Feature Channels: Mental Health

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9-Dec-2014 11:30 AM EST
Laughing Gas Studied as Depression Treatment
Washington University in St. Louis

Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, has shown early promise as a potential treatment for severe depression in patients whose symptoms don’t respond to standard therapies. The pilot study, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is believed to be the first research in which patients with depression were given laughing gas.

Released: 9-Dec-2014 12:00 PM EST
Early Results Indicate Potential for Focused Ultrasound to Treat OCD
Focused Ultrasound Foundation

A recently published report in the Journal of Molecular Psychiatry supports the potential of focused ultrasound to treat certain patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Released: 9-Dec-2014 10:00 AM EST
Twitter Posts May Shine a Fresh Light on Mental Illness Trends
 Johns Hopkins University

Computers scientists are tracking tweets to gather important information about common mental illnesses.

Released: 4-Dec-2014 11:00 AM EST
People with Mental Illness More Likely To Be Tested for HIV
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

People with mental illness are more likely to have been tested for HIV than those without mental illness, according to a new study from a team of researchers at Penn Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published online this week in AIDS Patient Care and STDs. The researchers also found that the most seriously ill – those with schizophrenia and bipolar disease – had the highest rate of HIV testing.

Released: 3-Dec-2014 3:00 PM EST
Physician Behaviors May Contribute to Disparities in Mental Health Care
Health Behavior News Service

The way medical doctors assess, treat and refer racial and ethnic minorities for mental health services may contribute to disparities in their use, according to a new study in Health Services Research.

Released: 3-Dec-2014 2:45 PM EST
New Study Shows Computer-Based Approach to Treating Anxiety May Reduce Suicide Risk
Florida State University

A group of psychology researchers at Florida State University have developed a simple computer-based approach to treating anxiety sensitivity, something that could have major implications for veterans and other groups who are considered at risk for suicide.

Released: 25-Nov-2014 12:00 PM EST
Homeless, Mentally Ill Women Face a Vicious Cycle in India
Loyola Medicine

An award-winning study has documented how homeless, mentally ill women in India face a vicious cycle:

Released: 24-Nov-2014 1:40 PM EST
Study Shows Mental Health Impact of Breast Size Differences in Teens
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

Differences in breast size have a significant mental health impact in adolescent girls, affecting self-esteem, emotional well-being, and social functioning, reports the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Released: 24-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
New Resource Available for Parents of Children Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

NEWARK, NJ (November 20, 2014) – Navigating through the maze of health and medical services can be challenging for parents of children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). A new resource is now available for caregivers, health professionals and, especially, parents. A pediatric neurologist and pediatrician/geneticist at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School recognized a need for a comprehensive guide to help parents obtain quality medical care for each stage of their child’s development.

Released: 24-Nov-2014 9:00 AM EST
Sociologists Available to Discuss Holiday-Related Topics Ranging From Shopping to Sadness
American Sociological Association (ASA)

As the holiday season begins, the American Sociological Association (ASA) has sociologists available to discuss holiday-related topics ranging from shopping to sadness.

20-Nov-2014 11:00 AM EST
Suicide Risk Falls Substantially After Talk Therapy
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Repeat suicide attempts and deaths by suicide were roughly 25 percent lower among a group of Danish people who underwent voluntary short-term psychosocial counseling after a suicide attempt, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health-led research suggests.

17-Nov-2014 11:40 AM EST
Job Authority Increases Depression Symptoms in Women, Decreases Them in Men
American Sociological Association (ASA)

A new study finds that having job authority increases symptoms of depression among women, but decreases them among men.

18-Nov-2014 9:55 AM EST
Research Shows Why Antidepressant May Be Effective in Postpartum Depression
Ohio State University

An antidepressant commonly prescribed for women with postpartum depression may restore connections between cells in brain regions that are negatively affected by chronic stress during pregnancy, new research suggests.

Released: 19-Nov-2014 11:00 AM EST
A New Test Measures Analytical Thinking Linked to Depression, Fueling the Idea That Depression May Be a Form of Adaptation
McMaster University

Researchers studying the roots of depression have developed a test to measure analytical thinking and rumination, that are hallmarks of the condition, leading them closer to the idea that depression may actually be an adaptation meant to help people cope with complex problems such as chronic illnesses or marriage breakups.

Released: 18-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
Primary Care Docs Diagnose, but Don’t Refer, Eating Disorders
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Research suggests more referrals needed from primary care doctors to mental health professionals when dealing with eating disorders.

13-Nov-2014 5:00 PM EST
Reported Opioid Abuse in Pregnant Women More Than Doubles in 14 Years
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

The number of pregnant women who abuse or are dependent on opioids (narcotics) jumped 127 percent in 14 years, leading to an increased risk of maternal death and stillbirth among other serious problems, according to a review of more than 57 million American women admitted for delivery. The results were published in the December issue of Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists® (ASA®).

Released: 14-Nov-2014 11:00 AM EST
Could Depression Actually Be a Form of Infectious Disease?
Stony Brook University

Major depressive disorder (MDD) should be re-conceptualized as an infectious disease, according to Turhan Canli, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology and Radiology at Stony Brook University. In a paper published in Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Dr.Canli suggests that major depression may result from parasitic, bacterial, or viral infection. He presents examples that illustrate possible pathways by which these microorganisms could contribute to the etiology of MDD.

10-Nov-2014 4:00 PM EST
Soldiers at Increased Risk for Suicide Within a Year of Psychiatric in-Patient Treatment
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

Soldiers hospitalized with a psychiatric disorder have a significantly elevated risk for suicide in the year following hospital discharge, according to findings published in JAMA Psychiatry, Nov. 12, 2014. Although this has long been known in the civilian sector, it has never before been studied in the military population.

12-Nov-2014 3:30 PM EST
Depression, Overwhelming Guilt in Preschool Years Linked to Brain Changes
Washington University in St. Louis

A key brain region involved in emotion is smaller in older children diagnosed with depression as preschoolers, and predicts risk of later recurrence, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

12-Nov-2014 1:00 PM EST
Brain Protein Influences How the Brain Manages Stress; Suggests New Model of Depression
Mount Sinai Health System

Discovery of new molecular and behavioural connections may provide a foundation for the development of new treatments to combat some forms of depression

Released: 12-Nov-2014 1:00 PM EST
Hope for Those with Social Anxiety Disorder: You May Already Be Someone’s Best Friend
Washington University in St. Louis

Making friends is often extremely difficult for people with social anxiety disorder and to make matters worse, people with this disorder tend to assume that the friendships they do have are not of the highest quality. The problem with this perception, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis, is that their friends don’t necessarily see it that way.

Released: 11-Nov-2014 1:10 PM EST
Progress in Bipolar Disorder—Update from Harvard Review of Psychiatry
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

Several lines of research have opened exciting new frontiers in scientific understanding and clinical management of bipolar disorder. Recent advances in bipolar disease research are described in this month's special issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Released: 10-Nov-2014 12:00 PM EST
Changes in a Single Gene’s Action Can Control Addiction- and Depression-Related Behaviors
Mount Sinai Health System

New DNA regulatory technique modifies the environment around a single gene to control gene expression and behavioral consequences

5-Nov-2014 2:00 PM EST
Multiple Factors - Not Just Mental Illness - Associated with Gun Possession and Violence Among Youths
Columbia University, Teachers College

The study, by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and Teachers College, Columbia University, applies the latest computational methodologies to nationally representative data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.

Released: 3-Nov-2014 3:40 PM EST
Youth Pastors Feel Ill-Equipped to Help Young People Cope with Mental Health Issues, Baylor Study Finds
Baylor University

Many mental health disorders first surface during adolescence, and college and youth pastors are in a good position to offer help or steer youths elsewhere to find it. But many of those pastors feel ill-prepared to recognize and treat mental illness, according to a Baylor University study.

23-Oct-2014 5:00 PM EDT
The Digital Therapist
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

A program that analyzes your speech and uses it to gain information about your mental health could soon be feasible, thanks in part to research from the University of Maryland showing that certain vocal features change as patients’ feelings of depression worsen.

Released: 30-Oct-2014 2:00 PM EDT
For Returning Veterans Suffering From Both Mental Health and Substance Abuse Challenges, Treatment Can Be Found Under One Roof
NYU Langone Health

Addressing the dual diagnosis of mental health and substance abuse is the focus of a new program of NYU Langone Medical Center’s Steven & Alexandra Cohen Military Family Clinic, a major component of the hospital’s Steven & Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center, which encompasses both clinical care and research components. The Welcome Back Veterans Dual Diagnosis Program integrates both mental health treatment with substance abuse services to veterans and their families free of charge.

Released: 29-Oct-2014 11:00 AM EDT
EEG Test to Help Understand and Treat Schizophrenia
UC San Diego Health

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have validated an EEG test to study and treat schizophrenia. The findings, published in two separate studies, offer a clinical test that could be used to help diagnose persons at risk for developing mental illness later in life, as well as an approach for measuring the efficacies of different treatment options.

Released: 27-Oct-2014 9:35 AM EDT
Inside Prison: CWRU Begun Center Researcher Studies Inmate-Officer Relationships in Maintaining Safety and Security
Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University mental health researcher Joseph Galanek spent a cumulative nine months in an Oregon maximum-security prison to learn first-hand how the prison manages inmates with mental illness

20-Oct-2014 11:20 AM EDT
Pre-Enlistment Mental Disorders, Suicide Rates Among New Soldiers Comparable to Civilians
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

New results from the largest-ever study of mental health risk and resilience in Army personnel show that despite higher rates of current mental disorders and suicidality among U.S. Army soldiers than similarly matched civilians, the rates of most pre-enlistment mental disorders among new soldiers are comparable to those of civilians.

Released: 22-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
National Forgiveness Day on Oct. 25: Let Bygones Be Bygones for Your Emotional Health
Baylor University

Forgiving — and being forgiven — are good for your emotional health, research has shown, and Oct. 25, National Forgiveness Day, may be the time to let bygones be bygones and also to make amends.

Released: 22-Oct-2014 9:45 AM EDT
Indiana Project Screenings Show Need for More Mental Health Services in Youth Detention
Indiana University

Indiana University School of Medicine research findings published in the October issue of the American Journal of Public Health showed that more mental health screenings and services are needed for juvenile offenders.

Released: 21-Oct-2014 3:00 PM EDT
Study Shows How Troubled Marriage, Depression History Promote Obesity
Ohio State University

The double-whammy of marital hostility and a history of depression can increase the risk for obesity in adults by altering how the body processes high-fat foods, according to new research.

Released: 21-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
Animal Therapy Reduces Anxiety, Loneliness Symptoms in College Students
Georgia State University

Animal-assisted therapy can reduce symptoms of anxiety and loneliness among college students, according to researchers at Georgia State University, Idaho State University and Savannah College of Art and Design.

15-Oct-2014 11:00 AM EDT
Three-Minute Assessment Successfully Identifies Delirium in Hospitalized Elders
Beth Israel Lahey Health

Investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have developed a brief and simple method to help hospital care providers recognize delirium in elderly patients

Released: 20-Oct-2014 4:00 PM EDT
Largest Study of Hispanics/Latinos Finds Depression and Anxiety Rates Vary Widely Among Groups
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Rates of depression and anxiety vary widely among different segments of the U.S. Hispanic and Latino population, with the highest prevalence of depressive symptoms in Puerto Ricans, according to a new report from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). The researchers’ findings also suggest that depression and anxiety may be undertreated among Hispanics and Latinos, particularly if they are uninsured. The study was published online in Annals of Epidemiology.

20-Oct-2014 2:05 PM EDT
Stress-Related Inflammation May Increase Risk for Depression
Mount Sinai Health System

Preexisting differences in the sensitivity of a key part of each individual’s immune system to stress confer a greater risk of developing stress-related depression or anxiety

Released: 20-Oct-2014 11:00 AM EDT
The SAD Season is Upon Us
Loyola Medicine

October marks the beginning of the SAD season. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression triggered by shorter days and reduced light. So far this month, psychiatrist Dr. Angelos Halaris already has treated several patients for the disorder.

Released: 14-Oct-2014 11:00 AM EDT
New Approaches Needed for People with Serious Mental Illnesses in Criminal Justice System
University of Chicago

Responding to the large number of people with serious mental illnesses in the criminal justice system will require more than mental health services, according to a new report.

   
2-Oct-2014 12:00 PM EDT
Common Anesthetic Procedure Dramatically Improves Well Being of Veterans with PTSD
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

A single application of a common anesthetic procedure could be the answer to alleviating anxiety, depression and psychological pain in those suffering from chronic, extreme post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2014 annual meeting in New Orleans.

8-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
In-Home Visits Reduce Drug Use, Depression in Pregnant Teens
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Intensive parenting and health education provided in homes of pregnant American Indian teens reduced the mothers’ illegal drug use, depression and behavior problems, and set their young children on track to meet behavioral and emotional milestones they may have otherwise missed.

Released: 9-Oct-2014 6:00 AM EDT
Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: What Are the Consequences?
Universite de Montreal

Exposure to violence in the workplace can lead to serious consequences for health sector employees say Stéphane Guay and Nathalie Lanctôt of the Institut universitaire de santé mentale and the University of Montreal, who studied this issue in a systematic review of the literature.

Released: 6-Oct-2014 4:00 PM EDT
One in Three People with Cancer Has Anxiety or Other Mental Health Challenges
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Researchers in Germany report that nearly a third of more than 2,100 patients with cancer interviewed at inpatient and outpatient care centers experienced a clinically meaningful level of mental or emotional distress that meets the strict diagnostic criteria for mental disorders including anxiety, depressive and adjustment disorders during the prior four weeks. The prevalence of these issues varied by cancer type. The highest prevalence was found among patients with breast cancer (42%) and head and neck cancer (41%), followed by malignant melanoma (39%). The lowest prevalence was seen among patients with prostate cancer (22%), stomach cancers (21%), and pancreatic cancer (20%). The study — the largest to date assessing the mental and emotional health of patients with cancer using a fully standardized, diagnostic face-to-face interview — is published in the October 6 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Released: 6-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
Less Than Half of Canadians Exercise to Relieve Stress
McMaster University

People were more likely to cope with stress by problem-solving; looking on the bright side, trying to relax, talking to others, blaming oneself, ignoring stress or praying, rather than being active.

   
Released: 6-Oct-2014 8:00 AM EDT
Preschoolers with Low Empathy at Risk for Continued Problems
University of Michigan

A toddler who doesn't feel guilty after misbehaving or who is less affectionate or less responsive to affection from others might not raise a red flag to parents, but these behaviors may result in later behavior problems in 1st grade.

   
26-Sep-2014 9:25 AM EDT
Exercise Linked with Improved Physical and Mental Health Among Dialysis Patients
American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

• Among dialysis patients, aerobic activity was linked positively with health-related quality of life and inversely with depressive symptoms and premature death. • In general, patients had higher aerobic activity levels if they were treated in dialysis clinics offering exercise programs.

25-Sep-2014 11:00 AM EDT
Worry, Jealousy, Moodiness Linked to Higher Risk of Alzheimer’s in Women
American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

Women who are anxious, jealous, or moody and distressed in middle age may be at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to a nearly 40-year-long study published in the October 1, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Released: 1-Oct-2014 2:00 PM EDT
Drug Treats Inherited Form Of Intellectual Disability In Mice
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Studying mice with a genetic change similar to what is found in Kabuki syndrome, a inherited disease of humans, Johns Hopkins researchers report they have used an anticancer drug to “open up” DNA and improve mental function.

Released: 1-Oct-2014 12:00 PM EDT
Treatment of Substance Abuse Can Lessen Risk of Future Violence in Mentally Ill
University at Buffalo

A new study from the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) suggests that reducing substance abuse has a greater influence in reducing violent acts by patients with severe mental illness.

   


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