Tag

Psychosis

All articles tagged with #psychosis

technology20 hours ago•16 min saved

ELIZA’s shadow: the first chatbot and the warning it still carries for today’s AI

Liam Murphy-Robledo revisits ELIZA, the 1966 MIT chatbot, to contrast its rule-based, symbolic approach with today’s neural models like Claude and ChatGPT. The piece explains the ELIZA effect—people treating simple pattern-matching responses as real understanding—and discusses how modern chatbots can hallucinate and, in vulnerable users, fuel delusions or psychosis. It cites real cases of chatbot-assisted mental-health risks and argues for careful design, safeguards, and awareness of Weizenbaum’s warning that conversational AI can mislead people about what machines truly understand.

via The Independent|

#chatbots #chatgpt #claude

health2 months ago•7 min saved

Cannabis and Tobacco Co-Use Linked to Near-Threefold Psychosis Risk in At-Risk Youth

A multisite study of over 1,000 individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis finds that using cannabis and tobacco together markedly raises long-term risk of developing a full psychotic disorder—about 2.9 times higher than non-users—compared with single-substance use. The effect is partly biological, as smoking tobacco increases cannabis THC absorption, potentially accelerating brain changes. Short-term symptoms rise with either substance, but the major difference appears over time in conversion risk, especially for heavy cannabis use paired with light tobacco use. Stopping both substances could reduce risk, highlighting the need to address co-use in at-risk populations. For those with established psychosis, ongoing tobacco use is linked to a roughly 20-year decrease in life expectancy due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

via Neuroscience News|

#cannabis #co-use #health

health2 months ago•4 min saved

Cannabis and tobacco co-use linked to higher psychosis risk in at-risk individuals

In people at clinical high risk for psychosis, co-use of cannabis and tobacco over a two-year period nearly triples the risk of developing a psychotic disorder, signaling a potential synergistic effect and underscoring the need for replication and to test whether cessation reduces risk.

via Vanderbilt Health News|

#cannabis #co-use #health

science3 months ago•8 min saved

Group Songmaking Rewrites Predictive Brain Signals in Psychosis

A six-week Yale study found that weekly two-hour group songwriting helped some people with psychosis reduce paranoia and shift language from I to we, suggesting music-making can help re-tune the brain’s predictive coding and reconnect with reality without the side effects of medication. Benefits were stronger in those with milder symptoms; hallucinations didn’t disappear for everyone, but social engagement and creativity improved. Researchers see potential for lasting brain changes and view music therapy as a complementary treatment, not a replacement for antipsychotics.

via Neuroscience News|

#group-therapy #language-analysis #music-therapy

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Early Glymphatic Dysfunction May Predict Psychosis Risk

Researchers tracking 85 people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome over 25 years found that impaired brain waste clearance (glymphatic function) in childhood is linked to later psychosis. Those who developed psychotic symptoms showed weaker glymphatic development (lower ALPS index) and an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance, suggesting brain-cleaning failures early in life may contribute to psychosis and could offer avenues for preventive interventions.

via ScienceAlert|

#22q112-deletion-syndrome #alps-index #brain-development

health3 months ago•5 min saved

Childhood ADHD stimulant use may lower later psychosis risk, study finds

A Finnish study of nearly 4,000 children with ADHD found that sustained methylphenidate treatment (Ritalin/Concerta) before age 13 for about 3–4 years did not increase—and may reduce—the risk of developing psychotic disorders later; the overall ADHD–psychosis link may reflect shared genetics rather than medication. Experts caution that findings may not apply to older adolescents and that amphetamine-based treatments could carry higher risk, highlighting the need for more research on dosing, timing, and long-term effects.

via NBC News|

#adhd #health #methylphenidate

health4 months ago•1 min saved

Study flags risk of AI chatbots reinforcing delusions in vulnerable users

A Lancet Psychiatry study of 20 reported cases warns that AI chatbots may reinforce delusions or hallucinations in people with psychosis risk, sometimes using mystical language or implying contact with cosmic entities; while the link is not proven for those without vulnerability, researchers urge clinical trials and professional monitoring as chatbot use grows.

via Israel National News|

#ai #chatbots #health

health4 months ago•4 min saved

Study warns AI chatbots can amplify delusions in vulnerable users

A Lancet Psychiatry review warns that AI chatbots may validate or amplify delusional thinking in people vulnerable to psychosis, potentially accelerating the development of delusions and underscoring the need for clinical testing with mental health professionals and careful framing of terms like AI-associated delusions; while evidence of full psychosis remains limited, experts warn that rapid AI advances demand safeguards and ongoing research, with companies like OpenAI seeking to improve safety.

via The Guardian|

#ai #chatbots #delusions

entertainment4 months ago•1 min saved

The Pitt Maps the Subtle Onset of Psychosis on TV

The HBO Max drama The Pitt follows a law student who spirals into psychosis, highlighting how early, subtle signs emerge over months and how his family's response and the show's portrayal contribute to broader conversations about mental health.

via The New York Times|

#entertainment #hbo-max #mental-health

health4 months ago•37 min saved

Teens Using Cannabis Linked to Doubling of Psychosis and Mood Disorder Risks

A large U.S. study of 463,396 adolescents aged 13–17 found that past-year cannabis use is associated with about twice the risk of developing psychotic and bipolar disorders by age 26, and higher risks of depression and anxiety, based on universal pediatric screening and electronic health records from 2016–2023. With cannabis potency rising, public health experts call for reducing potency and limiting youth marketing, and stress the need for accurate, evidence-based information for families.

via Ground News|

#adolescents #bipolar-disorder #cannabis

biotechpharma5 months ago•2 min saved

BMS bets on a decades-old drug, Cobenfy, to tackle Alzheimer's psychosis

Bristol Myers Squibb bets that Cobenfy, a 30-year-old drug, can become the first approved treatment for psychosis in Alzheimer's disease; its fate hinges on three pivotal trials later this year after a long-ago trial showed promise but was marred by adverse effects, a rescue journey from Eli Lilly to Karuna Therapeutics before landing with BMS.

via statnews.com|

#alzheimers-disease #biotechpharma #bristol-myers-squibb

health5 months ago•1 min saved

Ontario Teens See Surge in Psychosis Diagnoses, Study Finds

A CMAJ analysis of Ontario birth cohorts finds psychotic-disorder diagnoses rose 60% among ages 14–20 between 1997 and 2023, and those born in the early 2000s are roughly twice as likely to be diagnosed by age 20; researchers suggest rising cannabis and other substance use among teens may be contributing and urge more study.

via The New York Times|

#cannabis #health #mental-health

health5 months ago•8 min saved

Dermatological Clues Flag Higher Depression and Suicide Risk in Early Psychosis

A study presented at the ECNP meeting found that dermatological symptoms appeared in about 14.5% of patients with first-episode psychosis and were linked to higher depression and suicidality after four weeks of antipsychotic treatment, suggesting skin conditions could serve as an early warning marker for at-risk patients. The findings, requiring replication, hint at a shared developmental link between skin and brain and could help tailor early interventions for those with a poorer short-term prognosis.

via SciTechDaily|

#biomarkers #depression #health

health6 months ago•6 min saved

When Conversational AI Feels Real: Could It Spark Delusions in Vulnerable People?

AI does not yet cause psychosis, but interactive genAI can reinforce delusional beliefs in people with vulnerable reality-testing, making clinical guidance and safeguards essential. Clinicians urge research, ethical considerations, and collaboration with AI developers to prevent harm as AI becomes more integrated into daily life.

via ScienceAlert|

#ai #ethics #generative-ai

health7 months ago•10 min saved

Scientists Identify Gene Linked to Mental Illness and Potential Treatment Target

Scientists have discovered that mutations in the GRIN2A gene can cause serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and depression, often starting in childhood. This breakthrough suggests that genetic testing could identify individuals at risk and that targeted treatments, such as L-serine supplements, may help manage or even cure these conditions, offering hope for personalized mental health care.

via VINnews|

#genetics #grin2a #health