Our News

Our understanding of emotions can be affected by traumatic experiences, but people respond in different ways. This study looked at whether the type of trauma, specifically whether it involved another person (like an assault) or not (like a car accident), helps explain these differences. We followed over 2,200 trauma survivors...

Knowledge of sex differences in risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can contribute to the development of refined preventive interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine if women and men differ in their vulnerability to risk factors for PTSD. Our findings indicate mechanisms to which men...

Little prior research has linked blood biomarkers of traumatic brain injury with brain imaging assessment of white matter tracts. In the current study, we discovered two TBI biomarkers in white matter microstructural integrity, as assessed by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) gathered 2 weeks post trauma. The blood biomarker GFAP was associated...

Chapel Hill, N.C. — August 12, 2025 — The UNC Department of Psychiatry’s IMPACTT-NC program (Improving Adolescent Child health Through Telepsychiatry in NC) and UNC Children’s is proud to announce the launch of UNC-GIFTS — a collaborative partnership with Granville County Public Schools and Granville Vance Public Health — aimed...

A remotely-delivered telehealth intervention using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) improved mental health outcomes and psychological flexibility in adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a degenerative condition affecting vision. After participating in a 6-week intervention, individuals with NMOSD and their caregivers reported better psychological functioning and ability to cope...

We find that these GLP-1 receptor agonist medications blunt the interoceptive effects of alcohol (i.e., the feelings one experiences when drinking) in rats. This could could contribute to reduced alcohol drinking that individuals report while on these medications.

Changes in an infant’s pupil size in response to social stimuli are associated with adaptive behaviors used for daily life.

This study found that female mice drank more alcohol and were more motivated to work for it than males, likely due in part to reduced sensitivity to alcohol’s sedative effects. Despite these behavioral differences, both sexes showed equal dependence on glutamate AMPA receptor activity for alcohol reinforcement, suggesting a shared...

This study found that voluntary alcohol drinking boosts the levels and activity of a specific glutamate receptor subunit (GluA2) in the brain’s reward center, the nucleus accumbens, strengthening the drug’s positive reinforcing effects. Blocking the function of these GluA2-containing receptors reduced alcohol-seeking behavior, suggesting a possible new target for treating...