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Transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein TARP É£-8 is a target of ethanol that regulates self-administration and relapse in mice

Drugs of abuse, such as alcohol, can hijack the brain’s fundamental mechanisms for learning and memory to drive addiction. This study shows that a key protein in this process, TARP Î³-8, is required for the rewarding effects of alcohol, identifying it as a promising new target for developing medications to...

Peer support: Current status and future opportunities for college mental health promotion

The past decade has seen a 60% increase in the number of programs providing peer mental health support to college students and there is wide variation in availability, nature, and training requirements of these programs. This study aims to inform future development of peer mental health support for college students.

Telepsychiatry consults in an academic health organization

Telepsychiatry ”where doctors provide mental health consults remotely can effectively support emergency and inpatient care across rural hospitals. The program improved access, reduced wait times, and was well-received by both patients and providers.

Cognitive interviewing of the PHQ-A for depression screening among adolescents living with and without HIV in Malawi

This study explored how well the Patient Health Questionnaire-Adolescent (PHQ-A)â€”a common tool for detecting depressionâ€”works for adolescents in Malawi, especially those living with HIV. Through interviews, researchers found that while Malawian teens could answer the PHQ-A, some questions were confusing, highlighting the need to adapt depression screening tools to better...

Esketamine disinhibits brain networks in depression: Evidence from oscillatory and aperiodic activity

Nasal esketamine is a rapid-acting intervention for depression. This study investigated the brain’s electrical activity following the receipt of nasal esketamine.

Single-session behavioral activation for alcohol use disorder: a randomized controlled pilot trial

This trial investigated a single-session therapy session of behavioral activation for the treatment of mild and moderate alcohol use disorder. Behavioral activation is an action-oriented psychotherapy that uses reinforcement of client value-based, substance-free activities.

Predicting Traumatic Brain Injury Post-Trauma Using Temporal Attention on Sleep-Wake Data

We analyzed longitudinal sleep/wake data from over 2,000 emergency department patientsâ€”both with and without GFAP-confirmed TBIâ€”to determine how timing and duration of data collection impact classification performance. Using a deep learning model, we found that the first 7 days post-injury provided the most informative window for distinguishing TBI-positive (GFAP >...

Pre-trauma insomnia and posttraumatic alcohol and cannabis use in the AURORA observational cohort study of trauma survivors

We investigated associations between pre-trauma insomnia symptoms and post-trauma substance use among 2449 participants presenting to emergency departments after trauma exposure. Our results suggested that pre-trauma insomnia symptoms predicted post-trauma heavy alcohol and cannabis use, as well as binge drinking. For heavy alcohol and cannabis use, posttraumatic stress symptom severity...

Welcome Shanika Paylor, LCMHC!

UNC Psychiatry’s IMPACTT-NC Program Receives $200,000 Grant from Camber Foundation

CHAPEL HILL, NC – (July 23, 2025) – The UNC Department of Psychiatry’s IMProving Adolescent and Child health Through Telepsychiatry in North Carolina (IMPACTT-NC) program has received a grant for $200,000 from Camber Foundation, aimed at expanding telepsychiatry services for school children in Duplin and Robeson counties. Camber Foundation is...