A 2026 double-blind randomized controlled trial by Kappes et al. in Psychopharmacology found something the smart-drug users likely wouldn’t have predicted: a single 30 mg dose of methylphenidate reduced dishonest misreporting on a die-rolling task from ~22% of trials in the placebo arm to ~6% (in the methylphenidate arm).1 Atomoxetine, a noradrenergic comparator, had no …
An ear-clip that modulates mood by stimulating the vagus nerve has obvious appeal — but the evidence base for non-invasive tVNS in depression has been mixed for a decade. A 2026 cross-over RCT by Forbes et al. sharpens what specifically tVNS does well.1 Research Highlights Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a non-invasive ear-electrode version …
Lurasidone is approved for schizophrenia and bipolar depression on the strength of acute trials that mostly reported a single number: the change in PANSS total score. A 2026 post-hoc analysis of the JEWEL Phase 3 trial pulls that number apart, looking separately at five symptom domains and at all 30 individual items of the PANSS …
Lisdexamfetamine remains the only FDA-approved medication for binge-eating disorder — a serious condition affecting roughly 1.2% of adults. A 2026 human laboratory study by McKee and colleagues tests whether naltrexone/bupropion, already approved for obesity, reduces the food-reward mechanisms that drive binge episodes.1 Research Highlights Binge-eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the …
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is the field’s longest-running mechanistic story, and most of its supporting evidence has been cross-sectional. A 2026 longitudinal PET study by Schulz and colleagues followed the same 28 patients across psychosis and early remission.1 Research Highlights The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is the field’s longest-running mechanistic story. Cross-sectional 18F-DOPA PET …
PTSD and major depressive disorder co-occur in roughly half of patients with either diagnosis, and the comorbid presentation is more severe than either alone. The mechanistic question has been whether comorbidity reflects synergistic biology or simple symptom additivity. A 2026 rat-model study by Jiang and colleagues tests this directly, finding that PTSD-MDD comorbid rats show …
Social hierarchies are not just a human phenomenon; they’re prevalent in the animal kingdom too, particularly among social creatures like mice. A groundbreaking study on isogenic C57BL/6 mice has shed light on the intricate mechanisms that govern social hierarchy, particularly focusing on the role of dopamine and stress response. This discovery not only enhances our …