Ten Minutes of Focused Sound Waves Brought Early Relief for Delusions in a Small Trial
Researchers at NYU Langone Health tested a non-invasive technique that aims gentle, focused sound waves at a small, deep brain area in 10 adults whose schizophrenia or schizoaffective symptoms had persisted despite medication. Each person received one real 10-minute session and one sham session a week apart, and average delusion scores fell modestly after the real session while rising slightly after the sham one, with the difference lasting up to a week. Side effects were mild and short-lived, and the team stresses this is only an early pilot — larger studies with repeated sessions over longer periods are needed before any wider use could be considered.
Source: MedicalXpress (NYU Langone Health study coverage, October 20, 2026)
Why Cannabis Can Turn Anxious Under Stress, According to a Mouse-Brain Study
Northwestern University scientists studying mice found that a synthetic cannabinoid drug weakened a natural calming restraint on a small group of fear-related brain cells, leaving those cells more active when the animals faced a threatening scent. Mice given the drug froze more and explored less, and quieting those cells reduced the anxious behaviour — a pattern that grew stronger when higher doses combined with stressful conditions. The work, published in Nature Communications, was done in mice, so it points to a possible mechanism in people rather than proving the same effect in humans, and the researchers suggest the same brain cells could be a broader target for future anxiety research.
Source: ScienceDaily (Northwestern University study coverage, October 6, 2026)
Snooker Star Mark Allen Sets His Sights on a Comeback While Continuing Treatment
Northern Ireland snooker player Mark Allen, who recently spoke openly about receiving care in a mental health clinic, has said he hopes to be in a better place by the time the UK Championship begins in late November. After an emotional interview following his Northern Ireland Open exit raised doubts about his future in the sport, he thanked fans for an outpouring of support and said he now wants to use his experience to raise more awareness of mental health. For now, he describes recovery as a day-by-day process, with the championship as a goal to work toward rather than a certainty.
Source: Sky Sports (October 25, 2026)
Researchers at NYU Langone Health tested a non-invasive technique that aims gentle, focused sound waves at a small, deep brain area in 10 adults whose schizophrenia or schizoaffective symptoms had persisted despite medication. Each person received one real 10-minute session and one sham session a week apart, and average delusion scores fell modestly after the real session while rising slightly after the sham one, with the difference lasting up to a week. Side effects were mild and short-lived, and the team stresses this is only an early pilot — larger studies with repeated sessions over longer periods are needed before any wider use could be considered.
Source: MedicalXpress (NYU Langone Health study coverage, October 20, 2026)
Why Cannabis Can Turn Anxious Under Stress, According to a Mouse-Brain Study
Northwestern University scientists studying mice found that a synthetic cannabinoid drug weakened a natural calming restraint on a small group of fear-related brain cells, leaving those cells more active when the animals faced a threatening scent. Mice given the drug froze more and explored less, and quieting those cells reduced the anxious behaviour — a pattern that grew stronger when higher doses combined with stressful conditions. The work, published in Nature Communications, was done in mice, so it points to a possible mechanism in people rather than proving the same effect in humans, and the researchers suggest the same brain cells could be a broader target for future anxiety research.
Source: ScienceDaily (Northwestern University study coverage, October 6, 2026)
Snooker Star Mark Allen Sets His Sights on a Comeback While Continuing Treatment
Northern Ireland snooker player Mark Allen, who recently spoke openly about receiving care in a mental health clinic, has said he hopes to be in a better place by the time the UK Championship begins in late November. After an emotional interview following his Northern Ireland Open exit raised doubts about his future in the sport, he thanked fans for an outpouring of support and said he now wants to use his experience to raise more awareness of mental health. For now, he describes recovery as a day-by-day process, with the championship as a goal to work toward rather than a certainty.
Source: Sky Sports (October 25, 2026)