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Fussy eating is mainly influenced by genes and is a stable trait lasting from toddlerhood to early adolescence, finds a new study led by researchers from UCL, King's College London and the University of Leeds. The study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry and funded by the UK mental health charity MQ Mental Health Research, compared survey results of parents with identical or non-identical twins in England and Wales from the ages of 16 months to 13 years.

Speaking with a foreign accent mitigates the impact of making grammatical errors, depending on the personality type of the listener, a new study has found. New research from the University of Birmingham, with collaboration from Cardiff University and the University of Novi Sad (Serbia), has examined how 'acceptable' people find grammatical errors they hear, factoring in whether the speaker has a foreign accent or not, and the personality of the listener.

People with dementia are more likely to have suicidal thoughts but are not necessarily more likely to attempt or die by suicide than the general population, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in Ageing Research Reviews , analysed 54 studies that investigated various aspects of mental health - including the prevalence and risk of suicide - in people with dementia, between 1991 and 2023.

Most people who exercise using VR drop out when things gets too tough or dull - could programs that use sensors to tune into a person's emotional state help? Virtual reality (VR) video games that combine screen time with exercise are a great way to get fit, but game designers face a major challenge - like with regular exercise, adherence to 'exergames' is low, with most users dropping out once they start to feel uncomfortable or bored.

New research reveals how short bursts of daily mindfulness can boost wellbeing, combat depression and anxiety, and inspire healthier lifestyle choices. In a new study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the Universities of Bath and Southampton have unveiled how just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can improve wellbeing, ease depression and anxiety, and help people to be more motivated to improve their lifestyle - including healthier exercise, eating and sleeping habits.

Children who experienced inflammation at a young age at higher risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. Children who have persistently raised inflammation are at a higher risk of experiencing serious mental health disorders including psychosis and depression in early adulthood, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

A higher incidence of mental illnesses persists for up to a year following severe Covid-19 in unvaccinated people, according to a new study involving UCL researchers. The study, looking at health data from 18 million people and published in JAMA Psychiatry , investigated associations of Covid-19 with mental illnesses according to time since diagnosis and vaccination status.

Perimenopausal women are more likely to experience bipolar and major depressive disorders, according to new research by Cardiff University. In a study of 128,294 female participants from the UK, a team from the University's School of Medicine and Bipolar UK investigated whether perimenopause - the years surrounding the final menstrual period - is associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders for the first time.

Increasing serotonin can change how people learn from negative information, as well as improving how they respond to it, according to a new study published in the leading journal Nature Communications .

Many people who were hospitalised with COVID-19 continue to have cognitive and psychiatric problems even two to three years post-infection, according to a new study published in Lancet Psychiatry . Conducted by a group of researchers across the UK led by the University of Oxford and the University of Leicester, and published in Lancet Psychiatry , the research highlights the persistent and significant nature of these symptoms as well as the emergence of new symptoms years after COVID-19 was first present.

The processes in the brain and body through which physical exercise reduces depressive symptoms have been explored by UCL researchers. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is associated with disruptions to several brain and psychological processes, including impaired learning and memory.

Mindfulness training may lead participants to experience disembodiment and unity - so-called altered states of consciousness - according to a new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge. I've benefited a lot personally from meditation and mindfulness and I've also had many of these experiences.

Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are at significantly higher risk of a number of mental health issues, including mood and anxiety disorders, a study from a team in the UK and the Czech Republic has found. We know that people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can experience 'diabetes distress'. It's little wonder, then, that they are at risk of compounding mental health problems, spanning into their adult lives Benjamin Perry The findings highlight the urgent need for monitoring and support for the mental health of young people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Cambridge scientists have developed an artificially-intelligent tool capable of predicting in four cases out of five whether people with early signs of dementia will remain stable or develop Alzheimer's disease.

Smoking may be among the most important lifestyle factors affecting how quickly our cognitive skills decline as we age, suggests a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in Nature Communications , analysed data from 32,000 adults aged 50 or over from 14 European countries who responded to surveys over 10 years.

Scientists have identified a gene which, when missing or impaired, can cause obesity, behavioural problems and, in mothers, postnatal depression. The discovery, reported today in Cell , may have wider implications for the treatment of postnatal depression, with a study in mice suggesting that oxytocin may alleviate symptoms.

New research, by our Department of Psychology, has found that negative social contact among people of differing societal or cultural groups can have a disproportionate negative effect on broad social cohesion within communities. The research, led by Professor Stefania Paolini, analyses 70 years of research into the psychological effects of intergroup social contact.

The risk of developing Parkinson's is at least twice as high in people with anxiety compared to those without, finds a new study by UCL researchers. The research, published in the British Journal of General Practice , investigated whether there was a link between people over the age of 50 who had recently developed anxiety and a later diagnosis of Parkinson's.

Children who spend more time in natural environments have significantly better mental health, according to new research led by the University of Glasgow. The innovative new study, which used GPS and accelerometer tracking, found that the benefits of spending time in nature were strongest for children from lower-income households.

Adolescents who experience higher levels of social anxiety symptoms are more likely to report increased suicidal thoughts and other depressive symptoms two years later, finds a new study involving UCL researchers. The findings, published in JCPP Advances, highlights the need for early interventions to address society anxiety in young people.