Profound loss of pleasure related to early-onset dementia

Loss of the ability to experience pleasure - or anhedonia - has been revealed as a key feature in frontotemporal dementia, in contrast to Alzheimer's disease. The findings from brain scans, believed to be a first, show grey matter deterioration in the so-called pleasure system of the brain - these regions were distinct from those implicated in depression or apathy, suggesting a possible treatment target for the early-onset dementia that affects people from 40-65 years.
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Blood test for depression, bipolar disorder

Worldwide, 1 in 4 people will suffer from a depressive episode in their lifetime. While current diagnosis and treatment approaches are largely trial and error, a breakthrough study sheds new light on the biological basis of mood disorders, and offers a promising blood test aimed at a precision medicine approach to treatment.
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Pumping the ‘brain brake’ in pediatric anxiety

A new study reveals that an evidence-based treatment may 'fix' a human short circuit that leads to anxiety and, with the help of brain imaging, might predict treatment outcomes for adolescents with anxiety disorders. Researchers say this could determine medication effectiveness more quickly to help patients.
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