Psychiatry News and Research

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

Penn receives $12M NIH grant to study pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction treatment

A variety of smoking cessation treatments are currently available for the more than 18 million adult Americans try to quit smoking each year, but success rates vary widely. Despite the importance of quitting smoking, more personalized approaches to smoking cessation treatment are needed to help smokers pick the right method that will work best for them. A major new personalized medicine clinical trial, led by addiction researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, will study how a smokers' genetic make-up influences their quitting success.

8 Sep 2010

Schizophrenia linked to lack of Vitamin D: study

Researchers at Queensland Brain Institute have found that babies born with low vitamin D levels are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia later in life. This could mean that it may be possible to prevent schizophrenia, which affects almost 200,000 Australians.

7 Sep 2010

Rexahn submits Phase IIb protocol to FDA for study of Serdaxin for major depressive disorder

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing potential best in class oncology and CNS therapeutics, today announced that it has submitted a Phase IIb protocol to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the clinical study of Serdaxin for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

7 Sep 2010

Hallucinogen psilocybin safe for administration in patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety: Study

A pilot study suggests the hallucinogen psilocybin may be feasible and safe to administer to patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety, with promising effects on mood, according to a report published online today that will appear in the January 2011 print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

7 Sep 2010

Psilocybin reduces anxiety, improves mood with advanced-stage cancer: Study

In the first human study of its kind to be published in more than 35 years, researchers found psilocybin, an hallucinogen which occurs naturally in "magic mushrooms," can safely improve the moods of patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety, according to an article published online today in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

7 Sep 2010

Study finds association between psychotic disorders and urbanicity

The association between psychotic disorders and living in urban areas appears to be a reflection of increased social fragmentation present within cities, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

7 Sep 2010

Geometric pattern preference may be an early identifier of autism

Using eye-tracking methods, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown that toddlers with autism spend significantly more time visually examining dynamic geometric patterns than they do looking at social images - a viewing pattern not found in either typical or developmentally delayed toddlers.

7 Sep 2010

Combined treatment may benefit early-stage schizophrenia patients: Report

Patients with early stage schizophrenia who receive a combination of medication and a psychosocial intervention appear less likely to discontinue treatment or relapse and may have improved insight, quality of life and social functioning than those taking medication alone, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

7 Sep 2010

TNS therapy improves depression: Study

Major depression is a common and disabling brain condition marked not only by the presence of depressed mood but also by its effects on sleep, energy, decision-making, memory and thoughts of death or of suicide.

3 Sep 2010

Early marker for infants at higher-risk for autism may be infrequent gazing, study shows

Kennedy Krieger Institute announced today new study results showing an early marker for later communication and social delays in infants at a higher-risk for autism may be infrequent gazing at other people when unprompted. Published in the September issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the study also found that six-month-old high-risk infants demonstrated the same level of cause and effect learning skills when compared to low-risk infants of the same age.

3 Sep 2010

GABRA2 gene influences brain’s reward responses to alcohol odors: Research

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are DNA sequence variations that occur when a single nucleotide in the genome sequence is altered. Prior research suggested an association between SNPs in a gene that encodes aspects of the brain's gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-A receptors (the GABRA2 gene) and alcohol dependence. A study of responses to the aromas of alcoholic drinks according to subjects' genotyping at a SNP in GABRA2 has found that this genotype can affect the brain's reward responses to cues such as alcohol odors.

3 Sep 2010

European Commission approves MSD's MAA for SYCREST in manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder

MSD announced today that the European Commission has approved the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for SYCREST® (asenapine) sublingual tablets for the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. Today's decision was based on recommendations from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). The Commission Decision applies to all 27 European Member States.

3 Sep 2010

Chronic insomnia with objectively measured short sleep duration associated with increased mortality in men

A study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP found an elevated risk of death in men with a complaint of chronic insomnia and an objectively measured short sleep duration. The results suggest that public health policy should emphasize the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of chronic insomnia.

2 Sep 2010

Study links community violence with asthma hospitalizations, emergency department visits

Patients with asthma who are exposed to violence in their community are at an increased risk for an asthma-related hospitalization and emergency room visits for asthma or any cause, according to new research from the University Of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Exposure to community violence has been linked to more symptoms in pediatric asthma patients; however the new research adds to this finding with a longitudinal study showing a connection in an adult population and more than symptoms - actual emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

2 Sep 2010

Anxiety in school is seasonal and age dependent: Pediatric psychiatrists

With summer fading, anxiety is on the rise for some students anticipating the return of school. But it isn't just the first days of classes that can provoke angst -- anxiety in school is seasonal and age dependent, say pediatric psychiatrists.

2 Sep 2010

SAMe dietary supplement effective for major depressive disorders: Study

A new study conducted by investigators at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) suggests that S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAMe), an over-the-counter dietary supplement, can be an effective, relatively well-tolerated, adjunctive treatment for adults with major depressive disorders who do not respond to their treatment with antidepressant medication.

2 Sep 2010

USFDA grants Sun Pharma subsidiary approval for generic Strattera capsules ANDA

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that USFDA has granted its subsidiary an approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Strattera ®, atomoxetine hydrochloride capsules.

2 Sep 2010

Doctor depression on the rise: Review

According to a review of Australian and international research released by Beyondblue this week, doctors use more prescription drugs and have a higher rate of suicide than the general population. General Practitioner Naomi Harris says doctors are less inclined to seek help for their own mental illness, resulting in some disturbing trends and she is urging doctors to come out for help being a member of an advisory committee formed to deal with the problem.

1 Sep 2010

Naurex announces GLYX-13 molecule recognized in “Top 10 to Watch" list for depression treatment

Naurex Inc., a clinical stage company developing innovative treatments for depression and other CNS disorders, today reported that its clinical stage candidate for the treatment of depression, GLYX-13, and its second-generation NRX-1050 series have been selected for inclusion on Windhover's list of the "Top 10 Most Interesting Neuroscience Projects to Watch."

31 Aug 2010

Findings suggest sustainable school-base prevention program for youth at risk for substance abuse

The coming weeks mark the return to school for many of our youngest citizens. Sadly the satisfaction of making new friends and obtaining good test scores may be overshadowed by the prospect of substance abuse for some school-aged adolescents. The previous decade has witnessed a two-fold increase in both alcohol consumption and intoxication by adolescents age 12 to 17.

31 Aug 2010

Psychiatry News and Research

Further Reading

Penn receives $12M NIH grant to study pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction treatment

Schizophrenia linked to lack of Vitamin D: study

Rexahn submits Phase IIb protocol to FDA for study of Serdaxin for major depressive disorder

Hallucinogen psilocybin safe for administration in patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety: Study

Psilocybin reduces anxiety, improves mood with advanced-stage cancer: Study

Study finds association between psychotic disorders and urbanicity

Geometric pattern preference may be an early identifier of autism

Combined treatment may benefit early-stage schizophrenia patients: Report

TNS therapy improves depression: Study

Early marker for infants at higher-risk for autism may be infrequent gazing, study shows

GABRA2 gene influences brain’s reward responses to alcohol odors: Research

European Commission approves MSD's MAA for SYCREST in manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder

Chronic insomnia with objectively measured short sleep duration associated with increased mortality in men

Study links community violence with asthma hospitalizations, emergency department visits

Anxiety in school is seasonal and age dependent: Pediatric psychiatrists

SAMe dietary supplement effective for major depressive disorders: Study

USFDA grants Sun Pharma subsidiary approval for generic Strattera capsules ANDA

Doctor depression on the rise: Review

Naurex announces GLYX-13 molecule recognized in “Top 10 to Watch" list for depression treatment

Findings suggest sustainable school-base prevention program for youth at risk for substance abuse

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