Psychiatry News and Research

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Psychiatry is the treatment, study and prevention of mental disorders.

People with increased genetic risk of schizophrenia more likely to have lower IQs at age 70

People who are at greater genetic risk of schizophrenia are more likely to see a fall in IQ as they age, even if they do not develop the condition. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh say the findings could lead to new research into how different genes for schizophrenia affect brain function over time.

22 Feb 2013

BCHE gene variant predicts extent of plaque deposits in Alzheimer's

A study combining genetic data with brain imaging, designed to identify genes associated with the amyloid plaque deposits found in Alzheimer's disease patients, has not only identified the APOE gene -- long associated with development of Alzheimer's -- but has uncovered an association with a second gene, called BCHE.

21 Feb 2013

Immunotherapy could be answer to treating novel coronavirus

Investigation into the mechanism of action of the novelcoronavirus HCoV-EMC, which recently emerged in the Middle East, has revealed that although human bronchial epithelia are very susceptible to infection with the virus, interferon I and III were both able to significantly reduce its replication in cell culture.

20 Feb 2013

Perinatal episodes prevalent in women with mood disorders

Perinatal mood episodes are highly prevalent in women with bipolar disorder and recurrent major depression, UK research shows.

20 Feb 2013

Growth in opioid use prompts safety concerns

Prescriptions for opioid drugs have increased significantly in Germany over the past decade, a survey of insurance data has found.

20 Feb 2013

Study reveals rare look into success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans

New research out of the University of Cincinnati reveals a relatively rare look into the success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans. Researchers report that self-motivation could be an important consideration into deciding on the most effective treatment strategy.

20 Feb 2013

Study finds chemical cues that allow seals’ brain to remain half awake and asleep

A new study led by an international team of biologists has identified some of the brain chemicals that allow seals to sleep with half of their brain at a time.

20 Feb 2013

Stanford University neurobiology professor wins Mortimer D. Sackler, M.D. Prize

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medical College have announced that the Mortimer D. Sackler, M.D. Prize for Distinguished Achievement in Developmental Psychobiology has been awarded to Carla Shatz, PhD, the Sapp Family Provostial Professor in Neurobiology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

20 Feb 2013

Therapy to ease QOL issues improves patients' sense of well-being during cancer treatment

Therapy to ease stress, fatigue and other quality of life issues significantly improves patients' sense of well-being during cancer treatment, new Mayo Clinic research shows. Patients who kept to their standard routines showed a decline in quality-of-life measures, the study found. The findings are published this month in Cancer.

19 Feb 2013

Loyola proposes new subspecialty to diagnose and treat patients with depression, heart disease

A Loyola University Medical Center psychiatrist is proposing a new subspecialty to diagnose and treat patients who suffer both depression and heart disease. He's calling it "Psychocardiology."

19 Feb 2013

Severe childhood asthma blood test hopes dashed

Blood eosinophil counts do not reliably reflect airway eosinophil concentrations in children with severe, therapy-resistant asthma, and therefore cannot be used to make therapeutic decisions, researchers report.

19 Feb 2013

Temper outbursts linked to depression in OCD children

Temper outbursts are common in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and are associated with depression symptoms, UK researchers report.

19 Feb 2013

First-episode psychosis hits men hard

Men with first-episode psychosis have more severe symptoms than women and are less likely to achieve recovery, say Danish researchers.

19 Feb 2013

Fibromyalgia prevalence is 2.1% of the general population in Germany

Researchers have determined that fibromyalgia prevalence is 2.1% of the general population in Germany. Results appearing in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggest that fibromyalgia is a spectrum disorder rather than a categorical illness. Additionally, a number of fibromyalgia cases in the general population satisfy proposed criteria for physical symptom disorder—the presence of one or more physical symptoms that impair function, which cannot be explained by another clinical or psychiatric illness.

19 Feb 2013

Findings add weight to WHO malaria pregnancy guidance

Pregnant women who receive three or more doses of malaria preventive therapy have higher birthweight babies than those who only receive two, conclude the authors of a meta-analysis.

18 Feb 2013

Early PBC prognosis advocated

Biochemical response to ursodeoxycholic acid at 6 months is a better predictor for primary biliary cirrhosis prognosis than the current standard of 1 year, study results suggest.

18 Feb 2013

Brain health just as important as physical health

We all know the importance of keeping healthy and are familiar with the refrains of 'exercise more', 'eat better' and 'get regular physicals'. But what about our mental health? Professor Barbara Sahakian, best known for her expertise on cognitive enhancers, challenges society (and government) to prioritise mental health in the same way as we do physical health.

17 Feb 2013

CIHR awards $757,722 to Concordia researcher for international study on healthy aging

Carsten Wrosch, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Concordia University and member of the Centre for Research in Human Development, was recently awarded a major grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), worth $757,722. Wrosch leads an interdisciplinary research team consisting of lifespan, personality, health, psychiatry and kinesiology researchers from across North America.

16 Feb 2013

FDA approves Novartis’ Zortress to prevent organ rejection after liver transplantation in adults

Novartis announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zortress (everolimus) for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in adult patients receiving a liver transplant.

16 Feb 2013

Surprises found in postoperative pain rankings

Patients report “unexpectedly high” levels of pain after some relatively minor surgical procedures, including some laparoscopic procedures, say researchers.

15 Feb 2013