Results from a pilot randomized trial, which are published in Obesity Science & Practice, suggest that structured support may attenuate early weight gain after GLP-1 cessation.

Kratom, a tropical tree whose leaves have been chewed or brewed as tea for generations in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar for pain relief and general wellness, has attracted scientific attention primarily because of its two main active alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which interact with opioid receptors to produce analgesic, mood-modulating, and potentially neuroprotective effects.

Scientists calculated the total gross ecosystem product that the world’s oyster reefs could deliver to planetary health and human wellbeing, given adequate interventions for habitat restoration and protection. They estimated that the combined potential ecosystem services of oyster reefs, including food production, carbon sequestration, water filtration, and coastline protection, could be worth up to $12 trillion per year. For this potential to be realized, 90% of sites suitable for oyster reefs would require restoration, while 80% would need protection through conservation efforts.

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the Journalists Network on Generations are welcoming 15 distinguished reporters for the next class of the Journalists in Aging Fellows Program, now in its 17th year.

New UC San Diego study finds psilocybin use among those with depression doesn't lead to abandoning traditional care but is linked to higher perceived unmet mental health needs.

Women with a complication in the latest pregnancy, or in a previous pregnancy, face an elevated risk of developing cardiometabolic-renal conditions in subsequent years, suggests a UK study published online in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

The CDC’s John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program helps meet the need for qualified public health professionals.

A team of USC researchers has received an up to $4 million award from ARPA-H to conduct a clinical trial of psychedelic therapy and mindfulness training for depression. Researchers will compare the effects of psilocybin therapy with and without an eight-week mindfulness training program among 80 participants in Los Angeles who have depression but do not have experience with psychedelics or meditation. The goal is to test whether the two may have a synergistic effect. Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound found in certain types of mushrooms that has shown promise for treating mental health conditions such as depression and substance use disorder. In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted “breakthrough therapy” designation to psilocybin-based treatment for major depressive disorder, opening the door to clinical research on its therapeutic effects. Previous studies of experienced meditators suggest that practicing meditation may enhance a person’s response to psychedelics. To investigate this further, the researchers developed of a structured mindfulness and meditation intervention designed to amplify and prolong the benefits of psychedelic therapy. Throughout the trial, the researchers will collect detailed data on each patient to measure the therapy’s effects. This includes EEG and MRI brain recordings; saliva, blood, and stool samples; psychological and cognitive assessments; and additional data from wearable trackers. Each patient will complete two psilocybin sessions, about one month apart. Participants in the mindfulness training group will also complete an eight-week program designed to cultivate mindful awareness, loving kindness and compassion, including daily meditation practice at home.