Many biological theories of psychopathology suggest that mental illnesses occur when genetic predisposition to develop a disorder (diathesis) is combined with an environment that triggers its development ( stress). These are often called diathesis-stress models. A new series of studies from Concordia University has found evidence of a link between a recent rise in depression rates and the increase of daily stress.

The more chocolate a person eats, the more depressed they are. Do depressed people eat more chocolate because it helps relieve their symptoms or does the chocolate cause the depression? This is the question raised by new research showing that as depressive symptoms increase, so does chocolate consumption.

Test Your Mental Health This week's resource has been sent in by someone who wishes to remain anonymous, so I would like to thank them for this very interesting resource. You can use this to help you learn about and understand the symptoms of a number of psychological disorders, such as Attention Deficit Disorder, OCD, Eating Disorders, Depression and Schizophrenia.

A new study has identified social/psychological factors in early childhood that can contribute to symptoms of anxiety and depression later in life. According to the doctorate study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), small children who grow up in a family where the mother has psychological distress, the family is exposed to stress or is lacking social support, are at higher risk of developing anxious and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. Girls are more vulnerable than boys, and very timid or short-tempered children are more vulnerable than others to develop emotional problems.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have carried out research that may have implications for our understanding of stress, depression and eating disorders. It may also help explain why some people overeat when they are stressed or depressed.

Photo credit The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine is reporting research published in the journal Social cognitive and Affective Neuroscience that shows that different parts of the brain are activated in males and females when confronted with a stressful situation. The researchers examined the activity of participant's brains using fMRI and measured levels of cortisol while they attempted difficult arithmetic problems (high stress) or counted backwards (low stress).

A new biological treatment for Major Depressive Disorder is able to provide improvements for a significant proportion of patients, according to new research published in the online issue of Biological Psychiatry by scientists from the University of Toronto and Emory University School of Medicine.

There is significant evidence that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is effective in treating severely depressed patients, a new study has found.