BackgroundMaternal mental health conditions within the postnatal period can have long-lasting consequences on a child’s well-being. This study synthesises current evidence on the association between postnatal maternal mental health-related hospitalisation (MHrH) and adverse child health and maltreatment outcomes.MethodsWe conducted an inclusive search across multiple databases, including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, and the reference list of eligible papers. Studies that used standardised outcome measures were included. Study selection and data extraction were made using a standardised Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Descriptive vote counting to map the direction of effects, alongside narrative thematic synthesis, was used to summarise the findings from the included studies.ResultsFour studies (n = 1,020,342) were included in the review. Three of these studies suggest a possible association between postnatal maternal MHrH and adverse child health outcomes (growth failure, respiratory and gastrointestinal infection) or maltreatment (sexual, physical, and emotional abuse). One study did not find a statistically significant association between postnatal maternal MHrH and infant growth.ConclusionThe available evidence suggests a possible association between postnatal maternal MHrH and adverse child health and maltreatment outcomes. However, given the small number of studies and methodological heterogeneity, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and highlight the need for further high-quality longitudinal research.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023446155.
Disruption of a GalR2–mitochondrial axis in the ventral hippocampus contributes to depression-like phenotypes after prenatal stress
BackgroundPrenatal stress (PS) is a major risk factor for depression later in life, yet the cellular mechanisms linking early-life adversity to long-term affective vulnerability remain incompletely understood. Neuropeptide receptors have emerged as important modulators of stress-related psychopathology, but their roles in mitochondrial regulation within limbic circuits remain largely unexplored.MethodsA rat model of PS was established to assess depression-like behaviors in adulthood. Mitochondrial ultrastructure, ATP production, and the expression of Galanin receptor 2 (GalR2) and key components of the PINK1/Parkin mitochondrial quality control machinery were examined in the ventral hippocampus (vHPC). The effects of intranasal administration of the GalR2 agonist AR-M1896 on behavioral and mitochondrial alterations were evaluated in vivo. To directly test whether the vHPC mediates these effects, we performed unilateral intra−vHPC infusion of AR−M1896. In vitro, glucocorticoid exposure and pharmacological manipulation of GalR2 were used to assess their impact on mitochondrial function and PINK1/Parkin signaling.ResultsPS induced persistent anhedonia-like behavior and behavioral despair phenotypes in adult offspring, accompanied by marked mitochondrial structural abnormalities, reduced ATP production, and downregulation of GalR2 and PINK1/Parkin-associated mitochondrial quality control signaling in the vHPC. Intranasal AR-M1896 partially normalized reward-related behavioral deficits and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction. Importantly, direct intra−vHPC infusion of AR−M1896 elevated ATP, PINK1 and Parkin levels in the ipsilateral vHPC, providing causal evidence that the vHPC is a critical site for GalR2−mediated PINK1/Parkin-related mitophagy−restoring effects. In cell-based assays, glucocorticoid exposure suppressed, whereas GalR2 activation enhanced, mitochondrial membrane potential and PINK1/Parkin-related signaling.ConclusionThese findings identify a GalR2–mitochondrial axis in the ventral hippocampus that is disrupted by PS and associated with vulnerability to depression-like phenotypes. The complementary intra−vHPC infusion experiments establish a causal role for vHPC GalR2 signaling in rescuing mitochondrial deficits, directly demonstrating that intranasal AR−M1896 acts at least in part via the vHPC. This receptor–organelle pathway may represent a neurobiological mechanism linking early-life adversity to long-term affective dysfunction.
Integrative mechanisms and intervention targets of the microbiota–gut–brain axis in depressive disorders: advances across immune, endocrine, and central nervous system pathways
Depressive disorders are highly heterogeneous syndromes characterized not only by depressed mood but also by cognitive impairment, sleep–circadian rhythm disturbances, altered appetite, somatic discomfort, and metabolic or gastrointestinal comorbidities. In recent years, the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) has been increasingly recognized as an integrative biological framework linking abnormalities in mood regulation, immune responses, endocrine function, metabolism, and neuroplasticity. This review provides a systematic synthesis of gut microbial ecology and host phenotypic features associated with depressive disorders, with particular emphasis on the depletion of short-chain fatty acid-producing commensals, the enrichment of potentially pro-inflammatory taxa, and the functional remodeling of key metabolic pathways, including the tryptophan–kynurenine pathway, short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and trimethylamine N-oxide. We further discuss how bidirectional gut-to-brain and brain-to-gut communication may contribute to the onset and progression of depressive disorders through intestinal barrier disruption, low-grade systemic inflammation, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation, vagal signaling, and dysregulation of neurotransmitter and neurotrophic pathways. Current interventional evidence suggests that dietary and lifestyle modification, psychobiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation may exert antidepressant potential in selected populations; however, the overall effect sizes remain limited and between-study heterogeneity is substantial. Patients with prominent gastrointestinal symptoms, metabolic abnormalities, or low-grade inflammatory states may represent priority candidates for MGBA-targeted interventions; nevertheless, a putative microbiota-responsive phenotype should not be simply equated with high stress exposure alone, and its definition requires prospective validation integrating stress burden, host responses, and microbial/metabolic readouts. Overall, MGBA research is gradually moving beyond descriptive profiling of microbial composition toward functional integration and clinical translation; however, causal inference, multi-omics standardization, and the identification of stratification biomarkers remain major challenges. Future studies should incorporate phenotype-based stratification, strengthened functional readouts, and precision intervention designs to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from microbiota-targeted therapies.
Feasibility study examining the short-term effects of Sonic Augmentation Technology™
BackgroundThe current study evaluated Sonic Augmentation Technology™ (SAT), a novel, Polyvagal-informed probe that incorporates continuously varying and acoustic features modeled on patterns of autonomic regulation into musical soundscapes. Specifically, the study examined whether SAT led to improvements in self-reported biobehavioral state (e.g. relaxation, breathing slowly, interoceptive clarity), and whether individuals with poorer baseline functioning (i.e., increased autonomic reactivity and anxiety/depression symptoms) reported greater improvements in biobehavioral state following SAT. It also sought to determine whether there would be changes in endogenous oxytocin level, and whether individuals who exhibit larger gains in biobehavioral state would show greater increases in oxytocin.MethodsThe current study examined data obtained from four samples, with 72 participants providing data virtually and 41 participants providing data in-person. Participants completed self-report measures of biobehavioral state, autonomic reactivity, and psychiatric symptomatology (i.e. anxiety and depression). Salivary oxytocin (pg/mL) was assessed via enzyme immunoassay in the participants who completed the study in person, with samples collected pre-and post-SAT.ResultsFollowing SAT, participants reported significant improvements in total biobehavioral state and the low and high arousal subscales. We also found that participants scoring above the cutoff for autonomic reactivity, anxiety, and depression reported greater increases in total biobehavioral state and decreases in the high arousal subscale. Greater decreases in the low arousal subscale were observed in the participants with increased anxiety. The subset of participants with salivary oxytocin samples exhibited increases in salivary oxytocin.ConclusionsThus, our results support the potential of SAT as a low-cost, non-invasive auditory probe for improving wellbeing, especially for clinical populations experiencing autonomic dysregulation and psychiatric difficulties, such as anxiety and depression.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifiers NCT06710886, NCT06902506, NCT06580119, and NCT07065227.
Social connectedness in mobile gaming: how family dynamics shape children’s virtual interactions
BackgroundMobile gaming is important for children’s social interaction, but its impact on real-life social connectedness depends heavily on family dynamics. How family patterns shape children’s emotional and social experiences around gaming remains underexplored, particularly qualitatively. This study examined how family dynamics influence children’s belonging, emotion regulation, and virtual interactions in mobile gaming.MethodsUsing a phenomenological design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 participants from 10 families across urban, suburban, and rural China. Participants included children (n=10, aged 10-12), parents (n=8, all mothers), and siblings (n=2). All children had played mobile games for ≥6 months. Data were analyzed via thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke). Family patterns were identified based on parental mediation, emotional communication, and children’s sense of connectedness.ResultsThree family patterns emerged. Restrictive-Control Families (4/8) showed high monitoring and low trust, linked to concealment, tension, and social shift to virtual peers. Supportive Co-Play Families (3/8) exhibited shared play, emotional communication, and digital-offline continuity, with children reporting greater resilience and belonging. Sibling-Mediated Families (3 families) featured siblings as companions and emotional buffers, helping manage frustration without direct parental involvement. No severe conflicts or distress were directly caused by gaming in any pattern.ConclusionsChildren’s mobile gaming outcomes are shaped by relational context, not just time. This study identifies three family-level regulatory mechanisms: suppression (restrictive-control), cognitive reappraisal (supportive co-play), and co-regulation (sibling-mediated). These findings extend Social Connectedness Theory, showing how family patterns shape children’s emotion regulation. Supportive co-play and sibling mediation facilitate adaptive regulation and connectedness, while restrictive-control may drive children to virtual spaces. Family-based interventions targeting emotion regulation, not just screen reduction, are recommended. Shifting from “anti-addiction” to “developmental enhancement” offers a safe, practical strategy for integrating gaming into family life.
Major readouts from the annual diabetes conference
Good morning. Remember when the streets were covered in snow? The passage of time is so wild. Below we’ve got some news to start another week.
Readouts from the annual diabetes conference
The American Diabetes Association’s annual conference in New Orleans wraps up today, after three days of data readouts, presentations, and, unexpectedly, a police interaction? Here are some highlights:
Patently imperfect
Science, Volume 392, Issue 6802, Page 1028-1028, June 2026.
Severe obesity in human HFpEF alters contractile protein function and organization
Science, Volume 392, Issue 6802, June 2026.
Competition enables rapid adaptation to a warming range edge in a model plant community
Science, Volume 392, Issue 6802, June 2026.
A provocative view of evolution turns 50
Science, Volume 392, Issue 6802, Page 1027-1027, June 2026.