As per the latest data released by Transforming Access to Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) and the Policy Institute at King's College London, the number of UK students reporting mental health difficulties tripled. The estimate reveals that around 300,000 students could now be experiencing mental health struggles. Of the total, 18% of students reported some kind of mental health issue in 2024.

As per the reports, this estimate is triple what was reported in 2017, where it was at 6%. Experts also say that Covid-19 pandemic is "often considered to have contributed to this, it does not explain the ongoing rise in mental health difficulties." Another reason could also be the "changing definition and increasing openness about mental health" which has led to a rise in numbers. The report notes, "This trend pre-dates the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Although these factors play a part in students' deteriorating mental health, they cannot therefore be the only explanation."

How Did The Report Conclude?

The report drew data collected over the latest Student Academic Experience Survey of 93,212 students. From the survey, it was found that there exist significant disparities between demographic groups, with women being twice as likely to report mental health difficulties, about 22% as compared to men, at 11%.

What Did The Results Reveal?

The results revealed that students who identified as LGBTQ experienced the highest rates of mental health challenges. This has actually lessened the hope that conditions for LGBTQ students are improving, which may not have been a positive case.

Of them, 42% are bisexual and lesbian students, whereas last year it was 35% and 32% respectively. The report also noted that mental health difficulties among lesbian women and gay men rose three times the rate of straight people, and among bisexual and asexual people, it was twice as high. For trans students, the number jumped from 25% in 2023 to 40% in 2024.

Is The LGBTQ+ Prone To Mental Health Crisis?

As per the Child Mind Institute, being LGBTQ+ does not cause mental health problems, but because these kids often face factors like rejection, discrimination and violence, they are at a higher risk of challenges including depression, anxiety, and even attempting suicide.

A UTAH Health study quotes Anna Docherty, PhD, LP, assistant professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute that, "likely with any identity, feeling different - or worse, unaccepted as you are is a significant risk factor of mental health struggle." The data reveals that LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens. They are also more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and more than four times as likely to attempt suicide. In the US alone, 48% of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4% of the overall population.

What Do These Findings Mean?

TASO's academic lead and professor of public policy at King's College London, Michael Sanders said, "LGBTQ students and women bear the brunt of the rise in declining mental health and urgent action is needed to understand and address these trends."

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have released the world’s most detailed 3D atlas of the human brainstem.

Called ANCHOR (Atlas of Neurochemical Characterization of the Human Brainstem with 3D Reconstruction), the atlas was developed using a high-throughput brain imaging and computing platform that transforms whole human brains into 3D cell-resolution atlases.

It provides comprehensive multi-modal 3D maps of the human brainstem across the lifespan, covering the prenatal period, childhood, and adulthood.

The atlas includes more than 200 brainstem nuclei and fiber tracts reconstructed from hundreds of serial sections. To identify distinct neurochemical cell types, researchers overlaid eight complementary immunostains across more than 500 sections, enabling detailed mapping.

Developed by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre (SGBC) at IIT Madras, ANCHOR has been made publicly available to researchers, clinicians, and patients worldwide.

“This is a significant accomplishment in the field of neurobiology. This is a multimodal framework integrating MRI, histology, and detailed chemo-architecture. It will be the most detailed and comprehensive maps of the human brainstem, and made available publicly in digital form. These maps will help in identifying specific cell populations affected in brain stem lesions, which could be critical for clinical applications,” said Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, during the 3rd BRICS Neuroscience Symposium 2026.

Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Head of SGBC, IIT Madras, said the atlas uses a multimodal image visualization framework that integrates volumetric MRI data with cellular-level images.

“By establishing precise spatial correspondence across these modalities, the atlas enables a seamless transition from gross brain structures in the MRI to cellular-level features. We envision that these maps and atlases will have significant implications for neuroscience and neuromedicine,” he said.

Also read: India AI Summit: Union Health Minister Nadda Launches SAHI And BODH Initiatives To Boost AI In Healthcare

What Is ANCHOR?

The human brainstem contains more than 200 nuclei and fiber tracts and plays a vital role in regulating essential body functions.

ANCHOR is an online platform featuring more than 800 serial histological sections stained for Nissl and seven immunochemical (IHC) markers from three human brainstems representing different stages of life:

• 25 fetal gestational weeks
• 9 years old
• 54 years old

The atlas also describes catecholaminergic groups across all three age groups, identifies the protoplasmic commissural dendrites of the hypoglossal nucleus, and describes the pretectal nuclei in the fetal brainstem.

Read More:79th World Health Assembly: India Created Over 880 Million Digital Health IDs, Says J P Nadda

Integrated Online Viewer

ANCHOR includes an online viewer that integrates:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Block-face imaging
• Nissl-stained serial sections
• IHC-stained serial sections
• 3D reconstruction of the entire brainstem.

The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune has confirmed Nipah virus infection in a 43-year-old man from Ramanattukara in Kerala's Kozhikode district.

The patient, who was earlier shifted from a private hospital to a dedicated Nipah isolation facility at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, remains in critical condition and is currently on ventilator support under the close supervision of a team of specialists, as per officials.

The patient was initially transferred to the Medical College Hospital after testing positive in a preliminary examination conducted at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL). Following preliminary test results that suggested Nipah infection, the Kerala Health Department swung into action and intensified surveillance and containment measures in Kozhikode district.

77 Contacts Identified Through Tracing Efforts

After confirmation from NIV Pune, health authorities launched extensive contact-tracing efforts. District officials have identified 77 people who may have been exposed to the patient through contact tracing:

Notably, the patient's immediate family members—including his wife, two children, father, and mother—have been placed under quarantine.

In addition, two staff members of a private hospital in Kozhikode who interacted with the patient during earlier treatment have also been advised to remain in quarantine. Samples from five primary contacts have been sent to the VRDL laboratory for testing, as per media reports.

Also read: Ebola Survivors May Face COVID-Like Memory Loss and Brain Issues For Over 7 Years: NIH Study

No Need for Containment Zone Yet, Says Minister

As per District Collector M.S. Madhavikutty, none of the identified contacts are currently showing symptoms and there is no immediate need to declare a containment zone.

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan also stated that the current situation does not warrant the declaration of a containment zone in Ramanattukara.

"The 15 priority contacts have been advised to remain in quarantine. A rapid response team meeting was held to ensure the availability of PPE kits and gloves. There is no shortage of medicines, and additional supplies will arrive from Chennai," the minister said.

Officials Probing Possible Source of Infection

The patient's initial symptoms included a high fever about a week ago and was later hospitalized with symptoms suggestive of encephalitis. But as his condition worsened, doctors tested for Nipah infection, which turned positive.

He is likely to have been exposed to the virus while cleaning an old godown in Puthukad, Malappuram district, reportedly connected to his soap manufacturing business.

Another likely source of infection is a chikoo tree located on the patient's property, where officials have reportedly observed the presence of bats and bird droppings.

"Anyone developing fever should voluntarily isolate themselves, wear a mask, and avoid close contact with others. However, making masks mandatory for the public is not being considered at present, as the situation does not require such a measure," Madhavikutty told reporters.

This is the 11th Nipah outbreak reported in Kerala since the virus was first detected in the state in 2018.

What Is Nipah Virus?

According to the World Health Organization, Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food and, in some cases, directly from person to person.

In humans, infection can range from asymptomatic illness to severe respiratory disease and fatal encephalitis (brain inflammation). The virus can also infect animals such as pigs, causing significant economic losses for farmers.

Although outbreaks have been limited mainly to parts of Asia, the virus is known for its high fatality rate and potential to cause severe disease.

Symptoms of Nipah Virus Infection

Common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain
• Severe weakness
• Dizziness
• Altered consciousness in severe cases
• Encephalitis (brain inflammation)

Why Is Nipah a Concern?

Nipah virus is considered a major public health threat because of:

• Its high mortality rate
• The ability to spread through close contact
• The absence of a specific antiviral treatment
• The lack of an approved vaccine for widespread use

People who survive Ebola virus disease (EVD) may continue to experience memory loss, irritability, and difficulty concentrating for more than seven years after recovering from the infection, according to a new study led by researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The findings come as Ebola outbreaks continue in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, where confirmed cases have surpassed 650 and more than 130 deaths have been reported.

Long-Term Neurological Problems

The NIH partnered with Liberia's Ministry of Health to study the long-term effects of the disease during the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which caused more than 28,000 infections and over 11,000 deaths across Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

Researchers evaluated 148 adult Ebola survivors and 81 uninfected close contacts who served as a comparison group. The results revealed that many people experienced significant neurological symptoms during the acute phase of the illness, some of which continued for seven long years.

During infection, survivors commonly reported headaches, altered mental status, and stroke-like symptoms. Long-term complications affected the brain and nervous system and included cognitive dysfunction, persistent headaches, sleep disturbances, depression, sexual dysfunction, tremors, fatigue, cranial nerve abnormalities, and abnormal sensations.

The researchers also found that headaches and neurological abnormalities remained more common among Ebola survivors than in people who had not been infected.

"Over time, survivors' symptoms and neurological examinations improved; however, more than 7 years later, a significant proportion continue to endorse memory loss," the researchers wrote in the study, published in JAMA Neurology.

Similarities to Long COVID

Also read: WHO Says Ebola Fight Is Catching Up; Expert Explains Science Behind Patient Recoveries

The study noted that many participants experienced symptoms similar to those seen in other post-infection conditions, including Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). These symptoms included headaches, memory loss, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

"This suggests possible shared pathophysiology, including persistent viral antigen or immune dysregulation," the researchers said.

However, the authors pointed out some important differences. While Long COVID and ME/CFS are often associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction, such problems were not clearly identified among Ebola survivors, although dizziness and light-headedness were common.

How Does Ebola Affect the Brain?

The exact cause of long-term neurological problems after Ebola infection remains unclear. The researchers explained that during the acute illness, brain-related symptoms may be due to widespread inflammation, electrolyte imbalances, low blood pressure, blood-clotting abnormalities, or direct infection of the brain and nervous system by the virus.

On the other hand, long-term neurological issues may stem from persistent immune system changes, prolonged recovery from severe illness, or lingering viral material in the body.

Need For Continued Mental Health Care

Read More: Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak: UK Scientists Identify 23 Unique Mutations

The researchers emphasized that neurological care should be a priority for clinicians treating Ebola survivors.

"Survivors experienced headaches, memory loss, and fatigue that may significantly impact quality of life," the authors wrote.

They noted that headaches often respond to standard preventive treatments, but survivors should continue to be monitored because of the rare risk of Ebola-related relapse in the central nervous system.

The study also found that many survivors experienced symptoms of depression, including suicidal thoughts. Because symptoms such as headaches, memory problems, concentration difficulties, and sleep disturbances can overlap with psychiatric disorders, the researchers stressed the importance of mental health evaluation and care.

Fortunately, many of these symptoms appear to improve or resolve over time with appropriate treatment and support.

Will Bundibugyo Survivors Face Lasting Brain Issues?

The current Ebola outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which differs from the strain responsible for the 2014–2016 West African epidemic. Unlike the Zaire strain, there are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments specifically for Bundibugyo Ebola, although some patients have recovered.

Researchers believe many of the long-term neurological effects observed in survivors of the West African outbreak could also occur in Bundibugyo survivors.