A One-Week Break From Social Media Improved Mental Health in Young Adults
A new study in JAMA Network Open tracked 295 young adults (ages 18–24) who opted into a one-week 'detox' from social media. After one week, participants showed a 16.1% reduction in anxiety symptoms, a 24.8% reduction in depression symptoms, and a 14.5% reduction in insomnia — suggesting even a short break can have measurable short-term benefits. The study was a cohort study rather than a randomized trial, so expectations may have influenced results; researchers from Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center led the work, and longer-term effects still need study.
Source: The George Washington University
Psilocybin Phase 3 Trial for Treatment-Resistant Depression Shows Effects Lasting Up to a Year
Compass Pathways announced 52-week results from its Phase 3 COMP005 trial of COMP360, a synthetic psilocybin formulation for treatment-resistant depression — the first-ever Phase 3 trial of a classic psychedelic to report successful results. In the open-label extension, participants who received an additional 25 mg dose averaged a 13-point drop in depression scores (MADRS) from baseline at one year, with 40–45% showing a response and about 30% reaching remission. Note that this one-year portion was open-label, so participants knew they were receiving the active drug, and the treatment is not yet FDA-approved.
Source: BioSpace
Motivation Matters More Than Working Memory for Math Skills, Long-Term Study Finds
A longitudinal study following a birth cohort from age 8 to 16 found that intrinsic motivation — not working memory — predicted improvements in math achievement over time. The effect went both ways: higher motivation was linked to better math performance two years later, and better math performance boosted motivation at the next round of testing. The researchers (Hoås Morin et al., Contemporary Educational Psychology, 2026) suggest that engaging math experiences early may matter more for long-term achievement than cognitive capacity alone.
Source: Phys.org