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This article introduces new technology revolving around the cure to mental health. Scientists say  brain scans could potentially diagnose future neurological complication. Knew knowledge surrounding the development of mental illness could begin to prevent future complications. This cure would potentially replace today's methods.

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Our brains consist of different regions that support the cognitive functions we need to survive. But none of these regions work alone. They receive and send input at all times, firing cells in other parts within the brain, and creating the patterns of synchronized activity behind our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Researchers are imaging these patterns to predict how symptoms of psychiatric disorders develop in teenagers. Their new prediction model offers an important tool to address anxiety and depression in the U.S.

In a , which was a collaboration among Northeastern, the University of California at Berkeley, and Vanderbilt University , the researchers identified specific patterns of activity in the brains of children, and predicted how symptoms of depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity progress.

"This is a whole new way of looking at the brain just by looking at temporal correlations," says Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli, a professor of psychology at Northeastern and lead author of the study. "These networks of brain activity are extremely helpful in terms of neuro prediction."

In the U.S., teens put anxiety and depression among their biggest concerns, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health show that suicide is the second leading cause of deaths among teenagers. And a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children and teenagers visits to U.S. emergency rooms for attempted suicide doubled from 2007 to 2015.

Whitfield-Gabrieli, who also directs the Biomedical Imaging Center at Northeastern, says these numbers tell the story of a crisis and epidemic in teenage anxiety and depression.

"When you look at the stats, this is clearly a huge problem that we're facing right now," she says. "Emotional health has hit a low, and unfortunately, this then translates into things like suicide."

For Whitfield-Gabrieli, the biggest problem lies in acting too late to address symptoms of mental illness from an early age. These symptoms, she says, generally go undetected until it's difficult to address them, when somebody is in crisis, or when a person is already having suicidal thoughts.

Her team analyzed how blood flows in synchrony through different regions of the brain at rest. That resting state activity creates patterns, or networks, that Whitfield-Gabrieli and other researchers had previously linked to depression and bipolar disorder.

Used as biomarkers, these patterns of brain activity show that they can predict the progress of anxiety, depression, and attentional symptoms more accurately than other tools used to diagnose mental conditions, including questionnaires that psychiatrists use to assess mental health.

"That may actually be predictive of the future," Whitfield-Gabrieli says. "But time and time again we've been finding that the brain metrics actually outperform these questionnaires in predicting the progression of symptoms."

Conventional research on brain activity and psychiatric disorders has mostly focused on children who are at risk of depression, Whitfield-Gabrieli says. But to take it one step further, the study focused on a diverse sample of children who were not preselected based on genetic or clinical risk for psychiatric conditions.

"They weren't selected for being at high risk for anxiety or depression, and yet, we can still find biomarkers that predict progression of these disorders," she says.

The study focused on 54 seven-year-old children, analyzing patterns of activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, two regions of the brain associated with attention and mood. The researchers coupled that data with activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is important for focusing, controlling impulses, and other highly complex cognitive functions.

The team found that stronger associations of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the medial prefrontal cortex at age seven predicted attention problems at age 11. Also, weaker associations of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and subgenual anterior cingulate predicted anxiety and depression problems by age 11. The predictions were also successfully replicated on separate groups of children with and without a family history of depression.

Whitfield-Gabrieli says that now, the goal is to find even earlier indications of mental illness in brain images of infants, in addition to conducting wide-scale behavioral interventions that could involve techniques such as exercise and mindfulness meditation.

"There are a lot of behavioral interventions that we can do that have no harm and that might prevent the progression of a disorder," says Whitfield-Gabrieli, adding that her work using mindfulness meditation with children in Boston schools has been shown to reduce stress.

That's an approach that could start shifting the course of teenage anxiety and depression. And it could be the missing piece that connects thousands of brain-imaging studies on psychiatric disorders that have yet to fundamentally enhance treatment of mental illnesses.

"We're finding cures for all of these other diseases, but we still need a huge help with psychiatry, because we don't understand the pathophysiology of the disorders and what treatment to give them," Whitfield-Gabrieli says. "That needs to change."

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Could brain scans of children predict teenage mental illness?

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Our brains consist of different regions that support the cognitive functions we need to survive. But none of these regions work alone. They receive and send input at all times, firing cells in other parts within the brain, and creating the patterns of synchronized activity behind our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

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Sloane needs to hear an optimistic mind set focusing on a cure to mental health. This video emphasizes the importance of breaking the stigma that says negative mental health is a weakness. It opens the listeners eye to finding professional help without being ashamed. Sloane and her friends would be able to openly talk about their emotions without fright.

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Break the Stigma Around Children's Mental Health

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This novel comes to a close with a cliff hanger leading into the sequel. Sloane is very curiosity about the increase of adult cases. This suicide epidemic could potentially be spreading to the adults. This senior living article elaborates on the importance of staying knowledgeable on today's negative adult mental health too.

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Senior living: self-care activities for seniors - The Register Herald

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Diet and exercise are usually top of mind when thinking about senior health and wellness, but there is a mental health component that is equally as important for aging well. Self-care is a concept that has been on the rise over the past two decades, especially as the world has been moving at […]

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This article reminds the reader how necessary positive relationships are for a healthy life style. Due to Sloane's new societal situation, teens around her may become very reserved. Although, Its very important for everyone to make an effort in creating bonds and interact with others around them. This article may help Sloane learn different ways to make healthy relationships.

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The importance of good friends throughout our lives cannot be underestimated: Studies have shown that positive friendships make us healthier and happier, they reduce stress, and can even help us live longer. Having close, supportive friends who rally behind you, celebrate your successes as their own, and leave you feeling better about yourself is tantamount to a life well-lived. Sometimes though, we tend to forget to take care of numero uno, and instead of surrounding ourselves with friends who encourage us and foster positivity, we hang on to (and may even seek out) friendships that are far from ideal for many different, often complicated, reasons. Plus, it isn't always easy to realize (or admit) that a friendship has turned toxic, either.

Cultivating and maintaining mutually beneficial friendships means taking stock with an honest eye. If your self-esteem takes a hit every time you speak to certain people, or you feel betrayed and/or generally not supported (there's a difference between a typically encouraging friend who just happens to be temporarily crabby), then it's time to begin distancing yourself. Positivity among friends is absolutely crucial to our wellbeing.

Healthy friendships are indicators that you'll be better able to remain upbeat and able-bodied-both psychologically and physically-throughout your life, explains Kristen Fuller, M.D., via Psychology Today. And as we get older, the lack of close, positive friendships can even make us more likely to develop chronic illnesses such as depression, diabetes, and heart disease, she adds. So as you gauge the quality of your friendships, ask yourself if your close friends meet the following criteria:

They Offer Support Without Question
Positive friends always show up, you never need to beg for their help, they can easily empathize, they offer kind words whenever you're down, they're loyal, and they're good, objective listeners. A true friend always wants you to be happy-and they'll go out of their way to make it so. By contrast, an overly negative, toxic friend all but celebrates when you've hit the skids, shares your innermost thoughts with others, is critical and judgmental, is jealous of your success, and generally makes you feel worse and/or more stressed after having confided in them.

They're Inspiring & Encouraging
While good friends buoy and empower us in times of disappointment and loss, they also inspire us to be the best we can be: They're great at getting us to try new things, they're often doing great things themselves, they treat others (not just you) with respect, and they help keep us accountable in achieving our goals-no matter how silly or "out there" they may seem. Pessimistic, naysaying friends might list all the reasons you won't succeed, they'll talk you out of doing things that push your boundaries, they'll gloss over your achievements, and even mock your innermost hopes and dreams. (And who needs that, right?)

The truth is that however one goes about attaining and furthering healthy friendships has a lot to do with how we view and value ourselves, and how we interact with those we trust.

To attract the friendship of supportive, optimistic people, you, too, must be a bastion of positivity and reciprocation. According to the therapist Suzanne Degges-Whites, Ph.D., (via Psychology Today), assessing our own behavior is essential to building healthy relationships and inviting positive people into our orbit. So start by looking within. Ask yourself, ' Am I an empathetic, self-confident, dependable, honest, trustworthy, and supportive person who sees the humor in life?' If not, take steps-whether through therapy, meditation, or other wellness exercises-to adopt a more give-and-take attitude; a healthy friendship isn't a one-way street.

Know that we attract-and get back-whatever we put out into the universe. It's just the way the world works: If you're a downer, negative folks will flock to you. To attract positive friendships, act like the friend you want. Then, vow to spend more time nurturing the encouraging friends you already have and phase out the negative friendships that no longer suit you. And remember that friendships are all about quality, not quantity.

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Cultivate Positive Friendships-They're Good for Your Health

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The importance of good friends throughout our lives cannot be underestimated: Studies have shown that positive friendships make us healthier and happier, they reduce stress, and can even help us live longer. Having close, supportive friends who rally behind you, celebrate your successes as their own, and leave you feeling better about yourself is tantamount to a life well-lived.

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Sloane would find a sense of relieve from watching this short video. She would gain a better understand of what mental health is. This video explains that negative mental health is not a weakness and that she can find help.