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Researchers say we need to look at the impact of video games on daily life, not just screen time According to a new study, pre-adolescents who have difficulty managing their video game habits are more likely to experience psychotic-type episodes. In collaboration with colleagues from Maastricht University, a research team from McGill University found that 12-year-olds who showed signs of a gaming problem were more likely than other youngsters to suffer from mild paranoia, adhere to unusual beliefs and have altered perceptions of reality by the age of 13.

A few years ago, researcher Maya Gislason's young child came home from school with her crayon drawing of the Earth in 2020 and 2050. "The first was blue and green; the second was a planet on fire," she says. "Her question to me was: How old will I be when I die in 2050?"  Now, new Simon Fraser University research into the full range of emotions kids and teens feel around climate change is providing one of the clearest pictures yet of how the climate crisis is reshaping young people's daily lives, future thinking and sense of security.

Researchers identify a gene network linked to higher depression risk in women, a step toward finding biological markers for the disorder Scientists have identified a pattern of gene activity present in some female survivors of childhood abuse that is associated with an elevated risk of depression.

Teenagers who are pathological liars also tend to struggle with executive function deficits, such as poor memory or impulse control, researchers have found. This means practitioners may be able to consider treatments centred around executive functioning (such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and Habit-Reversal Training) for patients who present such patterns, said Victoria Talwar , professor in the McGill Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology.

A rich social environment is associated with better cognitive health outcomes for older adults, study finds With awareness growing that lack of social connection may be a health hazard, researchers say it's important for the public to better understand the connections Research by an interdisciplinary team from McGill University and Université Laval provides new insights into the links between social factors and cognitive health among aging adults.

As runners set their New Year's resolutions, Simon Fraser researchers have dug thousands of Strava posts to map the emotional highs and lows of running and see what makes people stick with it. The first-of-its-kind study has unearthed what makes a run feel joyful-or miserable-by analysing more than 3,200 Strava posts from Metro Vancouver runners between 2010 and 2021.

In a study, scientists at McGill University explored the link between celibacy and loneliness using a new concept: relational clarity Single people who date without having a clear idea of what they're looking for in a relationship feel lonelier and are less satisfied with their lives. These are the findings of a McGill University study.

The tool, which can be used on an iPad, could help determine whether athletes are ready to return to play A team from Université Laval has developed a tool that could help determine whether athletes who have suffered a concussion are ready to return to the game. Details of their work have just been published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology .

Sleep problems affect more than one in five residents in long-term care facilities, with pain, daytime napping and certain medications emerging as key contributors. An international team led by University of Waterloo researchers analyzed health records from more than 21,000 residents aged 65 and older living in 228 long-term care homes across New Brunswick and Saskatchewan between 2016 and 2021, using data from the standardized interRAI assessment system.

Researchers find those who began using cannabis regularly before age 15 were more likely to seek care for depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and physical health problems as young adults Adolescents who start using cannabis early and often are more likely to need health care for both mental and physical problems as they enter adulthood, according to a new study led by McGill researchers.

Long-term stress levels, measured through hair samples, may provide important clues about mental health risks in children with (CPI), according to new research from the University of Waterloo. The study highlights how high hair cortisol, a type of steroid hormone, acts as a powerful early warning sign that could help identify children who live with CPI and who could be most at risk of mental health challenges, helping guide prevention and treatment strategies to better support their health and well-being.

An UdeM study analyzes treatment pathways for racialized and immigrant youth going through a first episode of psychosis. Doctors have a golden rule for addressing first-episode psychosis: treat it early. "For most mental disorders, onset occurs before age 25 - the earlier you intervene, the easier it is and the better the response," notes Dr. Amal Abdel-Baki, a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Addiction at Université de Montréal.

Researchers focused on how first-year undergraduates handled stressors and compared students who had been subject to different parenting styles First-year undergraduates who grew up with overly cautious or controlling parents tend to experience increased anxiety when faced with stresses associated with the transition to university, researchers from McGill University and the University of California (Los Angeles) have found.

Research on rare post-mortem brain samples reveals altered gene activity, shedding light on depression's biological roots Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Institute have identified two specific types of brain cells that are altered in people with depression. The study, published in Nature Genetics , opens the door to developing new treatments that target these cells and deepens our understanding of depression, a leading cause of disability worldwide that affects more than 264 million people.

Researchers develop a model to identify people likely to struggle most with the condition and connect them to support sooner How severely a person experiences tinnitus is shaped by their mood, sleep quality and even personality traits, a new study has found. Tinnitus is a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears that affects roughly 14 per cent of adults worldwide.

Researchers use machine learning to bridge the gap between what patients feel and what medical tests can measure, opening the door to better diagnosis and treatment A new study by McGill researchers shows that chronic pain, often invisible to medical tests, can be better assessed when doctors take a holistic approach.

Study adds to growing evidence that social and psychological factors uniquely affect women's heart health, offering new insights into why heart disease presents and progresses differently in women. Women who see themselves as having lower social status are more likely than other people to show early signs of heart stress linked to future disease risk, according to a new study led by researchers at McGill and Concordia universities.

Psychology researchers studying music find what cues feelings of nostalgia Listening to familiar music can trigger vivid memories, and new research suggests that it isn't just sentimental lyrics or clever rhymes that take us back in time. Researchers from the University of Waterloo investigated which component of music is most powerful in evoking memories.

A study led by UdeM's Sarah Lippé demonstrates that artificial intelligence can quickly and accurately assess brain maturity in babies, enabling early detection of developmental disorders. Machine-learning algorithms can now estimate the "brain age" of infants with unprecedented precision by analyzing electrical brain signals recorded using electroencephalography (EEG).

A new website offers video capsules and popular texts to inform the general public about the scientifically recognized benefits of playing and listening to music You don't have to be a violin virtuoso or a guitarist of the calibre of Jimi Hendrix to enjoy the benefits of music. Every amateur musician benefits from playing an instrument, even if it's just a few notes or a wooden spoon.