Feature Channels: Mental Health

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5-Aug-2013 11:30 AM EDT
Scientists Find Key Signal that Guides Brain Development
Scripps Research Institute

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have decoded an important molecular signal that guides the development of a key region of the brain known as the neocortex.

   
4-Aug-2013 9:00 PM EDT
What Color is Your Night Light? It May Affect Your Mood
Ohio State University

When it comes to some of the health hazards of light at night, a new study in hamsters suggests that the color of the light can make a big difference.

   
1-Aug-2013 2:00 PM EDT
Treating PTSD and Alcohol Abuse Together Doesn’t Increase Drinking, Penn Study Finds
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Contrary to past concerns, using prolonged exposure therapy to treat patients with PTSD and comorbid alcohol dependence does not increase drinking or cravings, Penn Medicine psychiatrists report in the August 7 issue of JAMA.

1-Aug-2013 6:00 PM EDT
Identifying Need, Providing Delivery of Mental Health Services Following Community Disasters
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

A review of articles on disaster and emergency mental health response interventions and services indicates that in postdisaster settings, a systematic framework of case identification, triage, and mental health interventions should be integrated into emergency medicine and trauma care responses, according to a study in the August 7 issue of JAMA.

1-Aug-2013 6:00 PM EDT
Treatment for PTSD and Risk of Drinking Among Individuals With Alcohol Dependence
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In a trial that included patients with alcohol dependence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment with the drug naltrexone resulted in a decrease in the percentage of days drinking while use of the PTSD treatment, prolonged exposure therapy, was not associated with increased drinking or alcohol craving, according to a study in the August 7 issue of JAMA.

1-Aug-2013 6:20 PM EDT
Study Identifies Factors Associated With Suicide Risk Among Military Personnel
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In an examination of risk factors associated with suicide in current and former military personnel observed 2001 and 2008, male sex and mental disorders were independently associated with suicide risk but not military-specific variables, findings that do not support an association between deployment or combat with suicide, according to a study in the August 7 issue of JAMA.

5-Aug-2013 1:00 PM EDT
Psychiatry Study Reveals Need to Identify, Triage, and Treat Mental Health Disorders After Disasters
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Mental health services should be integrated into disaster response as part of emergency services planning, according to a new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center psychiatrists who completed an exhaustive review of articles on the aftereffects of disasters on mental health.

Released: 5-Aug-2013 6:00 PM EDT
Team Finds Gene Mutation That Increases Risk of Schizophrenia, Learning Impairment
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A collaborative team of researchers including scientists from UCLA has uncovered evidence that a specific genetic alteration appears to contribute to schizophrenia. They also found that schizophrenia shares a common biological pathway with Fragile X mental retardation syndrome.

31-Jul-2013 4:00 PM EDT
New Insight Into How Brain ‘Learns’ Cocaine Addiction
Johns Hopkins Medicine

A team of researchers says it has solved the longstanding puzzle of why a key protein linked to learning is also needed to become addicted to cocaine. Results of the study, published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal Cell, describe how the learning-related protein works with other proteins to forge new pathways in the brain in response to a drug-induced rush of the “pleasure” molecule dopamine. By adding important detail to the process of addiction, the researchers, led by a group at Johns Hopkins, say the work may point the way to new treatments.

Released: 1-Aug-2013 8:00 AM EDT
Johns Hopkins Nursing Research News, July-August 2013
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Johns Hopkins Nursing researchers focus on the discrimination-depression link, herpes tests for teens, the baby-mom bond, violence against women across the globe, and more in the July-August 2013 research news briefs.

Released: 30-Jul-2013 2:00 PM EDT
Requiring Some Patients to Get Mental Health Treatment Saves Money
RTI International

Mandating outpatient treatment for certain people with serious mental illness, while controversial, results in substantial cost savings by cutting hospitalizations and increasing outpatient care, according to a financial analysis conducted by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, RTI International, Policy Research Associates, Harvard Medical School, and University of Virginia School of Law.

24-Jul-2013 3:25 PM EDT
Requiring Some Patients to Get Mental Health Treatment Saves Money
Duke Health

Mandating outpatient treatment for certain people with severe mental illness, while controversial, results in substantial cost savings by cutting hospitalizations and increasing outpatient care, according to a financial analysis led by researchers at Duke Medicine.

Released: 29-Jul-2013 3:40 PM EDT
Be Happy: Your Genes May Thank You for It
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A good state of mind — that is, your happiness — affects your genes, say scientists from UCLA's Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and the University of North Carolina. They examined how positive psychology impacts human gene expression and found that different types of happiness have surprisingly different effects on the human genome.

Released: 29-Jul-2013 9:00 AM EDT
Head Hits Can Be Reduced in Youth Football
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Less contact during practice could mean a lot less exposure to head injuries for young football players, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Virginia Tech.

Released: 27-Jul-2013 4:00 PM EDT
Shocking: Surgical Anesthetic Appears to Treat Drug-Resistant Depression
University of Utah Health

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has long been considered the most effective treatment of medication-resistant depression. But millions of people don’t take advantage of it because of the side effects and misperception of the therapy.

Released: 26-Jul-2013 10:00 AM EDT
Isolated Psychiatric Episodes Rare, but Possible, in Common Form of Autoimmune Encephalitis
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

A small percentage of people diagnosed with a mysterious neurological condition may only experience psychiatric changes - such as delusional thinking, hallucinations, and aggressive behavior - according to a new study by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Released: 25-Jul-2013 11:00 AM EDT
Bipolar Disorder Takes Different Path in Patients Who Binge Eat, Study Suggests
Mayo Clinic

Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who also binge eat, a study by Mayo Clinic, the Lindner Center of HOPE and the University of Minnesota found.

Released: 25-Jul-2013 9:00 AM EDT
Study of Veterans Finds Links Between Outdoor Activities, Improved Mental Health
University of Michigan

Veterans participating in extended outdoor group recreation show signs of improved mental health, suggesting a link between the activities and long-term psychological well-being, according to results of a new University of Michigan study.

Released: 18-Jul-2013 2:45 PM EDT
Blacks and Latinos Seek Mental Health Care Less Often
Health Behavior News Service

Blacks and Latinos receive less adequate mental health care than Whites, finds a new study in Health Services Research.

Released: 18-Jul-2013 9:00 AM EDT
Biochemical Mapping Helps Explain Who Will Respond to Antidepressants
Duke Health

Duke Medicine researchers have identified biochemical changes in people taking antidepressants – but only in those whose depression improves. These changes occur in a neurotransmitter pathway that is connected to the pineal gland, the part of the endocrine system that controls the sleep cycle, suggesting an added link between sleep, depression and treatment outcomes.

Released: 16-Jul-2013 11:00 AM EDT
Vitamins and Minerals Can Boost Energy and Enhance Mood
Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)

Vitamin and mineral supplements can enhance mental energy and well-being not only for healthy adults but for those prone to anxiety and depression, according to a July 15 panel discussion at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo® held at McCormick Place.

Released: 15-Jul-2013 10:00 AM EDT
Psychologist Cautions That Summer Vacation Travel Can Affect Mental Health
Loyola Medicine

Vacations are supposed to be restful, but as we head into the peak season, a psychologist cautions that vacation travel also can pose risks to your mental and physical health.

Released: 11-Jul-2013 4:00 PM EDT
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to Honor 7 Young Mental Health Researchers
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation will honor seven young mental health researchers for their exceptional research on Fri. July 26, 2013 at the Annual Klerman and Freedman Awards, and present an online briefing for media about the honorees’ latest cutting-edge research on July 23, 2013.

   
Released: 10-Jul-2013 1:50 PM EDT
Not So Blue? Study Suggests Many Americans Less Depressed
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Depression down among adults over 50, including elderly age 80-84; signs of increased depression in slice of late middle age population.

5-Jul-2013 9:30 AM EDT
Females Respond Better to Stress Because of Estrogen in the Brain, Animal Study Finds
University at Buffalo

The idea that females are more resilient than males in responding to stress is a popular view, and now University at Buffalo researchers have found a scientific explanation. The paper describing their embargoed study will be published July 9 online, in the high-impact journal, Molecular Psychiatry.

Released: 9-Jul-2013 2:30 PM EDT
Maternal Depression Linked to Childhood Obesity
Montefiore Health System

Study shows association between maternal depressive symptoms, unengaged parenting practices and overweight children.

Released: 2-Jul-2013 10:00 AM EDT
Psychiatric Disorders Linked to a Protein That Helps Form Long-Term Memories
Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have discovered a protein that regulates synaptic ion channels that have been tied to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Released: 1-Jul-2013 5:00 PM EDT
Brain Differences Seen in Depressed Preschoolers
Washington University in St. Louis

A key brain structure that regulates emotions works differently in preschoolers with depression compared with their healthy peers, according to new research at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Released: 1-Jul-2013 10:00 AM EDT
Transformational Leadership Has Positive Effects on Employee Well-Being
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

A transformational leadership style—valued for stimulating innovation and worker performance—is also associated with increased well-being among employees, reports a study in the July Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

Released: 28-Jun-2013 9:00 AM EDT
Researchers Look for Safer, More Effective Treatments for Kids with Mood Disorders
Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science

Ongoing studies suggest that using a mix of omega-3 fatty acid supplements and psychotherapy may be helpful for children with depression and a variation of bipolar disorder. The interventions could give doctors a safer alternative than current anti-depressant and mood disorder medications. While effective, many of these medications have serious side effects. The studies are the first of their kind to evaluate a dietary supplement coupled with talk therapy in a younger population with mood disorders.

19-Jun-2013 6:00 PM EDT
Genes Involved in Birth Defects May Also Lead to Mental Illness
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Gene mutations that cause cell signaling networks to go awry during embryonic development and lead to major birth defects may also cause subtle disruptions in the brain that contribute to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and bipolar disorder, according to new research by UC San Francisco scientists.

12-Jun-2013 4:00 PM EDT
1 in 4 Stroke Patients Suffer PTSD
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

One in four people who survive a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) suffer from symptoms of PTSD within the 1st year post-event, and one in nine experience chronic PTSD more than a year later. The data, e-published by PLOS ONE, suggest that each year nearly 300,000 stroke/TIA survivors will develop PTSD symptoms as a result of their health scare.

12-Jun-2013 3:00 PM EDT
Sibling Aggression Linked to Poor Mental Health
University of New Hampshire

Fights between siblings are so common they’re often dismissed as simply part of growing up. Yet a new study finds that sibling aggression is associated with significantly worse mental health in children and adolescents. In some cases, effects of sibling aggression on mental health were the same as those of peer aggression.

   
Released: 15-Jun-2013 1:00 PM EDT
Estrogen Replacement Therapy Helps Reduce Anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa
Endocrine Society

Estrogen replacement therapy is associated with a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among girls with anorexia nervosa, a new clinical trial finds. The results will be presented today at The Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Released: 12-Jun-2013 1:00 PM EDT
Workplace and Financial Stress Lead to Poor Health Choices
Indiana University

Two Indiana U. studies highlight the impact work and financial stress can have on health behaviors. The lead author urges workplace wellness programs to consider such impacts as the economy sputters along.

   
Released: 12-Jun-2013 10:00 AM EDT
Stressed Dads Can Affect Offspring Brain Development
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Stress felt by dad—whether as a preadolescent or adult—leaves a lasting impression on his sperm that gives sons and daughters a blunted reaction to stress, according to a new preclinical study in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. The findings point to a never-before-seen epigenetic link to stress-related diseases such as anxiety and depression passed from father to child.

Released: 12-Jun-2013 8:00 AM EDT
Down the Wrong Path: Book Details Psychiatry's Lack of Objective Science
Florida State University

Psychiatry — which uses well-intentioned coercion, unscientific diagnoses and psychoactive drugs that do as much harm as good — is a science that is off course, according to a new book co-written by Tomi Gomory, an associate professor in the Florida State University College of Social Work.

Released: 10-Jun-2013 3:00 PM EDT
Brain Circuits Link Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior and Obesity
University of Iowa

A University of Iowa-led study suggests that the brain circuits that control obsessive-compulsive behavior are intertwined with circuits that control food intake and body weight.

Released: 10-Jun-2013 8:00 AM EDT
Treatment of Mental Illness Lowers Arrest Rates, Saves Money
North Carolina State University

Research from North Carolina State University, the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and the University of South Florida shows that outpatient treatment of mental illness significantly reduces arrest rates for people with mental health problems and saves taxpayers money.

Released: 9-Jun-2013 8:55 PM EDT
Mice Give New Clues to Origins of OCD
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Columbia Psychiatry researchers have identified what they think may be a mechanism underlying the development of compulsive behaviors. The finding - published in Science - suggests possible approaches to treating or preventing certain characteristics of OCD.

3-Jun-2013 5:00 AM EDT
Treating Sexual Violence in War-Torn Countries
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

In conflict-ridden countries around the world, rape and other forms of sexual violence are being used as weapons of war. In these settings, treatment services for victims are limited. A trial found an evidence-based group psychotherapy treatment for sexual violence survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the study, this group therapy achieved more dramatic results in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety compared to individual support services.

Released: 5-Jun-2013 3:00 PM EDT
Neuroimaging May Offer New Way to Diagnose Bipolar Disorder
Mount Sinai Health System

MRI may be an effective way to diagnose mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, according to experts from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

4-Jun-2013 12:30 PM EDT
Drug Prevents Post-Traumatic Stress-Like Symptoms in Mice
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)

When injected into mice immediately following a traumatic event, a new drug prevents the animals from developing memory problems and increased anxiety that are indicative of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists utilized mouse studies to suggest that a receptor called Oprl1 is altered in mice with PTSD-like symptoms. They then worked with a group at the Scripps Research Institute who had previously developed the Oprl1-targeted drug to examine its effects on fear memory modulation.

   
Released: 4-Jun-2013 10:00 AM EDT
Anesthetic for Depression? Mayo Clinic Study Finds Low-Dose Ketamine Effective
Mayo Clinic

Low-dose intravenous infusions of ketamine, a general anesthetic used in minor surgeries, given over a long period are an effective treatment for depression, Mayo Clinic researchers found. The study is published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Released: 4-Jun-2013 6:00 AM EDT
Dogs, Humans Affected by OCD Have Similar Brain Abnormalities
Tufts University

Another piece of the puzzle to better understand and treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has fallen into place with the publication of new research that shows that the structural brain abnormalities of Doberman pinschers afflicted with canine compulsive disorder (CCD) are similar to those of humans with OCD. The research suggests that further study of anxiety disorders in dogs may help find new therapies for OCD and similar conditions in humans.

3-Jun-2013 1:20 PM EDT
Altered Neural Circuitry May Lead to Anorexia and Bulimia
UC San Diego Health

A landmark study, with first author Tyson Oberndorfer, MD, and led by Walter H. Kaye, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, suggests that the altered function of neural circuitry contributes to restricted eating in anorexia and overeating in bulimia. The research may offer a pathway to new and more effective treatments for these serious eating disorders.

Released: 3-Jun-2013 4:45 PM EDT
APA’s CEO Calls for Integrating Mental Health Care with Physical Health Care
American Psychological Association (APA)

Mental health professionals need to be part of primary care teams to ensure that patients get complete care that addresses both mental and physical health, according to Norman B. Anderson, PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association.

Released: 3-Jun-2013 9:00 AM EDT
Role Conflict and Emotional Demands Are 'Most Important' Risk Factors for Distress in Workers
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Employees who face high emotional demand and conflicting roles are more likely to report psychological distress—placing them at higher risk of mental health disorders and reduced productivity, reports a study in the June Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).



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