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A single treatment of the psychedelic drug ibogaine appeared to provide long-lasting recovery from PTSD, anxiety and depression in a small study of special ops veterans with traumatic brain injury. Jennifer Lissemore, Postdoctoral Scholar, and Camarin Rolle, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and co-senior author of the new study, provide comment.

When Emmanuel Mignot returned to Stanford last week from Europe — where he’d won the Lasker Award, one of the top prizes in medicine, for his work in sleep research — he was greeted enthusiastically by Watson, his Chihuahua. Watson has narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder that causes sufferers to feel excessively tired and to experience a paralysis-like state when they are overly excited. In the US, it’s usually diagnosed in children and affects roughly 200,000 people. Studying narcoleptic dogs has helped identify the cause of the condition and, eventually, a treatment, approved by the FDA this August.

As the end of daylight saving time approaches, a renewed debate is unfolding over whether the U.S. should keep changing clocks at all — or extend daylight saving time beyond its current schedule. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, joined 7News to discuss the topic.

The American Psychiatric Association congratulates psychiatrist Karl Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the editorial board of The American Journal of Psychiatry, on receiving the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Dr. Deisseroth shares this honor with Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for pioneering discoveries that led to the development of optogenetics.

Monday’s Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine went to Karl Deisseroth. But its joy and heft were shared by many, including his family, mentors, mentees and proud colleagues scattered across the globe.

Collaborators and colleagues of Karl Deisseroth’s come out to celebrate the Nobel Prize laureate Monday on the Stanford University campus.

Light-activated proteins can be activated or inhibited with pulses of laser light. It was a challenge to make it all work — but it did, and it led to a Nobel Prize.

Karl Deisseroth, the D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine today, alongside Peter Hegeman, of Humboldt University, and Georg Nagel, of the University of Würzburg. The trio were recognized for their contributions to optogenetics—a protocol that allows researchers to modulate nerve signals in living brains using light energy.

Karl Deisseroth, the D. H. Chen Professor, Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine “for discoveries leading to optogenetics, which makes it possible to switch on, or off, the activity of individual nerve cells in a living brain.” He shares the award with Peter Hegemann from the Humboldt University of Berlin and Georg Nagel from the University of Würzburg in Germany.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 is awarded for optogenetics — a method that makes it possible to show how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviours in the living brain. Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered a remarkable protein, channelrhodopsin, in a single-celled alga. Karl Deisseroth transformed the protein into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells. The laureates have laid the foundation of a new era in neuroscience.

Many patients with depression do not find symptom relief from the current range of approved treatments. Psychedelic therapies are emerging as an option to address this unmet need, as outlined in this Medscape ReCAP with Charles DeBattista, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

The Emmy®-nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein returns for its 11th season with 12 new half-hour episodes examining timely issues in mental health, including interviews with Daniel Abrams, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Shebani Sethi, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Season 10 highlighted interviews with Carolyn Rodriguez, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Sergiu P. Pasca, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program.

In this AARP article, Jennifer Phillips, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, discusses nonverbal learning disorder - a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that impacts spatial awareness and navigation.

In this episode, Apurva Bhatt, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, breaks down the "model minority myth," unpack the intergenerational trauma and communication gaps between immigrant parents and youth, challenge stigma, and share practical tools for families—including digital media wellness plans, gamifying mental hygiene, and building community-based support systems.

Choosing how to tackle a math problem can be a challenge of its own for children with developmental dyscalculia, a condition marked by persistent difficulty with math problem-solving. A Stanford University study connects these struggles with differences in brain activity, offering clues to the processes behind a condition that remains poorly understood. O.H.M. Lasnick, Yunji Park, Percy Mistry and Vinod Menon are co-authors of the recent findings discussed in this article.

Stanford addiction medicine specialist Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, explains fentanyl's dangers, the risks of mixing medications and why today's drug supply is more dangerous than ever.

Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) announced its fourth round of Discovery Research grants, totaling more than $13 million, focused on the biological mechanisms of intense mood changes, a hallmark of bipolar disorder. Congratulations to Laramie Duncan, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, lead PI of a new grant that will explore the role of "retrosplenial switch cells" in mood state switching. She is joined by co-PIs Fernando Goes (John Hopkins University) and Christopher Ching (USC).

A new poll reveals 88% of teenagers and young adults are trapped in late-night "doomscrolling," costing them critical sleep every night. Rafael Pelayo, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, breaks down how endless social media feeds impact youth health and shares practical tips on how to break the habit.

Federal researchers say some patients recover after heavy drinking ends, with symptoms falling below disorder thresholds. Smita Das, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Michael Ostacher, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provide comment.

The ability to study brain disorders that arise before birth has taken a leap forward as Stanford Medicine researchers find a new way to grow human brain tissue outside of the human brain. Sergiu Pasca, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor II of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed about the new article, published in Nature, on which lead co-authorship is shared by Konstantin Kaganovsky, Kevin Kelley, Tilo Gschwind, and Paul Mahari.

A recent study suggests that even low-level alcohol consumption over a person’s lifetime is associated with worse hand dexterity and poorer balance. The research, published in Alcohol and Alcoholism, indicates that the combination of advancing age and a higher number of lifetime drinks might negatively affect motor coordination and postural stability in otherwise healthy adults. Timothy Durazzo, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

A $25 million grant will allow Stanford Medicine researchers to create a center focused on exploring how artificial intelligence can help people with dementia.

Through genetic and immunological studies, the Stanford Medicine sleep researcher found that narcolepsy stems from a deficiency of orexin in the brain, opening the door to new sleep therapies.

Travel a week early or just ahead of the game? The outcome in Melbourne will show whether the Rams' or 49ers' strategy was superior. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Pasca will lead a team investigating autism, epilepsy and other brain disorders using models of the human brain pioneered by his lab.

Rafael Pelayo, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, joins NBC Bay Area's Jessica Aguirre to discuss the different approaches the 49ers and Rams are taking to deal with jet lag in Australia.

Care will be in shorter supply, travel distances will stretch farther, and high-risk situations will more likely result in tragedy. Keith Humphreys, the Esther Ting Memorial Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Health Policy, writes this Ideas article for The Atlantic.

A new report on a seminal 2025 meeting supported by Wu Tsai Neuro and the Dana Foundation lays the groundwork for a global effort to monitor research and offer ethical guidance to the fast-growing field

Experts in teenage behavior said they were pleasantly surprised by Meta’s sudden capitulation this week to protecting young people on social media, but they cautioned that parents and their kids need to remain vigilant online even if all of the new safeguards are put in place. Vicki Harrison, Program Director of the Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing, provides comment.

Traditionally considered a relatively harmless drug, cannabis increasingly is being linked to psychosis—to the point that a new study suggests cannabis-associated psychosis may be a distinct condition. Apurva Bhatt, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Newly published research by a team led by BBRF grantees finds distinct age-related patterns in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that may help explain challenges in social communication that characterize the disorder and how they change over time. The team was led by Daniel Abrams and Vinod Menon.

In this recent episode of "From Our Neurons to Yours," Corey Keller, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, explains TMS and his efforts to better understand and harness this promising approach to psychiatric care.

The drug, called Orzeyful, takes aim at the root cause of the sleep disorder rather than at its symptoms. Emmanuel Mignot, the Craig Reynolds Professor of Sleep Medicine and Professor, by courtesy, of Genetics and of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, provides comment.

Karl Deisseroth, the D. H. Chen Professor, Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed about the Human Neural Circuitry Program – a program where Deisseroth and his team combine cutting-edge neuroscience with a state-of-the-art laboratory in an inpatient hospital setting, with the goal of understanding and treating some of the most baffling mysteries of the mind.

Russ Poldrack, the Albert Ray Lang Professor of Psychology and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, uses functional MRI to track blood flow in the brain, exploring how neural networks shape behavior and may differ in people with conditions such as OCD and depression. Poldrack tells host Russ Altman about this wide-ranging exploration of the implications and the ethics of functional neuroimaging on Stanford Engineering’s “The Future of Everything” podcast.

A research team led by BBRF grantees at Stanford has reported the first randomized, controlled trial in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) to demonstrate that a pharmacological intervention—follow-on treatment with low-dose buprenorphine—can maintain and enhance the anti-suicidal effects of a single ketamine infusion over the course of a month. The study team includes Jason Tucciarone, Igor Bandeira, Alan Schatzberg, Carolyn Rodriguez, Charles DeBattista, and Jennifer Keller.

Dependence and addiction to social media has many adverse effects on teens’ mental health, including insecurity and feelings of isolation. Alan Atkins, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed.

Some studies have reported that menopausal hormone therapy raises dementia risk. A new study that analyzed Alzheimer’s-disease hallmarks in autopsied brains indicates the opposite. Hadi Hosseini, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Jennifer Bruno, Instructor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are interviewed about the recently published findings. Explore additional coverage via <a href="https://time.com/article/2026/08/13/estrogen-therapy-may-protect-against-alzheimers-disease/">Time</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/estrogen-therapy-alzheimers-brain">Science News</a>, and <a...

Teenagers across the state would rather set down their devices and hang out in real time, but say there aren't enough affordable spaces to truly connect. This article highlights allcove Youth Center in San Mateo - a space designed with, by and for youth - for youth to access a range of emotional, physical and social support services, on their own terms.

Morgan Matzke discusses tips on how to address California’s new phone policy to students and back-to-school anxiety for students, parents, and educators

The first week of school can be tough, especially for younger children starting a new classroom. Apurva Bhatt, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, gives insight.

Patients rave about how the keto diet has helped ease mental health symptoms. The data are limited, but encouraging. Shebani Sethi, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Wu Tsai's "From our Neuron's to Yours" podcast team talks with Leanne Williams, the Vincent V.C. Woo Professor and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, about how brain scans could revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has announced the launch of the first phase of a long-term study that will collect data across a broad set of measures to identify biomarkers for depression and more clearly define depression subtypes. This effort will move neuropsychiatry beyond diagnoses by symptoms alone and pave the way for more individualized care. In her role on the steering committee, Leanne Williams, the Vincent V.C. Woo Professor and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is part of the team of academic researchers, investigators and subject matter experts who contribute scientific expertise to the MAP-D initiative.

Policymakers, academics, healthcare providers, AI developers, and patient advocates convened by Stanford HAI identify critical gaps in how we regulate AI tools used for therapy and emotional support. Jane P. Kim, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, co-authors an article on the subject with colleagues.

Using brain organoids, researchers aim to maximize the potential of individuals with autism, not mask their differences. To explore how new approach methodologies like this one are contributing to autism research and how insights could inform effective, individualized support, Technology Networks interviewed Sergiu Pasca, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program.

In the latest Research Roundup from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the study titled "Opiate Suicide Study in Patients with Major Depression," led by Alan F. Schatzberg, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is highlighted.

With increased use of chatbots in mental health contexts, AI developers now rely on human experts to evaluate AI’s responses for “safety” – but experts rarely agree on what’s safe. Nina Vasan, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment about the study.

Most experts agree the twice-yearly clock changes should end, but there's far less agreement on which time should stay. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, joins KTVU to provide comment in this interview.

For autistic adults navigating the unwritten rules of social interaction, artificial intelligence might offer a helpful practice tool. Recent research demonstrates that short sessions with a specialized chatbot can improve empathetic communication in real-world settings. Lynn Kern Koegel, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Charles DeBattista, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, offers an overview of emerging neuromodulation technologies and pharmacological developments for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) at the Southern California Psychiatry Conference.

Ending the twice-yearly time changes would bring a lot of benefits, but researchers argue that sticking with standard time year-round would be best. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted.

The special event also included a visit from Pixar production designer Bob Pauley, who spent time drawing with patients and encouraging their creativity. Bradley Zicherman, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted.

For people with insomnia or a fixation on perfect sleep, experts say wearable data can sometimes do more harm than good. Rafael Pelayo, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted on the subject.

Unlike typically developing teenagers, teens with autism don’t become more attuned to unfamiliar voices as they mature, a difference that helps explain their social struggles. Daniel Abrams, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Vinod Menon, the Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are interviewed about the findings of this study.

A new study published Wednesday in Science has identified the precise neural circuit that allows the brain to revise how it feels about a known individual — without altering the memory of who that individual is. Robert Malenka, the Nancy Friend Pritzker Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Assemblymember Marc Berman joined with his colleague Assemblymember Gail Pellerin to secure $5 million for allcove youth mental health centers in the 2026-27 Budget. allcove centers are a statewide network of youth‑designed, youth‑centered mental health and wellbeing hubs, serving young people ages 12–25. Shashank V. Joshi, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and, by courtesy of Pediatrics and, of Education, and Steven Adelsheim, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are quoted in this press release. <a href="https://www.paloaltoonline.com/palo-alto/2026/07/06/wellness-center-allcove-palo-alto-gets-a-lifeline-in-state-budget/">Click here for related...

Insomnia and depression are two serious and debilitating conditions. Andrea Goldstein-Piekarski, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Adam Krause, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, are interviewed about a recent study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, "Examining fronto-limbic brain and sleep mechanisms of antidepressant effects in cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia." CBTI is the gold standard for treating insomnia, and it’s been shown to relieve depressive symptoms as well.

In this installment of "Brain Trust: Conversations in Psychopharmacology," the host sits down with Michael Ostacher, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, to discuss managing co-occurring mood and substance use disorders (SUDs), including patient engagement, the "self-medication" narrative, and underuse of evidence-based addiction pharmacotherapy.

Daniel Mason, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and award-winning novelist, discusses his background, why he specialized in psychiatry, and his approach as an author in this interview with The Lancet.

Family- and individual-based therapy both help children with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder eat more foods, while family-based therapy also boosts weight gain. Lead study author James Lock, the Eric Rothenberg, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and co-author Brittany Matheson, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are interviewed about the study.

Stanford’s Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) is excited to fund 16 new global health seed grant awards that address emerging and persistent global health challenges from Bangladesh to Guatemala to Uganda. These grants were chosen to enable multidisciplinary Stanford teams to develop novel, low-cost, and creative solutions alongside local healthcare providers. Congratulations to the team in our department for their funded project, "Decentralizing Trauma Mental Health Care in Guatemala: A Digital Training and Mentorship Model for Primary Care Physicians." Principal and Co-Investigators include Daryn Reicherter, Gabriela Asturias, Franco Mascayano, Rebecca Walker, Lisa Brown, and...

Jennifer Pien, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, writes this commentary on how she has seen physicians turn toward the creative arts as a way to mitigate burnout, "not as an indulgence, but as a protective practice with a growing evidence base behind it."

Recent research shows ketamine and a low-dose opioid significantly decreases suicidal thinking and risks. As suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the US, this is a major finding. A recent publication by Alan Schatzberg, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and colleagues, is featured.

As editor in chief, Smita Das, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, will oversee the editorial direction of The ASAM Weekly, review guest editorial submissions, write opening commentary, and lead the publication’s team of editors.

Speakers from academia, industry, government and nonprofits explored developing and implementing artificial intelligence in medicine responsibly, effectively and reliably. The AI for Mental Health Symposium is featured in this event recap.

The recent symposium at Stanford focused on AI for mental health and brought together key stakeholders.

Surya Ganguli is helping pioneer a new science of intelligence—one that studies how brains perceive, how AI learns, and what each can reveal about the other. Karl Deisseroth, the D. H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is collaborating on the research.

New therapies, devices, and advances in precision medicine are transforming what’s possible for children’s health. However, it can take up to 17 years for new medical discoveries to become standard practice in health care. Closing that gap requires more than evidence; it requires implementation. At Stanford, the Center for Dissemination and Implementation, founded and led by Mark McGovern, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics, supports this work by partnering with clinicians and researchers to design systems that move evidence-based practices into care.

On Saturday, May 16, the Bay Area community gathered for Health Matters, Stanford Medicine’s free annual community health event. Held outdoors on the medical school campus, the event attracted 1,400 in-person attendees who participated in live health talks and explored interactive exhibits at a health pavilion staffed by professionals from Stanford Medicine and Stanford Health Care. In one of the health talks, Erin Cassidy-Eagle, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, talked about how sleep is one of the most powerful tools people have for living a longer, more productive life.

In a new placebo-controlled clinical trial, Stanford Medicine researchers found that low-dose buprenorphine could extend ketamine’s temporary effects by at least four weeks. Alan Schatzberg, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Jason Tucciarone, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Igor Bandeira, Postdoctoral Scholar, provide comment. Read more related coverage from: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/05/19/surprising-drug-combo-could-reshape-suicide-treatment/">the Washington Post</a>, <a...

Stanford Medicine experts explain why it’s harder than ever to concentrate — and what we can do to block out distractions that often cloud our attention and memory. David Spiegel, the Jack, Lulu and Sam Willson Professor of Medicine in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Weidong Cai, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provide comment.

Stanford Medicine’s Leanne Williams was chosen to lead the Precision Mental Health Commission to redefine and streamline how psychiatric conditions are diagnosed and treated. She’s pushing for a data-driven approach that begins with brain imaging.

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) recently announced three new recipients of awards given by the Deeda Blair Research Initiative for Disorders of the Brain. The awards recognize clinician-scientists who are pursuing bold research with the potential to transform the diagnosis and treatment of severe mental illness. Congratulations to the recipients, including Anish Mitra, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, for his proposal to investigate a more precise method for treating mental illness through brain stimulation.

The most prevalent white blood cell in your body and a well-known mental disorder, schizophrenia, have something in common: the mysterious appearance of a protein called C4A. Agnes Kalinowski, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Alexander Urban, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and of Genetics, provide comment.

Nina Vasan, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, co-authors this letter to the editor about people using chatbots for medical conditions, and the conversations healthcare providers should be having with their patients.

How do the world’s twenty-thousand climate scientists continue their doomsday work? This question is fundamental to the new documentary film "Climate in Therapy." And it was prominent in a recent post-screening panel discussion featuring Stanford faculty, grappling with the challenge of the emotional weight of the work. Debra Safer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Craig Forte, Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are mentioned in this recap of the recent event.

AI companions are reshaping adolescence at a rapid pace, changing how teens connect, cope, and access support. In this conversation with Nina Vasan, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, we explore the promise and the pitfalls of AI in youth mental health: what’s helping, what’s worrisome, and when reliance may become concerning. Dr. Vasan shares practical clinical guidance on what clinicians should watch for as AI becomes an everyday presence in society, helping families navigate the opportunities and challenges of an increasingly AI-enabled world.

This week on the show, Reporter Yassmin Abdel-Magied explores Islam's relationship to mental health and whether AI can heal us. Rania Awaad, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed.

The team at Wu Tsai's "From Our Neurons to Yours" podcast talks with Neir Eshel, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, about why rewards are sweeter when we've had to work for them and what this teaches us about our brains' reward systems.

Contributing Editor Deepika Shaligram interviews John Leikauf, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, on a study that identified new attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) subtypes using computerized attention-based tasks and compared these new subtypes’ responses to 2 ADHD medications: methylphenidate (stimulant) and atomoxetine (nonstimulant).

Studying brain scan data from individuals — not group averages — reveals key brain-function differences in children who struggle with goal-oriented tasks, a Stanford Medicine study found. Percy Mistry, Research Scholar in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nicholas Branigan, Research Data Analyst in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Vinod Menon, the Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provide comment on the research in this article.

A new study suggests that even low-level drinking over a lifetime may negatively affect brain health. Researchers found that cumulative light drinking, combined with aging, is linked to reduced blood flow and thinner tissue in the brain. Timothy Durazzo, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

In this episode of Beyond the Couch, Dr. Ernest Wayde interviews Shannon Wiltsey Stirman, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. They discuss how large language models can support evidence-based mental health interventions, and can also be used to assist in training therapists through the use of simulated patients.

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism demonstrates that NeuroDex’s ExoSORT platform can detect central Akt–mTOR signaling changes in response to metabolic drugs — from a routine blood draw. Natalie Rasgon, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emerita, provides comment.

Through Community Engagement Impact Projects, Stanford scholars co-create projects with community partners to address challenges felt more broadly in our region. The 2026 projects were chosen by a campus selection committee and focus on building healthy and resilient communities. Congratulations to the team in our department that was selected for the project titled, "Supporting the Safety Net: Building Palo Alto Suicide Postvention Resiliency."

Patients who require psychotherapy on an ongoing basis during most of their adult lives are often better situated to manage chronic mental health conditions, prevent further decline, and develop coping strategies for managing current or future stressors. Erin Cassidy-Eagle, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Debra Safer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Kristine Luce, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Janie Hong, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, co-author this article.

Lab-grown organoids are turbo-charging the study of human brain development and disease. Sergiu Pasca, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program, provides comment.

Despite AI’s growing role in teens’ daily lives, from homework help to emotional support, young people are still being left out of the policy conversations shaping it. In this article, Nico Fischer, a high school senior and Center Youth Collective youth advisor, Vicki Harrison, Program Director for the Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Caroline Figueroa, a Commonwealth Harkness Fellow, highlight the importance of including youth voices in AI discussions and outline opportunities to better support their mental health.

For a decade, we've been told our screens are wrecking our sleep. The real culprit is far bigger than the glow from your phone. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

This sports psychiatry discussion centered on a meaningful gap in the sports psychiatry literature and proposed a bidirectional model linking coach sleep health to team performance outcomes. Roy Collins, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed.

Many students are turning to AI for their mental health needs—a fact campuses ignore at their peril. Nina Vasan, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

In this episode of Re-Educated, Shashank Joshi, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and, by courtesy of Pediatrics and, of Education, discusses how anxiety, depression, and stress are shaping the lives of students today, and why schools have become critical spaces for identifying and addressing these challenges.

According to a survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 87 percent of Americans regularly sleep with their smartphones in the bedroom. Elias Aboujaoude, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, writes this op ed piece on the subject of how smartphones are now the closest relationship many people have.

In South Asian families, a breast cancer diagnosis often arrives with a second, invisible burden: the pressure to keep it secret. Ranak Trivedi, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

If you think life always feels just a little bit easier in the spring and sum­mer, you’re onto something. Check out five ways nat­ural light may boost well-being, and how to seek it out — safely — all year long. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

The Knight Initiative has contributed to funding four innovative new research projects among eight newly awarded by the Rosenkranz Aging and Rejuvenation Seed Grant Program. Funded by the Rosenkranz Foundation, these grants provide early-stage funding for visionary researchers at Stanford to test new or unconventional ideas with the potential to transform our understanding of the aging process and open new avenues for promoting resilience, repair, and rejuvenation. Congratulations to all recipients, including those from our department - Andrea Goldstein Piekarski, Corey Keller, Yu Zhang, and Ehsan Adeli!

This episode explores the relationship between AI and psychosis. Co-host Alan Atkins, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, discusses whether chatbots help or hurt those experiencing psychosis, with guests Apurva Bhatt, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Shannon Pagdon.

Ten innovative postdoctoral scholars will pursue creative approaches to advance neuroscience and brain resilience research. Congratulations to all of the recipients, including Ja Eun Choi (Advisor: Neir Eshel) and David Au (Advisors: Stephen Baccus and Luis de Lecea)!

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to look at possible funding sources to expand allcove model mental health centers.

Activity levels and daytime sleepiness can be combined into a ‘behavioural clock’ that predicts whether a fish will have a short life or a long one. Karl Deisseroth, the D. H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Headlines abound about the ways in which men and boys are struggling in our divided, digital age. But commentators too often overlook the distinct mental health challenges that Black men and boys face. Rates of suicidality among Black Americans have increased significantly in recent decades, and men represent a startling 81% of decedents. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death for young Black men, and the numbers are rising. New research by Leslie Adams, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, offers a framework for understanding – and addressing – this mental health crisis.

Daylight saving time returned on Sunday, March 8, 2026, causing many Americans to lose an hour of sleep. Health experts say the sudden time shift can disrupt circadian rhythms and have negative impacts on physical and mental health, including increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, migraines, and accidents. Jamie Zeitzer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Teen stress, anxiety, big decisions, and everyday pressures, young people today are navigating a lot. But what if support felt less like a clinic and more like a community? That’s the idea behind allcove, a growing network of free, youth-designed wellness centers across California. Jackie Almes, Youth Behavioral Health Program Manager with Peninsula Health Care District, and Nico Fischer, a high school senior and allcove Youth Advisor, joined host Jessica Wills to share how this space is putting young voices at the center of mental health support and why more families are turning to allcove for connection, care, and belonging.

The way we deliver a schizophrenia diagnosis can deeply impact a patient’s long-term recovery. Host Dr. Alexandria May speaks with Apurva Bhatt, Clinical Assistant Professor, about how we can bring clarity, compassion, and hope to these pivotal conversations. She shares practical strategies for reducing stigma, navigating family dynamics, and reframing initial discussions to build trust and engagement.

In this episode, Grace Gengoux, Clinical Professor, discusses the latest science behind autism, from diagnosis to everyday care. Learn how clinicians explain autism in clear, evidence-based terms, how families can access essential services, and practical strategies to support both children and caregivers. This episode also explores genetics, DSM-5 updates, and how to navigate care pathways with confidence and compassion.

Millions of parents and educators are in an overwhelming struggle to get children and teens to put their smartphones down or stop watching a screen on a tablet. To uncover what is at the root of an issue that is wreaking havoc at home and at school, Oprah sits down with Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

In their latest issue, Stanford Medicine Magazine traverses the path of research from "aha" moments to medical innovations — meeting some of the people driving discovery. Explore the new issue for their stories, including: <br><a href="https://stanmed.stanford.edu/stanford-accelerator-innovation-therapeutics/">- "Bridging the gap: Resources that accelerate the path from discovery to treatment," </a>with comment from Ruth O’Hara, senior associate dean for research and the Lowell W. and Josephine Q. Berry Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. <br><a href="https://stanmed.stanford.edu/conference-ethics-assembloids-organoids/">- "Considering assembloids and...

In this episode of "From our neurons to yours," the team speaks with initiative leaders Nirao Shah, a neuroscientist who studies sex differences in animal behavior, and Katrin Svensson, an expert in how our tissues use hormones to communicate in health and disease. Together with Longzhi Tan, an expert in gene regulation and 3d genome structure, the team aims to chart the cellular and molecular transformation that occurs in a mother's brain during pregnancy, in hopes of better understanding this fundamental event in a person's life and improving health outcomes for both mothers and infants.

Groundbreaking research in the field of mental health: Exploring a targeted approach to treating depression <p> Led by Drs. Leanne Williams and Laura Hack, and co-authored by Senior Associate Dean for Research and Stanford CTSA Principal Investigator Ruth O’Hara, PhD, a report in Nature Mental Health describes a recent clinical trial that aims to address the cognitive biotype of depression—a subset of patients who experience significant cognitive deficits alongside their depressive symptoms.

Hospitals making resident well-being core to GME improve training by addressing sleep, workload, and mental health risks for residents. Mickey Trockel, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted.

Most eating disorders begin in adolescence, but they can appear much earlier – or later – in life, too. To begin healing, Jennifer Derenne, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, works with an interdisciplinary team to first stabilize and renourish her patients and uses evidence-based psychotherapy that incorporates strong family involvement. Recent clinical studies are exploring the use of psychedelics to open new avenues for treating these notoriously hard-to-treat illnesses. Host Russ Altman talks with Dr. Derenne about all of this and more, on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s "The Future of Everything" podcast.

A $10 million gift from Bukhman Philanthropies to the School of Medicine will expand the reach of Dr. Victor Carrión's work in cue-centered therapy, an evidence-based intervention for youth with chronic traumatic experiences.

Google and Meta are in court for the first of a number of lawsuits alleging their products hurt kids and teenagers. Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted.

A Stanford Medicine study reveals the biochemical basis for why we overvalue items and experiences we’ve heavily invested in. Neir Eshel, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted.

The team at Stanford's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute speak with Vinod Menon, the Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Education and of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, about the brain networks behind day dreaming, rumination, and our sense of self.

In this episode of The Future of Medicine, Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, explores how modern life reshapes our brains — from digital media and compulsive overconsumption to addiction, recovery, and the science of pleasure and pain.

Taking advantage of the attention drawn by the Super Bowl in Santa Clara today, multiple mental health programs on Wednesday evening partnered to sponsor a mental health panel on youth athletics at Stanford University. Ivan Rodriguez, School Mental Health Coordinator, helped organize the event and is quoted in this article.

On simple math problems, even if they’re getting correct answers, kids with a math learning disability aren’t using their brains the same way as their peers, Stanford Medicine study shows. Vinod Menon, the Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is quoted along with colleagues in this article about the research findings.

Our brains are hardwired to get hooked on doomscrolling. Here's how to take a break and when you might need one. Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed.

Conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) in collaboration with Stanford’s Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab, this qualitative study draws on interviews with American Muslims in recovery or with family histories of addiction to examine how addiction is understood, experienced, and treated.

Why going the extra mile might make you feel good. Neir Eshel, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, discusses recently published findings on this episode of the Nature podcast.

People increasingly consult LLMs for their most personal moments. That's not always a good thing. Nina Vasan, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

QuantiPhy is a new benchmark and training framework that evaluates whether AI can numerically reason about physical properties in video images. QuantiPhy reveals that today’s models struggle with basic estimates of size, speed, and distance but offers a way forward. Ehsan Adeli, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and, by courtesy, of Computer Science and of Biomedical Data Science, provides comment.

Interfaith America has announced fourteen campuses selected as part of a second year of Faith & Health Campus Grants. This grant program is designed to catalyze institutional change by empowering cross-disciplinary campus teams to embed interfaith competency in health-related curricula, build sustainable partnerships with community organizations, and strengthen academic and public understanding of religion as a social determinant of health. Congratulations to Stanford recipients, including Dr. Rania Awaad, Dr. Abiya Ahmed, and Dr. Cassie Garcia Weisenberger!

According to a detailed report by the BBC, growing scientific evidence suggests that hypnosis can deliver real clinical benefits, sometimes outperforming conventional treatments in effectiveness, cost and side-effects, particularly in pain management and mental health care. David Spiegel, the Jack, Lulu and Sam Willson Professor of Medicine in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, provides comment.

Physician burnout often stems from workplace inefficiency and culture. Discover expert advice on professional fulfillment and boundary setting. Mickey Trockel, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is interviewed.

Use of a self-administered electronic intervention led to cessation of benzodiazepines among long-term users, a randomized trial showed. Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Professor, by courtesy, of Health Policy, is quoted.

What does open-source means in the realm of AI and LLMs? Learn more in this Forbes post that mentions the AI4MH Initiative.

Explore addiction science with Keith Humphreys, the Esther Ting Memorial Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Health Policy — in this episode of "Huberman Lab" where they discuss biology, genetics, alcohol risks, addiction industries, and evidence-based recovery.

From studying post-viral fatigue to engineering transparent mouse brains, round three of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute’s Big Ideas grants will push the bounds of what’s possible. Nirao Shah, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, of Neurobiology, and, by courtesy, of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Luis de Lecea, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, are on the teams for two of the grants funded in this round of Big Ideas projects.

These are the perfect decades to invest in habits that will protect your health and vitality for decades to come, Stanford Medicine experts say. Clete Kushida, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and David Spiegel, the Jack, Lulu, and Sam Willson Professor in Medicine, are quoted.

By focusing on exercise, diet and sleep, and minimizing stress, young adults can build a lifelong foundation for health as they age, Stanford Medicine clinicians say. Clete Kushida, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and David Spiegel, the Jack, Lulu, and Sam Willson Professor in Medicine, are quoted.

Fueled by Gen Z’s avoidance of alcohol, the number of Americans who say they drink is at a 90-year low. But is it coming at a cost? Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, explains why Gen Z isn’t necessarily healthier overall just because they drink less alcohol.

Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, reveals how addiction is hijacking your brain, why dopamine addiction is rising fast, and how to regain control - in this episode of "The Diary Of A CEO" podcast.

Stanford Medicine scientists and their colleagues created the first artificial intelligence model that can predict more than 100 health conditions from one night’s sleep. Emmanuel Mignot, the Craig Reynolds Professor of Sleep Medicine and Professor, by courtesy, of Genetics and of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, provides comment. <a href="https://nature.altmetric.com/details/187167197/news">View additional news coverage of this study here.</a>

In this episode of the "Evergood Podcast", hear about how Jonathan Updike, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, connects economic development and medical education, his work to integrate behavioral health and medicine, develop community clinics, and more.