Researchers at the University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany, have discovered that heart rate deceleration within the first 45 seconds of brain stimulation predicts treatment success in major depression up to six weeks later. The study of 75 patients found that monitoring cardiac responses during transcranial magnetic stimulation could help clinicians identify which patients will benefit most from treatment. Roberto Goya-Maldonado and colleagues at the University Medical Center Göttingen published these findings, demonstrating a potential biomarker for personalizing depression therapy.

Around 70% of women who suffer a sexual assault develop PTSD; now scientists have shown that many of these women show a marked reduction in the usual communication between two important brain areas involved in processing and control of emotions, the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex. In some women, synchronisation between these areas can drop to near zero. This work is presented at the ECNP conference in Amsterdam.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected Salk neuroscientist Terrence Sejnowski, PhD, to receive a 2025 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award. The NIH award will provide $3.5 million over the next five years to support his lab’s latest project, which will use advanced computational techniques to analyze and model the neural circuit dynamics of working memory. The findings will help neuroscientists better understand and treat memory issues in mental disorders such as schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The project will strengthen substance use prevention among more than 3,000 South Florida youth. “Rising Strong” will apply trauma-informed, evidence-based strategies to support vulnerable populations, including youth facing housing instability, aging out of foster care, living in rural areas, or recovering from human trafficking. As social, economic, and mental health stressors intensify, this effort aims to offer healthier coping alternatives. By prioritizing behavioral health and resilience, the program seeks to empower a new generation toward substance-free futures.