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We trialed the use of a novel neuroactive steroid for the treatment of PPP.

This study reveals that psilocin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, reduces alcohol consumption in female mice by suppressing specific stress-related neurons in the brain. These findings offer new insight into the biological mechanisms that may allow psychedelic therapies to effectively treat alcohol use disorder.

Julia Taylor is a licensed clinical social worker who joined the department of psychiatry as a clinical instructor in 2025.  In her role as Psychoeducational Consultant with the Child and Family Guidance Program and Multidisciplinary Child Psychiatry Collaborative, Ms. Taylor works in conjunction with the child’s multidisciplinary treatment team and partners with the child, their families, and the child’s school. In this role, Ms. Taylor advocates for the child in...

Post-traumatic stress (PTS) often occurs with depression but isn’t well studied in pregnant or postpartum people. This study looked at over 1,100 perinatal patients with depression and found that nearly 70% showed signs of PTS, especially those with lower income, less education, and more severe mental health symptoms. After an...

This study found that a social work–led hepatitis C treatment program in a primary care clinic serving people with substance use disorders led to nearly half of eligible patients initiating treatment and over 85% achieving cure. The impact of social worker engagement, harm reduction counseling, and treatment-first approaches to care...

This longitudinal research studied 706 women seen by sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) at 12 US emergency departments soon after sexual assault, focusing on the survivors’ post-assault interactions with police. Data were analyzed from surveys completed by survivors post assault and medical/forensic records from the SANE exams. Results showed that...

Childhood adversity is linked to increased risk of PTSD, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated whether childhood adversity moderates changes in white matter microstructure and PTSD symptoms following recent trauma. Whole-brain tractography revealed that childhood adversity predicted longitudinal changes in quantitative anisotropy (QA) from 2-weeks to...

This study investigated whether genetic risk for smoking and alcohol consumption acted together with or independently of PTSD symptoms to increase the risk for future substance use. We found that participants with higher genetic risk, therefore, may not have additional risk conferred by PTSD symptoms–rather, they had a high underlying...

This study tested whether a combined hormone treatment called CEB could quickly reduce depression in women going through perimenopause. Over three weeks, women with perimenopausal-onset major depression (PO-MDD) showed clear improvement in mood and other menopause symptoms like hot flashes. Unlike traditional hormone therapies, which can increase the risk of...

The MAHA Commission promises to address causes of chronic disease, including those related to mental health. Such a commission could address important barriers in the mental health community. But this Open Forum highlights evidence that the MAHA Commission may not only fail to address these barriers but also exacerbate them...