000s. (Kluge Estate is now Trump Winery.) Reader feedback, please! Last week, I did my first WineLine Live! with Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Zapata winery in Argentina. We enjoyed a fascinating discussion about her efforts to preserve the genetic heritage of old vineyards in Mendoza. I conceived of WineLine Live! for paid subscribers, as a thank you for your financial support. And while only a few people joined live, the video now has more views than I have paid subscribers, so I guess that’s pretty good. Even so, I’m considering opening future installments to anyone on Substack to reach a broader audience. So my questions to you: Should these be public? And what format do you prefer? Live gives a chat feature with the potential for viewers to interact with me and the guest, while a video post would just be that. Another alternative is a podcast, which would just be audio, without video of my chins. Please let me know in the comments. Leave a comment In the Glass A few wines I’ve enjoyed recently: Bonny Doon Vineyard Take Me to Your Liter, Le Cigare Volant, Red Wine of the Earth. 2023, Central Coast, CA. Blend of Grenache, Syrah Cinsaut and Petite Sirah. Delightful wine with expressive red fruit flavors, casual drinking. Doon lovers of a certain age will remember Randall Grahm’s Big House Red; this is more in that style than his original Le Cigare Volant, modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape. The liter bottle makes it an even better value. I see this online at about $15. Great value. Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2023. 13% - Textbook pinot noir and an excellent, affordable entry (regional) Burgundy. Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025. $24 at Total Wine & More. Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2021 “Coastal Cool Climate Wine”, Valle de Casablanca, Chile. An older sample, showing beautifully. Spicy and fruit forward. I’m seeing widely varied pricing online, from $18-$32. At the lower end, it’s a terrific value. 13.5% Dr. Loosen Riesling Dry 2016, Mosel, Germany. Found this “in the stack.” And it stacked up well, shedding some of its youthful acidity for opulent Riesling character, including a hint of the mineral oil older Riesling often features. A great value, as I’m seeing it as low as $14 online. 12% abv. Red Tail Ridge Blau Franc Blend 2024, Sans Oak, Finger Lakes. 13.4% abv. The name is a neat portmanteau of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Franc, thus Blau Franc. The blend is 50-50, no oak involved. The Blau dominates on the palate, with the spicy caraway seed (think New York deli rye bread). The Franc adds body. The result is juicy, energetic and joyful. Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. This first rosé of 2025 was a welcome respite to our cold, snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. Oh man, I needed this! Bright and energetic, exuberant even, it perks up the mood and goes down fast. 13%. Certified B Corp. Ingredient and nutrition labeling, and in a modest way that doesn’t occupy a lot of label space. (Since it’s not required, presumably there are no minimum font size requirements.) More wineries should follow this example. Dave McIntyre's WineLine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Thanks for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share 1 Some restraint may be required. 2 Especially the bubblies.
Hochul pushes environmental review reforms amid state budget negotiations
Hochul has touted the policy as a key element of her affordability agenda.
An ode to Olympic sports
Under the current cash-grabbing model, universities are harmfully disregarding the fundamental purpose of collegiate athletics.
After patient deaths, Idaho budget committee approves restoring cut Medicaid mental health programs
The Idaho Legislature will consider restoring mental health programs the state cut to comply with the governor’s order for budget cuts.
Funding restored for crucial behavioral health programs, leaving related services as is
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted to restore funding for two crucial behavioral health programs. Leaving other supplemental services on the table
US soccer legend Landon Donovan details mental health struggles in new book
American soccer great Landon Donovan talks to Fox News Digital about the themes in his new book, "Landon: A Memoir."
The debate over Trump’s mental health: ‘Malignant narcissist ’ or ‘superhuman president’?
While some warn of the danger of having someone suffering from ‘cognitive decline’ in the White House, his inner circle attributes his outbursts to his iconoclastic personality
Peace of mind was Mikaela Shiffrin's biggest victory in 2026 Winter Olympics
Olympic legends Mikaela Shiffrin and Simone Biles are fierce advocates for athletes prioritizing their mental health.
Data centers under scrutiny by California lawmakers as fears rise about health and energy impacts
Due to health and energy concerns, the California Legislature is considering bills to prohibit data centers from being exempted from the state's stringent environmental law and impose new tariffs on new major energy users that strain power supplies.
Where There’s Wildfire Smoke, There’s Poor Mental Health
Research has increasingly connected wildfire and smoke with worsening mental health, partly due to damage in the brain.
Volunteer US and UK fighters in Ukraine face hidden health crises, new study suggests
Former soldiers who have served as volunteer fighters in Ukraine experience high levels of mental and physical health difficulties yet are rarely able to access the health care they need, either during ...
Thru The Game is changing the game for athletes' mental health in Colorado
Column: Accessing mental health support shouldn’t require a walk across campus
"While well-intentioned universities have developed mental health support systems, they are poorly designed to meet students’ needs."
US soccer legend Landon Donovan opens up on mental health struggles, redefining success
American soccer legend Landon Donovan opened up about mental health struggles and reconfiguring what success meant to him. He releases "Landon: A Memoir" this week.
Lessons from Binghamton led alumni award winner to public health
Clare Biging ’16 is an epidemiologist and public health advocate at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
‘You lose yourself’: inside the mental health crisis hitting gen X women
My generation had great role models, free university and the morning-after pill. We should be running the world. Instead, two-thirds of us are facing mental health problems – and it’s not all about the menopause
UF students celebrate ‘women supporting women’ through new mental health group
According to the Healthy Minds Network’s data interface, a little more than one in three female college students suffered from anxiety in 2025, compared to a little under one in four male students.
Colorado lawmakers can pass “Alyssa’s Act” to help coaches and parents monitor mental health (Opinion)
In 2019, we lost Alyssa after she struggled with her mental health following a series of concussions. We later learned that concussions can be linked to serious mental health challenges and an increase in suicide, especially in young people.
David Suzuki at 90: A life in science, and a warning still unheard
With ninety laps around the sun, David Suzuki reflects on a lifetime of science advocacy and environmental work. Despite decades of effort, he warns that humanity may have already crossed a tipping point on climate change.
One Of Resident Evil's Fundamental Joys Is Watching Beautiful Men Get Hurt
The people love Leon Kennedy for more than his action-game pedigree.
Former OSU athletes talk mental health at Scioto County Mindset Matters Summit
Big names like former Ohio State Point Guard Scoonie Penn, Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, former Buckeye Bobby Carpenter, taking the stage at the event to talk with our very own Joseph Payton about mental health.
Las Vegas wellness festival shares mental health resources through arts
A yearly festival connected people with mental health resources via the arts in Downtown Las Vegas on Saturday.
Michigan meeting only 40% of mental health workforce needs, report finds
A new report shows Michigan’s mental health workforce is in a crisis.
My postpartum mental health meant I spent five months on a mother and baby unit
Sofii Lewis was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis tendencies and OCD after giving birth.
How do I share a mental health diagnosis? | The therapist is in
Is there a way to share a mental health diagnosis but shield myself from hurt or judgment? How can I do it without changing a relationship?
NCDHHS launches new program looking to expand number of mental health providers in state
In North Carolina, the demand for social workers in the state is growing as substance use and mental health service needs increase. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launched the Public Service Leadership Program, a collaboration between the NCDHHS and 25 higher education institutions in the Social Work Coalition on NC Work Development, to help with that demand.Alongside the announcement of the new program on March 2, the NCDHHS released its first “State of North Carolina’s Mental Health and Substance Use Services Workforce Report” supported by UNC’s Behavior Health Workforce Research Center and Sheps Health Workforce NC.
County Proposes Eliminating Preschool for All’s Early Childhood Mental Health Team
Unlike other cuts being made across the county in light of a budget shortfall, the decision to disband the team comes as Preschool for All sits on more than $600 million. The county says the proposed change is not driven by available funding.