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Antipsychotic Dose Was Not Linked to MoCA in Schizophrenia

A 2026 cross-sectional schizophrenia study found no meaningful association between antipsychotic dose and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) performance in young, clinically stable outpatients. Cognitive scores related more strongly to symptom burden, illness duration, education, and age at diagnosis than to daily or 1-year cumulative antipsychotic exposure.1 Research Highlights Daily dose was not linked to MoCA: …

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Droperidol vs. Midazolam for Extreme Agitation in Dutch EDs

MHD featured image for droperidol, midazolam, and emergency sedation for extreme agitation.

A 2026 national survey of Dutch emergency physicians found wide variation in first-line medication choices for extreme agitation: without intravenous access, 34.7% preferred midazolam, 23.1% preferred droperidol, 14.3% preferred droperidol plus midazolam, and 10.4% preferred esketamine.1 The result is a practice map, not an outcome trial, but it shows how emergency clinicians are balancing rapid …

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Restless Legs: Striatal Dopamine-Opioid Hypersensitivity

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and opioid-withdrawal restlessness both produce night-worsening urges to move. A 2026 npj Parkinson’s Disease mouse study tied that overlap to hypersensitive striatal D1-mu-opioid receptor signaling in basal-ganglia motor circuits.1 Research Highlights 2 clinically similar states converged: restless legs syndrome and opioid-withdrawal restlessness both point toward a striatal D1-mu-opioid circuit that regulates …

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Low-Dose Oral THC Did Not Reduce Stress Memory Distress: 36-Adult Trier RCT

Stylized Trier Social Stress Test memory scene with THC capsule and stress-response signals, representing a randomized trial showing no reduction in stress-memory distress.

Cannabis users often say the drug helps them blunt stressful memories. A 2026 randomized trial of 36 healthy adults tested low-dose oral THC against placebo during retrieval of a standardized lab stressor, and on every subjective and physiological measure that mattered, THC did nothing.1 Research Highlights 36-adult, 3-arm RCT: participants got placebo, 5 mg oral …

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25C-NBF Psychedelic Shows Antidepressant-Like Effects in Male Rodents

MHD featured image for 25C-NBF psychedelic psychoplastogenic and antidepressant-like effects in male rodents.

A 2026 preclinical study found that 25C-NBF, a selective 5-HT2A psychedelic phenethylamine, increased plasticity-related markers and produced rapid antidepressant-like effects in male rodents, while showing no detected reward or reinforcement signal in the models tested. Research Highlights 25C-NBF was preclinical: Nadal-Gratacos et al. tested cells, male mice, and male rats, not patients with depression.1 5-HT2A …

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Teen Vaping in Thailand: 17.6% Considered E-Cigs Despite Ban

MHD featured image for teen vaping tendency, e-cigarettes, and youth nicotine risk in Thailand.

A 2026 cross-sectional school study involving 1,848 rural Thai teenagers found that 17.6% reported a tendency to use e-cigarettes, even though Thailand bans e-cigarette sale and importation.1 The strongest adjusted correlate was having ever considered smoking cigarettes: those teenagers had 6.71 times the odds of e-cigarette use tendency compared with teenagers who had never considered …

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Ebselen Failed to Reduce Impulsivity in 130 Healthy Adults

MHD featured image for ebselen and impulsivity placebo trial.

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial found no evidence that ebselen reduced impulsivity in 130 healthy adults: 66 received ebselen, 64 received placebo, and the 1,800 mg 2-day regimen did not improve motor impulsivity, reflection impulsivity, or delay discounting.1 The more interesting calibration is that several trait-impulsivity interactions ran opposite the secondary prediction, weakening the idea that …

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