Nearly one in four teenagers are using dating apps — and it may not be hurting their mental health, suggests a new Northwestern Medicine study that monitored adolescents over six months. The findings challenge the popular belief that dating apps are harmful for teenagers. Instead, the study suggests, these apps may provide teens with valuable social connections, particularly for those who identify as sexual and gender minorities populations.

Juvenile-adolescent rats produce ultrasonic vocalizations characteristic of a pleasant sensation in response to repeated tickling by human hands. This interaction, which mimics natural rough-and-tumble play, is thought to be pleasure-inducing and lead to affinity-like behavior in rats. Researchers have now found that increased expression in a key brain region drives affinity-like behavior and identified neurons involved in the social bonding process. The findings offer crucial insights into the neural basis of cross-species bonding.

A study analyzed data from more than 40,000 teens (ages 12 to 17) and found alarmingly low rates (about 35%) of treatment completion. Nearly 60% of the adolescents started using cannabis between ages 12 and 14. Those who started cannabis at age 11 or younger had a success rate of just 12.9%. Co-occurring disorders, early use, and race impacted outcomes, with Hispanic and Pacific Islander teens more likely to complete treatment than Black or white adolescents. Boys were somewhat less likely than girls to complete treatment.