Phobia News and Research

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Fears are a common part of an individual’s life. However, a phobia is more than a simple fear. It starts and develops into something massive when the affected person begins to organise their life around avoiding the feared object – be it an animal, insect, place, situation or just about anything.

Treatment for anorexia nervosa

Treatment for anorexia nervosa appears to have improved outcome in terms of recovery and fertility and reduced the usual long-term excessive mortality.

23 May 2006

Cortisol helps people overcome phobias

Researchers from the University of Zurich are suggesting that a dose of the stress hormone cortisol may help people overcome phobias.

29 Mar 2006

D-cycloserine helps patients learn how to conquer their fears

The fear of public speaking is the most common among individuals with SAD, as well as in the general population. The results of the study are published in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

13 Mar 2006

Study provides new evidence of the importance of reward pathways in the brain

Deleting a specific gene in the brain has the same effect that antidepressants do in mice that have been conditioned to be depressed, report researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

24 Feb 2006

Study provides animal model of depression

A Florida State University scientist used a gene transfer technique to block the expression of a gene associated with clinical depression in a new study of mice that could lead to better treatment of human beings with this condition.

14 Feb 2006

Gene therapy cures depressed mice

Researchers in the U.S. say that deleting a specific gene in the brain of mice that have been conditioned to be depressed, has the same effect as antidepressants.

13 Feb 2006

Caretek Medical signs feasibility agreement with major pharma for protein based drug

Caretek Medical Ltd, an Oxford-based company developing an innovative needle-free drug delivery system, today announced that it has signed a feasibility study agreement with a major global pharmaceutical company.

19 Jan 2006

Amygdala activation to interpersonal threat can be specifically linked to the severity of social anxiety symptoms

People suffering generalised social phobia experience increased brain activity when confronted with threatening faces or frightening social situations, new research shows.

28 Nov 2005

Scientists discover gene which controls fear

Scientists have discovered the existence of a gene that appears to control whether fear reactions to impending danger are appropriate or not.

20 Nov 2005

Distress caused by hot flushes seriously under-played

A study by UK researchers of over 200 breast cancer patients receiving hormone treatments such as tamoxifen has found that nearly two-thirds would prefer to take a tablet daily and around a quarter would prefer a monthly injection, given that both treatments would be equally effective and have similar side-effects.

19 Oct 2005

Anxiety disorders can compromise success of alcohol-dependence treatment

Individuals who have an anxiety disorder when starting treatment for alcohol dependence have a significantly greater risk for relapse to drinking within four months, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota.

18 Aug 2005

Researchers find genetically controlled brain mechanism responsible for social behavior in humans

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have discovered a genetically controlled brain mechanism responsible for social behavior in humans--one of the most important but least understood aspects of human nature.

13 Jul 2005

Researchers discover genetically controlled brain mechanism responsible for social behavior in humans

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have discovered a genetically controlled brain mechanism responsible for social behavior in humans - one of the most important but least understood aspects of human nature. The findings are reported in Nature Neuroscience.

11 Jul 2005

Experts gather in the fields of childhood and adolescent mental-health problems

Renowned experts in the fields of childhood and adolescent mental-health problems will gather in July to discuss new and effective treatments for a wide-range of mental illnesses affecting children and teens.

30 Jun 2005

Adolescent depression can be as high as 20 percent

Teenage depression is widespread and can become a life-long illness, but is more often transitory, said UCLA Psychology Professor Constance Hammen, who discussed her research at the American Psychological Society's annual convention in Los Angeles.

29 May 2005

Tragic death of 5 year old asthma patient was avoidable and due to complacency of health professionals

At a fatal accident inquiry a sheriff has hit out at the "complacency" of health professionals and a drugs manufacturer over the safety of an asthma inhaler steroid.

25 May 2005

Social anxiety disorder patients may be avoiding their doctor

Patients with social anxiety disorder are less likely to visit their primary care doctors than people with other psychiatric disorders like depression, or patients without mental health disorders, according to new research in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.

16 May 2005