Feature Channels: Mental Health

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Mayo Clinic has been named a Center of Excellence by Angioma Alliance for treatment and research into cerebral cavernous angiomas.

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In a study using genetically engineered mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have uncovered some new molecular details that appear to explain how electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) rapidly relieves severe depression in mammals, presumably including people. The molecular changes allow more communication between neurons in a specific part of the brain also known to respond to antidepressant drugs.

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how to cope with stress over the holiday month.

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Canola oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils in the world, yet surprisingly little is known about its effects on health.

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Nearly 6 million Americans have bipolar disorder, and most have probably wondered why. After more than a decade of studying over 1,100 of them in-depth, a team of scientists has an answer – or rather, seven answers.

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Neglect accounts for the majority of all child protection cases in the United States, yet child welfare workers lack effective assessment tools for identifying the associated risk and protective factors of chronic neglect. The ineffective assessments are often the result of using instruments that are not specifically designed to include elements predicting chronic neglect, according to a new study by a University at Buffalo research team.

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Professor Robin Franklin to receive the 2017 Barancik Prize for pioneering work to restore function for people with progressive MS. He will receive the award at ACTRIMS Forum 2018 on February 1 in San Diego, California.

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Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have received two grant awards, in partnership with investigators from other institutions, from the National Institutes of Health to conduct major studies on Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of memory loss and other forms of dementia in older persons.

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Se espera que un nuevo consorcio de ensayos clínicos fundado por los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (NIH, por sus siglas en inglés) acelere los estudios y los amplíe a terapias para tratar o prevenir la enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras demencias afines.

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Children who routinely eat their meals together with their family are more likely to experience long-term physical and mental health benefits, a new Canadian study shows.

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High-intensity exercise three times a week is safe for individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s disease and decreases worsening of the disease’s symptoms, according to results of a study published in the Dec. 11 issue of JAMA Neurology.

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An estimated 35 percent of this country’s 250 million adults experience occasional problems sleeping while roughly 20 percent have short-term or acute insomnia and approximately 10 percent have long-term or chronic insomnia. The reasons behind this widespread sleeplessness are numerous, but so are ways to address the problem.

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Survivors of a terror attack have an increased risk of frequent migraine and tension headaches after the attack, according to a study published in the December 13, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Scientists are examining the feasibility of treating autistic children with neuromodulation after a new study showed social impairments can be corrected by brain stimulation.

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One hypothesis for how autism develops is excessive neuron production in the prenatal period, leading to a transient but significant increase in brain size in the first few years of life in about one-quarter of children with the disease. But the precise timing and cause of this overgrowth is poorly understood. Seeking to help solve this mystery, Tony Wynshaw-Boris, MD, PhD, has received two five-year grants totaling more than $5 million from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health to uncover links between abnormal embryonic brain development and autism.

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Researchers at Houston Methodist believe that a significant number of people diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may actually have a treatable immune system condition. A new research study could have a significant impact on the millions diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, including many homeless.

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RTI International has named renowned expert in behavioral health economics, Gary Zarkin, Ph.D., an RTI Distinguished Fellow. The appointment of Distinguished Fellow, the highest level in RTI's Fellow Program, honors exceptionally talented individuals whose internationally recognized scientific accomplishments have made a significant impact on society.

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With a transformational gift of $20 million to the Toronto Rehab Foundation, Walter and Maria Schroeder, along with their family, have established The Walter and Maria Schroeder Brain Institute.

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Bipolar disorder may involve accelerated epigenetic aging, which could explain why persons with the disorder are more likely to have – and die from – age-related diseases, according to researchers from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

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Dr. Nathan Bryan, Baylor College of Medicine and one of the leading experts in nitric oxide biochemistry and physiology said today, “healthcare providers, especially those helping patients with cardiovascular issues and age-related disease, are not using perhaps the most important ‘tool’ in their ‘toolbox,’ restoring nitric oxide function. Bryan organized and chaired a full day workshop on the Clinical Applications of Nitric Oxide held during the 25th American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress.

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A chemical found in marijuana, known as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, has been found to potentially slow the process in which mental decline can occur in up to 50 percent of HIV patients, says a new Michigan State University study.

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In remote Italian villages nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and mountains lives a group of several hundred citizens over the age of 90. Researchers at the University of Rome La Sapienza and University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified common psychological traits in members of this group.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new clinical trials consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is expected to accelerate and expand research into therapies that treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

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Loneliness in older Americans is linked to serious medical conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and heart disease as well as a higher risk of premature death. But loneliness can be easily overlooked as a health risk because healthcare providers can neglect asking their older patients about their social lives, and many older adults are too proud or embarrassed to ask for help, experts say. Cedars-Sinai geriatricians suggest tips for seniors who may feel especially isolated during the holidays.

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Diet and dietary practices differentially affect mental health in young adults versus older adults, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

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Researchers have developed new single-cell sequencing methods that could be used to map the cell origins of various brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. By analyzing individual nuclei of cells from adult human brains, researchers have identified 35 different subtypes of neurons and glial cells and discovered which of these subtypes are most susceptible to common risk factors for different brain diseases.

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Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found a genetic signature for delay discounting — the tendency to undervalue future rewards — that overlaps with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), smoking and weight.

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High-intensity exercise three times a week is safe for individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s disease and decreases worsening of motor symptoms, according to a new phase 2, multi-site trial led by Northwestern Medicine and University of Denver scientists.

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Nearly half of the people who enrolled in Medicaid after it expanded in Michigan have jobs, a new study finds. Another 11 percent can’t work, likely due to serious physical or mental health conditions. And about 1 in 4 enrollees are out of work but also are much more likely to be in poor health. The new findings may inform discussions of potential work requirements for poor and near-poor Americans who qualify for expanded Medicaid.

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This past decade, Alzheimer’s science has undergone a paradigm shift toward the disease’s early, silent phase. For trials, this means change at every level: new participants, new screening tools, new outcome measurements. What’s the progress?

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A schizophrenia patient’s own perceptions of their experiences -- and confidence in their judgments -- may be factors that can help them overcome challenges to get the life they wish, suggests a new paper published in Clinical Psychological Science from researchers at Penn Medicine’s Aaron T. Beck Psychopathology Research Center.

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Discrimination not only harms the health and well-being of the victim, but the victim’s romantic partner as well, indicates new research led by a Michigan State University scholar.

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A new study is the first to identify a mechanism that could explain an early link between sound input and cognitive function, often called the “Mozart effect.”

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Lee Anna Clark and her team present the challenges in using three major diagnostic manuals from a scientific perspective and offer some recommendations for re-conceptualizing the mental disorders they describe.

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How to cope with the stresses of the pending holidays.

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Clinicians and patients often struggle to find the right treatment for anxiety, sometimes cycling through various therapies for months before the patient begins to feel their symptoms improve.Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that a brief test that can be performed in the office can help determine whether an antidepressant or a form of talk therapy, called cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, would be better at relieving symptoms of anxiety in individual patients.

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About 15 million Americans will have either Alzheimer’s dementia or mild cognitive impairment by 2060, up from approximately 6.08 million this year. The findings highlight the need to develop preventive measures that could slow the progression of the disease in at risk for Alzheimer’s dementia.

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Summary: Playing 3D-platform video games on a regular basis may improve cognitive functions in seniors and increase grey matter in a brain structure called the hippocampus, a Canadian study suggests

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The field of circadian rhythms is being recognized with a Nobel Prize this year for the discovery of a fruit fly gene controlling the biological clock. But a series of more recent advancements – notably the first circadian gene in mammals discovered by UT Southwestern’s Dr. Joseph S. Takahashi – have elevated the research beyond flies and positioned scientists to unlock many of the mysteries of human health and behavior.

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A new study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that children who were legally required to register as sex offenders were at greater risk for harm, including suicide attempts and sexual assault, compared to a group of children who engaged in harmful or illegal sexual behavior but who were not required to register.

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Turning down the lights and reducing noise levels as part of a stimulation reduction initiative can decrease assaults and the amount of time patients must spend in restraint at psychiatric intensive care units, according to new research from UAB.

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Women with a history of suicide attempts exhibit different levels of a specific protein in their bloodstream than those with no history of suicide attempts, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

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Research has shown that a woman's emotional and physical health during pregnancy impacts a developing fetus. However, less is known about the effect of past stressors and posttraumatic stress disorder on an expectant woman.

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A new small-molecule drug can restore brain function and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. The molecule, called anle138b, works by stopping toxic ion flow in the brain that is known to trigger nerve cell death. Scientists envision that this drug could be used to treat Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and ALS.

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Out-of-town visitors, money worries, shopping, overeating: The holidays bring a host of stressors. CSU health professionals offer good advice for turning down the tension.

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A single dose of lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disease and aggression, blocks the sleep disturbances, memory loss, and learning problems tied to fetal alcohol syndrome, new experiments in mice show.

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Making an AD mouse model that incorporates both Aβ and tau pathologies in a more AD-relevant context has been greatly sought after but difficult to accomplish. This study is a big step for AD research, which will allow testing of new therapies in a more realistic context.

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Ludwig Cancer Research extends its warmest congratulations to Don Cleveland, who has been a Member of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research since 1995 and today was awarded the prestigious Breakthrough Prize.