mental health researchers

Researchers at the University of Southern California collaborated on a study published in JAMA Pediatrics offering one of the first assessments of how different social media platforms expose teenagers to distinct types of harm. The findings suggest that online risks are not uniform, and that platform-specific features shape what dangers young users encounter, a point likely to feed ongoing debates about regulating social media for minors.

New research from Epic Research finds that patients diagnosed with a gambling disorder have far higher rates of other diagnosed mental health conditions than the general patient population. The findings add to growing evidence that problem gambling rarely occurs in isolation and is often accompanied by conditions such as depression or anxiety. Health researchers are highlighting the study as a reason for better screening and integrated treatment for people seeking help with gambling.

A new study published in Nature examines a multiethnic US population and finds that pro-inflammatory cytokines may mediate the association between depression, anxiety, and cardiometabolic disorders such as heart disease and diabetes. The findings suggest inflammation could be a biological pathway explaining why mental health conditions raise the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular illness across diverse ethnic groups.