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The Briefing · Psychiatry & Cognitive Neurology

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  1. Multimodal AI System Matches Clinicians in Simulated Telehealth Diagnostics
    Nature Medicine ·Randomized Controlled Trial · May 16, 2026

    Multimodal AI System Matches Clinicians in Simulated Telehealth Diagnostics

    A new AI system, multimodal AMIE, integrates diverse data types to achieve high diagnostic accuracy and conversational quality in simulated telehealth

  2. SHANK3 Haploinsufficiency in Macaques Reveals Diverse Behavioral, Cognitive Phenotypes
    Neuron ·Animal Study · May 16, 2026

    SHANK3 Haploinsufficiency in Macaques Reveals Diverse Behavioral, Cognitive Phenotypes

    A new macaque model of SHANK3 haploinsufficiency provides insights into Phelan-McDermid syndrome and potential biomarkers.

  3. SSPOP Mutations Linked to Pediatric Epilepsy and Developmental Disorders
    Brain ·Preclinical Study · May 16, 2026

    SSPOP Mutations Linked to Pediatric Epilepsy and Developmental Disorders

    Researchers identify pathogenic variants in a supposed pseudogene, expanding the diagnostic landscape for unexplained neurodevelopmental delay.

  4. Long-Duration Levodopa Response Distinguishes Parkinson's, Predicts Outcomes
    Annals of Neurology ·Cohort Study · May 16, 2026

    Long-Duration Levodopa Response Distinguishes Parkinson's, Predicts Outcomes

    A study details how sustained levodopa motor improvement helps differentiate parkinsonian syndromes and offers prognostic insights for PD.

  5. Gender-Affirming Mastectomy Linked to Sustained Satisfaction, Quality of Life
    Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery ·Cross-Sectional Study · May 16, 2026

    Gender-Affirming Mastectomy Linked to Sustained Satisfaction, Quality of Life

    A cross-sectional study finds high patient-reported chest satisfaction and psychological well-being years after gender-affirming mastectomy.

  6. Digital and Mixed Interventions Support Physical Activity After Exercise Therapy
    British Journal of Sports Medicine ·Systematic Review · May 16, 2026

    Digital and Mixed Interventions Support Physical Activity After Exercise Therapy

    An umbrella review suggests digital and mixed delivery methods help patients with chronic conditions maintain physical activity and quality of life.

  7. Postpartum Psychosis Heritability Estimated, Specific Risk Genes Identified
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Genome-Wide Association Study · May 16, 2026

    Postpartum Psychosis Heritability Estimated, Specific Risk Genes Identified

    New research quantifies genetic contributions to postpartum psychosis and identifies specific genes, including shared pathways with other psychiatric

  8. Neuroimaging Biotypes May Guide MDD Treatment, Improve Remission
    Biological Psychiatry ·Narrative Review · May 16, 2026

    Neuroimaging Biotypes May Guide MDD Treatment, Improve Remission

    Functional MRI-derived circuit profiles could personalize major depressive disorder therapy, potentially doubling remission rates.

  9. Apelin Mediates Exercise's Antidepressant Effects via Hippocampal NMDA Receptors
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Animal Study · May 16, 2026

    Apelin Mediates Exercise's Antidepressant Effects via Hippocampal NMDA Receptors

    A muscle-derived protein, apelin, links physical activity to improved mood and neuroplasticity through a specific brain signaling pathway.

  10. Three Genetic Loci Modify Risk and Onset of Inherited Alzheimer's Disease
    The Lancet Neurology ·Genome-Wide Association Study · May 16, 2026

    Three Genetic Loci Modify Risk and Onset of Inherited Alzheimer's Disease

    Specific genetic variants influence disease risk and age of dementia onset in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease.

  11. Fentanyl Differentially Modulates Dopamine Patterns, Impairing Reward Seeking in Mice
    Neuropsychopharmacology ·Animal Study · May 16, 2026

    Fentanyl Differentially Modulates Dopamine Patterns, Impairing Reward Seeking in Mice

    Acute fentanyl administration simultaneously increases tonic dopamine while reducing phasic dopamine responses to non-drug reward cues.

  12. ICU Caregiver Financial Strain Linked to Psychological Distress, Medical Mistrust
    Critical Care Medicine ·Cross-Sectional Study · May 16, 2026

    ICU Caregiver Financial Strain Linked to Psychological Distress, Medical Mistrust

    A study of 97 ICU caregivers found that over 60% reported difficulty paying for care, correlating with increased anxiety, depression, PTSD, and decisi

  13. Secreted GPNMB Drives Alpha-Synuclein Spread in Parkinson's Disease
    Neuron ·Cohort Study · May 16, 2026

    Secreted GPNMB Drives Alpha-Synuclein Spread in Parkinson's Disease

    A new study identifies a microglial-neuronal feedback loop involving GPNMB that exacerbates alpha-synuclein pathology, offering a therapeutic target.

  14. Skin Biopsy Distinguishes Body-First from Brain-First Parkinson’s Disease
    Brain ·Cross-Sectional Study · May 16, 2026

    Skin Biopsy Distinguishes Body-First from Brain-First Parkinson’s Disease

    Cutaneous alpha-synuclein signatures and seeding activity identify divergent pathological origins and autonomic denervation patterns.

  15. TES Criteria Show Low Accuracy for CTE-NC Diagnosis
    Nature Medicine ·Diagnostic Accuracy Study · May 15, 2026

    TES Criteria Show Low Accuracy for CTE-NC Diagnosis

    A study of 1,038 brain bank cases reveals that traumatic encephalopathy syndrome criteria poorly predict postmortem chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

  16. Intracranial Stimulation Prevents Attentional Lapses in Children
    Nature Neuroscience ·Randomized Controlled Trial · May 15, 2026

    Intracranial Stimulation Prevents Attentional Lapses in Children

    A new study identifies a real-time neural signature for attentional control, enabling targeted intervention to improve attention shifts.

  17. Recent Trauma Exposure Linked to Increased V1 Thickness, Independent of PTSD Symptoms
    PubMed ·Cohort Study · May 15, 2026

    Recent Trauma Exposure Linked to Increased V1 Thickness, Independent of PTSD Symptoms

    A two-sample study identifies greater V1 thickness in recently trauma-exposed individuals, a finding distinct from PTSD symptom severity.

  18. Hippocampal Lesions Reduce Visual Working Memory Precision in Epilepsy Patients
    Brain ·Cohort Study · May 15, 2026

    Hippocampal Lesions Reduce Visual Working Memory Precision in Epilepsy Patients

    Postoperative hippocampal damage selectively degrades memory quality rather than quantity, offering a marker for functional monitoring.

  19. Reduced ULK1 Links Impaired Cellular Clearance to Alzheimer's Pathology
    Nature Aging ·Cohort Study · May 15, 2026

    Reduced ULK1 Links Impaired Cellular Clearance to Alzheimer's Pathology

    Lower levels of ULK1 correlate with Alzheimer's disease, and its upregulation improves pathology and cognition in animal models.

  20. Thalamic Connections to Medial Prefrontal Cortex Predict Impulsivity
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Cohort Study · May 15, 2026

    Thalamic Connections to Medial Prefrontal Cortex Predict Impulsivity

    A new study links specific thalamic subregions, defined by cortical connectivity, to individual differences in delay discounting.

  21. Thalamic-MPFC Connectivity Linked to Individual Differences in Impulsivity
    Molecular Psychiatry ·Cohort Study · May 15, 2026

    Thalamic-MPFC Connectivity Linked to Individual Differences in Impulsivity

    A new study identifies specific thalamic subregions connected to the medial prefrontal cortex as structural correlates of delay discounting.

  22. Prefrontal GABAergic Synaptic Plasticity Regulates Cognitive Flexibility
    Neuron ·Animal Study · May 15, 2026

    Prefrontal GABAergic Synaptic Plasticity Regulates Cognitive Flexibility

    A new study identifies a specific long-range inhibitory synaptic mechanism in the prefrontal cortex crucial for adapting to changing rules.

  23. Nitrous Oxide Addiction Linked to DCN-VTA Circuit, AMPA Receptor Potentiation
    Molecular Psychiatry ·In Vitro Study · May 15, 2026

    Nitrous Oxide Addiction Linked to DCN-VTA Circuit, AMPA Receptor Potentiation

    A new study identifies how nitrous oxide directly enhances AMPA receptor function in the DCN-VTA circuit, mediating its rewarding effects.

  24. Nitrous Oxide Reward Driven by DCN-VTA Circuit, AMPA Receptor Potentiation
    Molecular Psychiatry ·In Vitro Study · May 15, 2026

    Nitrous Oxide Reward Driven by DCN-VTA Circuit, AMPA Receptor Potentiation

    A new study in animal models identifies the specific neural circuit and molecular mechanism underlying nitrous oxide's rewarding effects.