In the News

Experts caution this specific type of insomnia can lead to other sleep problems. Rafael Pelayo, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

For close to a decade now, the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program has spearheaded a revolutionary approach to studying the brain: Rather than probe intact brain tissues in humans and other animals, they grow three-dimensional brain-like tissues in the lab from stem cells, creating models called human neural organoids and assembloids. The trouble is, neural organoids have a habit of sticking to each other, making it hard to grow large batches of them with consistent size and shape. As recently reported, all it took to keep organoids from sticking together was xanthan gum, a common food additive. Sergiu Pasca, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Sarah Heilshorn, the Rickey/Nielsen Professor in the School of Engineering, provide comment on a recent article on the subject.

MDMA-assisted therapy shows promise for trauma, but its effects vary. Now, a study in JAMA Network Open offers a solution: brain scans that measure reactivity to unconscious threat cues can identify individuals most likely to respond positively to the treatment. Study authors Xue Zhang, Research Engineer, and Leanne Williams, the Vincent V.C. Woo Professor and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are quoted.

Discover age-appropriate tips for parents to comfort their children when exposed to distressing news, with expert advice from Elizabeth Reichert, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.