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Nivea shares health update, announces new music on ‘The Tamron Hall Show’
Singer and songwriter Nivea shared an update on her health during a recent appearance on The Tamron Hall Show. Earlier this year, she revealed on the YouTube series The Cadillac Chronicles that she had been diagnosed with leukemia and is now in remission. During her Oct. 7 interview with Hall, Nivea announced she is preparing […]
Study finds gambling disorder diagnoses rose in states with legal sports betting
A new study found that diagnosed gambling disorders increased 61% in states that have legalized sports betting, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Christina Applegate Tearfully Shares She Was Misdiagnosed With MS: ‘Back at Square One’
The actor shared the stunning news that five years after she was given a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, her doctor told her she does not have the disease.
More younger women are being diagnosed with breast cancer
Learn about the importance of early detection and risk assessment in breast cancer, as shared by Missy Bohan, director of the CAMC Breast Center. Find out why starting mammograms at age 40 is crucial and how the center provides support throughout the process.
Talarico steps off Texas Senate campaign trail after flu diagnosis
Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has stepped off the campaign trail after being diagnosed with the flu. Talarico disclosed his illness Sept. 29 at a virtual forum sponsored by the
How medical science dismantled centuries of dogma to transform breast cancer care
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — The treatment and prevention of breast cancer have evolved from ancient, untreatable diagnoses into highly targeted, personalized medical therapies over four millennia, according to medical historians
Rhode Island health officials urge tick precautions after third Powassan case
A Washington County man in his 60s has been diagnosed with Powassan virus disease, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced Monday.
1 person in Hamilton County infected with West Nile virus, health department says
One person has been diagnosed with contracting West Nile virus, the first confirmed case in Hamilton County in 2026.
AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 3:58 p.m. EDT
Christina Applegate says her doctor told her she was misdiagnosed with MS
The genetic secret helping bats survive a deadly epidemic
We’re easing you into Halloween season with an episode about bats. There’s a silent serial killer decimating little brown bats as they hibernate. White nose syndrome has driven populations across the U.S. to almost the brink of extinction over the last decade. But recently, conservation biologist Giorgia Auteri and her team noticed several genetic mutations in the survivors. These mutations could explain how natural selection has shifted the existing population – and inform conservation efforts in the future.Interested in more animal science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
‘RHONJ’s Milania Giudice Reveals Mental Health Diagnoses
She confirmed she's currently in treatment after her recent airport confrontation with mom Teresa Giudice.
Breast Cancer Awareness: Empowering Better Breast Health
Doctors encourage every women, no matter if they’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer or not, to practice better breast health to limit any complications and risk factors associated with breast cancer.
Christin Applegate reveals doctors misdiagnosed her with multiple sclerosis 5 years ago
Christina Applegate revealed she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, breaking down in tears as she explained that “something else is going on” after doctors said she actually didn’t have MS.
Oracle Health Hack Exposes Data of Nearly 20 Million People
Patient names, Social Security numbers, doctors and diagnoses might have been breached in the cyberattack.
Jaylin Lane may not play again in 2026
Commanders WR Jaylin Lane diagnosed with fractured and dislocated ankle
Patient Dies By Suicide After 'Insurance Issue' Delayed Medicine For Lung Disease Flare-Ups
By Lauren Sausser and KFF Health News HealthDay ReportersTUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Kenney Blewett was diagnosed with lung disease more than a decade ago but started experiencing flare-ups this year that made him feel like he couldn’t breathe. Blewett, of Kyle, Texas, described those ...
Darrell Waltrip’s Former Colleague Sends Well Wishes After Sad Health Update
Larry McReynolds, who once stood alongside Darrell Waltrip in the NASCAR on FOX broadcast booth for nearly two decades, is sending his former colleague well wishes after an unfortunate health update.On Wednesday, it was revealed that Waltrip has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Waltrip’s family believes it […] The post Darrell Waltrip’s Former Colleague Sends Well Wishes After Sad Health Update appeared first on
Opposing coaches and scouts reportedly diagnose Drake Maye's struggles
Here's what opposing coaches and scouts are reportedly saying about Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
Lady A's Charles Kelley reveals rare blood cancer diagnosis
LOS ANGELES — Lady A singer Charles Kelley has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer. The country star shared his diagnosis in a video posted
Oracle Health data breach exposes nearly 20 million patients
The Oracle Health breach exposed medical records, Social Security numbers and diagnoses of nearly 20 million patients across multiple states.
Many men with low testosterone are never diagnosed, and a men's health doctor says a missing lab test is often the reason
Sometimes men are treated for depression when low testosterone is the real cause. A men's health physician explains the signs, the tests, and what to do next.
Healthy lifestyle choices may help lower breast cancer risk
The American Cancer Society estimates that 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease, underscoring the importance of understanding risk factors beyond genetics.
Country star diagnosed with rare blood cancer after health scare: ‘One day at a time’
Charles Kelley, the singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the country trio Lady A, revealed he’s been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.
Former Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles diagnosed with MND after health decline
Former Australia rugby international Nathan Charles, who overcame cystic fibrosis to play a contact sport professionally, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). The 37-year-old Charles, who made his test debut in 2014 and earned four caps for the Wallabies, including a 12-12 draw against New Zealand, revealed he has been diagnosed with the same illness as recently retired National Rugby League star Jai Arrow. MND is an umbrella term for a group of progressive neurological conditions where the motor neurones degenerate.
Scientists studying cockroach milk and nose-blowing win Ig Nobel prizes for quirky science
Researchers have been honored for their quirky, imaginative contributions to science at the 36th annual Ig Nobel Prizes. Thursday's ceremony was held for the first time outside the U.S. Ten
What kind of animal is Gonzo?
Gonzo’s most distinct feature is also his most baffling: his beak. (Or is it a nose?)
Old Dominion University Researchers Explore Connection Between Sinus Health and Voice Problems
A stuffy nose, facial pressure and a diminished sense of smell are familiar symptoms for people with chronic sinus problems. Changes to the voice may be less obvious. Researchers in Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University are exploring a connection patients may not always recognize: the relationship between sinus conditions and voice problems.
Breast cancer rates in Johnson County exceed national average, health officials say
Breast cancer is being diagnosed in Johnson County at a higher rate than the national average, making it the county’s most common form of cancer, according to l
Race To Uncover Travel Path Of Nigeria's First Ebola Patient
Nigeria's lone Ebola patient was only diagnosed almost two weeks after showing symptoms – and is reported to have travelled to the capital, Abuja, from Uganda
Christina Applegate says her doctor told her she was misdiagnosed with MS
Christina Applegate has revealed her doctor says she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis | Talk 1370
Morocco health alert issued due to diphtheria: US Embassy
In the North African country of Morocco, the country’s Ministry of Health reported a small diphtheria outbreak with clusters in multiple regions in Morocco in late September. Moroccan health teams are tracing contacts and providing preventive treatment and vaccines. This has prompted the US Embassy to issue a health alert for U.S. citizens in Morocco. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection. It spreads primarily from person to person through coughs and sneezes (respiratory droplets). Most Americans were vaccinated as children and have received Td or TdaP boosters as adults. The risk to U.S. citizens in Morocco remains low. U.S. Citizens may contact their local doctors if they would like immunizations. Embassy officials advise citizens to watch out for the following symptoms: Sore throat or hoarse voice, mild fever, a thick gray or white coating in the throat or nose, swollen neck and trouble swallowing or breathing. If you or a family member has trouble breathing or swallowing, please contact your local doctor. They also advise on the following actions concerning vaccines: Check your vaccination records and your family members’ records. Get a booster if you need one. Adults need a diphtheria booster (Td or Tdap) every 10 years. Make sure your children are up to date on their routine vaccines. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Study: Does earlier menopause onset mean faster cognitive decline?
A new study found that women who experience earlier onset menopause had earlier cognitive decline and were diagnosed with Alzheimer's sooner.
Getting the right mental health diagnosis
We talk with Southlake Psychiatry about bipolar disorder, which is often misdiagnosed, for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Christina Applegate Says She Was Misdiagnosed With MS After Yearslong Battle
Years after Christina Applegate shared that she was battling multiple sclerosis, the actress said she is "back at square one" after learning she had been misdiagnosed.
What is Frontotemporal Degeneration? Darrell Waltrip health update explained
NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Darrell Waltrip's family announced that he has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD).
ADHD and autism diagnoses have surged. A massive study may help explain why
A large Danish study found that children diagnosed with ADHD or autism today more closely resemble their peers in the general population than those diagnosed 10 years ago. The shift suggests that rising diagnosis rates may partly reflect broader identification and changing diagnostic patterns, rather than only an increase in the underlying conditions.
Christina Applegate says she’s ‘scared’ after MS misdiagnosis: ‘I feel lost’
Christina Applegate said on Tuesday’s episode of her ‘MeSsy’ podcast that she is feeling ‘lost’ after being misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis for years.
59% of People With This Serious Heart Health Risk Go Undiagnosed, Study Finds
Find out why this common condition often goes undiagnosed.
Dead Kennedys' East Bay Ray diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dead Kennedys co-founder East Bay Ray, one of the greatest punk rock guitarists of all time, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The news was made
Country star diagnosed with rare blood cancer after health scare: ‘One day at a time’
Charles Kelley, the singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the country trio Lady A, revealed he’s been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.
Women with autoimmune diseases are more likely to be misdiagnosed with mental health conditions
More than 40% of women with autoimmune diseases are told they have psychiatric conditions, new research shows. That is only true of 33% of men.
Country star diagnosed with rare blood cancer after health scare: ‘One day at a time’
Charles Kelley, the singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the country trio Lady A, revealed he’s been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.
Mental health awareness is not reflected in college culture
Generation Z is the generation most open to discussing mental health experiences. Yet, despite advances in mental health awareness, including a greater willingness to share their struggles and access to diagnoses, college students today still face heightened challenges with depression and anxiety. This can be partially attributed to financial stress and barriers to accessing continued mental health resources, as well as being overwhelmed by news outside their immediate communities.
Lady A's Charles Kelley diagnosed with rare blood cancer after painful health scare
Lady A's Charles Kelley shared a video revealing that unexplained rib fractures led doctors to discover multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer.
‘I’m Not Allowed to Drive’: Billy Joel Shares Health Update as He Prepares to Sell Vintage Motorcycles
The singer was diagnosed with a brain disorder and stepped away from live performances last year
Billy Joel shares health update amid brain disorder: ‘I know people are worried about me’
Joel was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus last year.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip steps back from public life for serious health concerns
Darrell Waltrip, a Hall of Fame NASCAR driver and longtime Fox Sports broadcaster, has stepped away from public life due to a progressive brain disease. Waltrip and his family announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration, possibly complicated by Chronic Traumati...
Busy Philipps shares health update after brain tumor diagnosis
Busy Philipps, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor, opened up about the health scare during a recent appearance on the \
HOMETOWN HEALTH: Doctor explains lung nodules and who should get screened, after Pope Leo XIV’s cancer diagnosis
about 1.6 million patients in the U.S. are diagnosed with pulmonary nodules every year.
Jeff Garlin details ‘nervous breakdown,’ undiagnosed bipolar disorder while on “The Goldbergs”: ‘I was going to commit suicide’
Five years after his breakdown, Garlin said he is “just now feeling really good.”
Breast cancer rates rising among young women, MedStar Health says
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and women of all ages should pay attention. Long considered a disease of older women, breast cancer is now being diagnosed more often in
Scott McTominay returns to Napoli training after heart procedure
McTominay was diagnosed with a mild, benign arrhythmia in September
Dignity Health nurse navigator, breast cancer survivor shares advice for women with cancer diagnoses
A breast cancer diagnosis can bring uncertainty and questions about what comes next, but patients don’t have to navigate that journey alone. Tana Toll, a breast cancer survivor and nurse navigator with Dignity Health, joined KCRA 3 to talk about resources that are available.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month in TX: The resources, events, and numbers to know
Experts say this month is about screening and early detection. One in eight women in America will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Christina Applegate misdiagnosed with MS: 'Really confusing'
Christina Applegate shares a new health update: She was misdiagnosed with MS. 'I'm just in a state of shock right now,' she says.
AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 7:35 p.m. EDT
Christina Applegate says her doctor told her she was misdiagnosed with MS
'Big step forward': Nolla Health to diagnose acne and send prescriptions
Nolla Health CEO Luis Wenus has the latest on the AI prescription service on 'America Reports.'
Men without private health insurance less likely to catch breast cancer early, get treatment, report finds
Around one out of every 100 breast cancer diagnoses is found in a man, according to the CDC.
Christina Applegate Reveals She Was Misdiagnosed With MS: ‘I’m Back at Square One’ and It’s a ‘Mindf—’
Christina Applegate returned to her podcast, “MeSsy,” on Tuesday with some shocking news: She was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. After taking a break from the podcast for seven months due to he...
Country star diagnosed with rare blood cancer after health scare: ‘One day at a time’
Charles Kelley, the singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the country trio Lady A, revealed he’s been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.
Hartford HealthCare doctor explains how a misdiagnosis happens
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Actress Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), which has put her “back at square one” after originally being diagnos…
Health wearables can help track trends, but doctors warn against relying on them alone
Doctors say health wearables are useful for tracking trends over time, but warn against using them to diagnose conditions or panic over individual readings.
Lucas County health officials track measles exposure after Amtrak passenger diagnosed
Those exposed were classified into two categories: passive monitoring, for people believed to have some type of immunity, or active monitoring.
How to help seniors with mental health concerns
Older adults struggle with undiagnosed depression more than any other age group
Step inside NextGen, the building designed to transform the future of health
See how Mizzou scientists are turning discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.
Actor Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Actor Christina Applegate revealed she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. NPR's A Martínez speaks with neurologist Michael Kornberg about how MS can be misdiagnosed.
The 4 biggest red flags to look for in your family medical history
You may know your grandmother had cancer, for example. But do you know what kind and which stage? Or her age when she was diagnosed?
Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with MS: ‘I haven’t gotten better’
Christina Applegate has revealed that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, putting her “back at square one.”
NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk reveals he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
The seven-time Pro Bowler emphasized the importance of getting diagnosed early.
Country star diagnosed with rare blood cancer after health scare: ‘One day at a time’
Charles Kelley, the singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the country trio Lady A, revealed he’s been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.
Commentary: Demystifying mental health inpatient stays
I am one of the 68 million Americans living with a mental illness and one of the over 10 million Americans who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Living with these diseases and seeking treatment is highly stigmatized — and newly precarious under the policies of the current federal administration. The best way to break stigma […]
Christina Applegate’s Health Journey, From Early MS Symptoms to Learning She was Misdiagnosed
After years of treatment, hospitalizations and pain, the actor says her misdiagnosis isn’t welcome news.
In Good Health: The Evolution Of Prostate Cancer Treatment
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men — and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. One in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime. And Black men are more than twice as likely to die from it.Between the social stigma and misconceptions about diagnostic methods, it’s not something many men want to talk about. Some 99 percent of people diagnosed early with prostate cancer live at least 5 more years. And treatment options and guidelines are evolving rapidly.Our “In Good Health” series continues. We gather a group of doctors from three of the disciplines involved in the treatment of prostate cancer.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Make-A-Wish Iowa launches Wish Star Honor Wall
Make-A-Wish Iowa has unveiled its new Wish Star Honor Wall, an initiative recognizing individuals and organizations that support children with critical illnesses. The wall features a mural created by Urbandale High School senior Noah Small depicting a mountain rising from an Iowa cornfield, symbolizing the challenges families face when a child is diagnosed with a…
HHSC Highlights Resources During Down Syndrome Awareness Month | Texas Health and Human Services
HHSC Early Childhood Intervention and DSHS Healthy Mothers and Babies programs offer support for families with children diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Dear Abby | Husband's interest wanes after wife's surgeries
Dear Abby: I have been married to my husband for many years. We are both over 60. About eight years ago, I was diagnosed with, had surgery for and rehabbed
Women hope yearly health checks will improve PMOS diagnosis and care
Women with PMOS say too often they are diagnosed and left to manage the condition on their own.
Winning Her Fight Against Endometrial Cancer with Broward Health
Scott Jordan, M.D., and Lizbeth Muller Sept 29, 2026 – Miami businesswoman Lizbeth Muller, 60, proudly holds the title of endometrial cancer survivor. The most common type of gynecologic cancer, endometrial cancer affects the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Lizbeth was diagnosed in 2023 after noticing some unusual symptoms. “I stopped having periods years earlier, […]
AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 1:50 p.m. EDT
Christina Applegate says her doctor told her she was misdiagnosed with MS
New crocodile species found in rocks of Egypt's Great Sphinx
A skull from the now extinct ‘Herugavialis cairensis’ was discovered in the 1920s—and is also missing part of its nose.
Christina Applegate Revealed A Shock Health Update After Her MS Diagnosis
Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, shared some details after a monthslong hospital stay.
Javon Hargrave to miss rest of season
Packers DT Javon Hargrave diagnosed with torn Achilles
Aspirus Health sees trend of younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer
“We’re seeing more breast cancer cases in younger women than we did in the past, and there isn’t one simple reason why,” Dr. Huang said.
DIY healthcare is on the rise – here’s why it’s so dangerous
DIY healthcare is booming – but fake pills, missed diagnoses and drug interactions are real risks.
Yale School of Medicine On the Science of Childhood Anxiety, Say, Anxiety Disorders Are the Most Common Mental Health Challenges In Youth
Credit: Matt Bradbury October 5, 2026 - By Isabella Backman - Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenges in youth. Left untreated, they can disrupt the lives of both children and their families. The good news is that with intervention, most children will overcome these conditions. Across Yale School of Medicine, scientists are working to understand anxiety at every level, from common anxious behaviors to molecular biomarkers in the brain. They are using their findings to develop and disseminate new evidence-based treatments for childhood anxiety. Today, the go-to treatment for childhood anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a form of psychotherapy that teaches children skills for confronting anxious thoughts and helps them practice managing situations that cause anxiety. While it is the gold-standard treatment backed by considerable scientific evidence, up to 50% of children will not see sufficient benefit from CBT alone. Wendy Silverman, PhD, Alfred A. Messer Professor in the Child Study Center, co-directs the Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program alongside Eli Lebowitz, PhD, associate professor in the Child Study Center. One of their main interests is learning how to improve outcomes beyond CBT. “We’re developing cutting-edge, research-based knowledge that can reduce the suffering that anxiety causes children and their families,” says Silverman. Changing parent behavior YSM experts are investigating how to improve CBT outcomes for children by involving the parents. Silverman’s research has uncovered two main components of parent intervention that improve childhood anxiety: not enabling children to completely avoid the things that make them anxious and taking steps to enhance their autonomy. Parents may unintentionally reinforce their child’s anxiety by allowing them to avoid what makes them anxious. They also may unintentionally limit the children’s sense of autonomy by being overly intrusive. “One of the things that we take pride in is that we’ve focused on trying to understand what parents need to do, and to test our ideas and see if changing the parents’ behaviors is enhancing the effects of CBT,” Silverman says. “Our findings thus far suggest that they do." As much as CBT can be helpful, it can also be challenging to get one’s child to do the necessary steps for CBT to work. This is one important reason why Lebowitz created a novel intervention program for parents named Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). Existing intervention programs often teach parents to act as therapists for their child, such as training them on how to practice breathing exercises. “It makes sense, but this doesn’t work very well in practice,” says Lebowitz. “And part of the reason, I think, is that it’s not easy to get your kid to do things, especially if they’re not excited about doing it.” SPACE is unique because it focuses entirely on parent involvement and changing parental behavior—children are not involved in the sessions. For example, parents learn how to use supportive messages that convey confidence that their child can tolerate and manage distress. “It might sound like a parent saying to a child, ‘I get that this is really hard for you, but I know that you can handle it,’” Lebowitz says. The program also works with parents to identify the ways in which they are accommodating anxious behaviors. “We’ll pick one thing that parents are doing that is an accommodation and help them make a detailed plan for how they’re going to change that,” Lebowitz explains. Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents Much of the existing research on SPACE has focused on parents of children under age 14. Ongoing studies are now exploring its use with parents of older teens. “Both anxiety and accommodation can interfere with normative developmental shifts during the teen years, including increased autonomy and individuation from parents,” says Rebecca Etkin, PhD, associate research scientist in the Child Study Center. “In this sense, SPACE may be particularly well-suited for anxious teens and their parents. We want to see whether it is effective during this distinct developmental window.” Unfortunately, many families in need of CBT face barriers, including limited availability of services and geographic constraints. One way to improve access is digital interventions. Silverman and her team are developing an evidence-based digitized intervention program for parents that they can access directly from their computer or smart phone. “The work we’re doing will be one of the very few parent interventions that is digitized and importantly tested for effectiveness,” she says. Creating interventions for anxiety-related challenges Silverman and Lebowitz recently received a generous gift to develop and test other interventions that help parents reduce other child anxiety-related behavioral and emotional difficulties, such as restrictive eating and unexplained somatic symptoms. One of these projects in particular focuses on understanding the risks of social media and its potential benefits, including offering a sense of connection. “A lot of research has focused on the idea that social media is harmful and the less of it the better,” says Lebowitz. “But we actually see is that this is not quite right—there are negatives, but there are also positives. So, we’re trying to get a little bit more nuanced of a picture.” The team is working with teens with social anxiety and their parents over an extended period to better understand their social media habits and how their anxiety levels affect engagement with different platforms. The teens will answer questions sent to an app on their phones about mood and social media usage in an effort to capture emotional responses as they unfold. “We hope to develop interventions that can help make the best of social media while protecting against the more problematic effects,” Lebowitz says. The brain’s role in anxiety Researchers are also testing therapies to address anxiety at the neurological and molecular levels. In collaboration with Dylan Gee, PhD, professor of psychology in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Hilary Blumberg, MD, John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine, Lebowitz and Silverman are using brain imaging to identify changes in a child’s brain before and after parents enroll in SPACE. In one study, children viewed anxiety-inducing images while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the researchers conducted scans with and without the children’s parents nearby. Before SPACE, children’s brains were better able to activate the regulatory circuitry needed to turn off an anxious response when their parents were nearby. But after SPACE, children could activate this circuitry even without the parent around. “As parents work on gradually reducing some of their accommodations, you can see a child get better at regulating their own fear system in the brain,” Lebowitz says. “It’s remarkable.” Research into the molecular underpinnings of anxiety can also inform new childhood anxiety treatments. In a recent study, Lebowitz, Silverman, and Flora Vaccarino, MD, Harris Professor in the Child Study Center, discovered that a protein known as fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) could be protective from the toxic effects of stress. FGF2 levels in children and their parents were linked to the children’s risk of developing anxiety and depression, the study showed. The findings could help explain why some children who are exposed to early life trauma such as poverty or abuse are more prone to developing mental health disorders. And FGF2 could be a target for treatment. “This is very novel because it starts to give a clue to what is the molecular chain that connects those lived experiences to the actual psychological outcomes,” Lebowitz says. New ways to study and treat childhood anxiety Michael Crowley, PhD, associate professor in the Child Study Center, collaborates with Silverman and Lebowitz to study the role that attention plays in development and maintenance of childhood anxiety. There is a large body of research that shows that anxious children, like anxious adults, are prone to focus on threatening stimuli such as angry faces compared with neutral faces. This has led to innovative interventions that involve attention retraining. The idea is that if experts train children to look away from threatening stimuli, it may reduce their anxiety—especially children with social anxiety who are most prone to attend to threats. The researchers have just completed a clinical trial for attention retraining with 10- to 14-year-olds with social anxiety disorders and are currently analyzing the findings. Besides this innovative attention retraining research, as Crowly notes, “I like to design tasks that are engaging to kids,” Crowley says. “My goal is to assess something without the kids knowing what we are assessing.” With this goal in mind, Crowley has created a virtual game, named Boom, to study threat processing in children with anxiety disorders. The game is similar to that of hot potato—the child and three digital players take turns virtually passing a ball to each other’s gloves. At some point, the ball turns into a bomb, and as the bomb lands in each player’s glove, the outline of the glove turns yellow. The goal is to avoid having the bomb go off in your glove. What isn’t obvious is that the game is designed to measure different types of threatening stimuli, both ambiguous and direct. In the game, the direct threat occurs as the bomb is traveling towards your glove. The ambiguous threat is the yellow outlined glove as it is unknown where the bomb will travel next. While children play the game, Crowley’s team measures their brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). The researchers have discovered that in kids with anxiety, the brain reacts more strongly to ambiguous threats than it does in their peers, but less strongly to direct threats. They believe that the initial abnormally large brain response to not knowing where the bomb is going impairs the brain's ability to properly respond when the threat is actually traveling the child’s way. “The brains of children with anxiety are unable to differentiate between threats you need to do something about and those that are not your problem.” Michael Crowley, PhD, develops innovative games for studying anxiety in children and adolescents.Credit: Matt Bradbury Based on these insights, Crowley hopes to study whether interventions like attention training could restore appropriate threat processing. Crowley’s team is also working on a test called the Balloon Risk Avoidance Task, which evaluates risk-taking and avoidance behaviors. It features a digital balloon that is full of air and about to burst. Kids have six seconds to let air out of the balloon. The more air they let out, the less risk they face that the balloon will pop. But at the same time, the balloon becomes less valuable as it deflates. “The more air you keep in the balloon, the more points you get,” Crowley explains. So far, the researchers have found that when the balloons pop unexpectedly, teens with social anxiety show distinct brain responses. Studying these responses can help psychologists understand the underlying pathways driving the various manifestations of anxiety. The genetics of anxiety When Thomas Fernandez, MD, associate professor in the Child Study Center and of psychiatry, was still in training, there was a lot of excitement about understanding the genetics associated with autism spectrum disorder. Since then, scientists have identified around 250 genes associated with autism. The genetic contribution to anxiety disorders, on the other hand, has historically received less attention. Anxiety is less heritable than autism, but the genetic contribution for anxiety disorders that emerge in childhood may be higher than for anxiety disorders overall. While scientists estimate the heritability of anxiety disorders in general to be around 30% to 50%, some studies suggest higher heritability for certain childhood-onset anxiety presentations. “I saw firsthand how researchers in the field went about finding vulnerability genes for autism,” Fernandez says. “So, we’re using a very similar playbook for childhood anxiety.” “I saw firsthand how researchers in the field went about finding vulnerability genes for autism. So, we’re using a very similar playbook for childhood anxiety.” Thomas Fernandez, MD Associate Professor In the Child Study Center and in Psychiatry Now, Fernandez and Emily Olfson, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Child Study Center, are studying children and their parents to identify genetic changes that are present in the child but not the parents, known as “de novo mutations.” “All of us have some de novo mutations—maybe about 50 to 100 sprinkled throughout the genome,” Olfson says. “But when they occur within the coding regions of genes, they can be really disruptive.” Previous research shows that people with autism have higher rates of damaging de novo mutations than the general population. In 2022, Olfson, Lebowitz, Silverman, and Fernandez published a study on 68 children and their families that found that children with anxiety had similarly high levels of these mutations. Studying de novo mutations can help point the researchers to where they should be looking for genes associated with anxiety. “The end game is using the genes to steer us toward the right part of biology that we can then target to come up with better treatments,” Fernandez says. Building on those findings, the team is now studying more families to better understand how these de novo mutations, along with other genetic and environmental factors, shape pediatric anxiety disorders. They recently received a National Institutes of Health grant to enroll 750 new families over the next five years. Olfson is the principal investigator, with co-investigators Lebowitz, Fernandez, Silverman, and Shuangge Steven Ma, PhD, department chair and professor of biostatistics at Yale School of Public Health. Neurodevelopment, Risk Genes, and Mental Health Conditions - The Olfson Lab Joel Gelernter, MD, Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry, is interested in how different anxiety disorders differ genomically. “We are studying social phobia, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, working to understand why people differ in their risk to these specific anxiety disorders and evaluating various risk factors,” he says. Gelernter was recently involved in one of the largest studies to date of the genomics underlying anxiety disorder. The study included around 122,000 people with anxiety disorders and around 730,000 without. It found that some genetic differences associated with anxiety were linked to signaling that helps reduce overactivity in the nervous system. Many anxiety medications available today work by targeting this process. “It’s nice when the biology that you get out of a large genome-wide study ratifies things that we already know because that can help increase confidence in further findings from the study,” Gelernter says. Uncovering the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders John Krystal, MD, Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor of Translational Research and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, is interested in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of which anxiety is a major symptom. In the late 1980s, Krystal’s team discovered that the drug yohimbine activated symptoms in patients with PTSD. “This was the first time we could link a specific biological mechanism to the symptoms of PTSD,” Krystal says. At the time, he adds, this finding was highly controversial. “A lot of people felt that PTSD was a purely psychological syndrome that didn’t have an underlying biology.” Since then, Krystal has dived deep into understanding the neurobiology of PTSD to learn how to better treat it. His team is evaluating the use of ketamine and psychedelics. These would be among the first treatments to be developed specifically for PTSD. They may also be applicable for other disorders including anxiety disorders, Krystal adds. An important gap in PTSD treatment is the absence of biological tests that inform how to best help patients manage their PTSD symptoms. A doctor doesn’t diagnose cancer based on how they feel. Rather, they use tests of the biology of the cancer to determine the best course of treatment. “And we can’t do that in any psychiatric disorder other than Alzheimer’s disease,” Krystal says. “But now we are building a foundation for this approach to the treatment of anxiety disorders for the first time.” Source: Yale School of Medicine
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