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Researchers find clue behind ASD affecting males than females

New research from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), both in Toronto, Canada provides further clues as to why Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects four times more males than females. The scientists discovered that males who carry specific alterations of DNA on the sole X-chromosome they carry are at high risk of developing ASD. The research is published in the September 15 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

16 Sep 2010

Computer game addicted mom punished for child neglect

In a bizarre incident, a British mother’s addiction to a computer game made her negligent towards her children and pets. The 33 year old mother of three (aged 9, 10 and 13), has not been named for legal reasons. She got addicted to an online game so much, that she didn’t feed her children and dogs properly.

15 Sep 2010

SAMHSA to unveil results of 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will unveil the results of the latest (2009) National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) at a press conference on Thursday, September 16. The annual survey is the largest of its kind, and is the government's primary vehicle for determining how many persons are abusing illegal drugs, pharmaceuticals, alcohol and tobacco.

14 Sep 2010

BC-CfE study finds links between insite use, addiction treatment and stopping injection drug use

A study led by researchers at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) at St. Paul's Hospital and the University of British Columbia has found that supervised injection facilities such as Vancouver's Insite connect clients with addiction treatment, which in turn resulted in greater likelihood of stopping injection drug use for at least six months.

14 Sep 2010

Researchers to discuss brain's secrets at neuroscience conference

Top brain researchers from around the world will be in Milwaukee, Sept, 16-19, 2010, for a neuroscience conference focused on gaining insights into the brain's inner workings to better understand how the brain thinks, how the brain develops, and how the brain is altered by neurological diseases and how it responds to treatment.

14 Sep 2010

Mental illness costs Canadian economy $51 billion in lost productivity

Mental illness is associated with more lost work days than any other chronic condition, costing the Canadian economy $51 billion annually in lost productivity. In the first study of its kind, researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have calculated the actual cost of mental health leave and found that on average it's double the cost of a leave for a physical illness.

13 Sep 2010

Researchers develop GAL4/UAS system to study human neurological diseases

A team of University of Oklahoma researchers studying neurobiology in fruit flies (Drosophila) has developed a new method for understanding brain function with potential applications in studies of human neurological diseases.

13 Sep 2010

NAADAC and Hazelden partner to improve treatment for co-occurring disorders

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, and Hazelden, the national nonprofit focused on addiction treatment, prevention and recovery announced today a new strategic partnership focused on improving the treatment of co-occurring disorders. The partnership announcement was made by NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy during the National Conference on Addiction Disorders in Washington, D.C.

10 Sep 2010

FDA issues warning letters to five electronic cigarette distributors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued warning letters to five distributors for various violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) including unsubstantiated claims and poor manufacturing practices.

10 Sep 2010

Change in sociodemographic factors increases substance abuse treatment admissions: SAMHSA

Admissions for substance abuse treatment among those aged 50 and older have more than doubled, and their sociodemographic characteristics have significantly changed, between 1992 and 2008, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The findings indicate that sociodemographic factors such as unemployment, lack of income and homelessness all increased among this treatment group during this period.

10 Sep 2010

Highlights of 23rd Congress of European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2010

More than 7,000 psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists and neuroscience researchers from all over the world met at the 23rd Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) from 28 August to 1 September 2010 in Amsterdam.

10 Sep 2010

Candida Force program of detoxification and dietary recommendations effective for weight reduction

Early this month, the cover of First for Women magazine stopped Kathleen Kalaf in her tracks. The magazine featured an article about the connection between systemic Candida, or yeast overgrowth, and fat.

10 Sep 2010

Three quarters of British adults support removal of shop displays of tobacco: Survey

Three quarters of British adults support the removal of shop displays of tobacco (73 per cent) and a complete ban on cigarette vending machines (77 per cent) according to a new survey commissioned by Cancer Research UK this weekend.

10 Sep 2010

Today's OpEds: Medicare's long-term liabilities; Reforming and funding native health care; Frustrations surrounding stem cell research

Under ObamaCare it will get much worse. Hospitals also will shut down or stop serving Medicare patients. … Everyone should know by now that Medicare suffers dramatic long-term deficits and unfunded liabilities, and is in need of fundamental, structural reforms. But effectively refusing to pay the doctors and hospitals that provide the medical care the program promises to seniors is no way to solve that problem (Peter Ferrara and Larry Hunter, 9/9).

10 Sep 2010

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario releases recommendations to target opioid public health crisis

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario released a set of wide-ranging recommendations to target the opioid public health crisis. The College is responsible for regulating Ontario's physicians in the public interest.

9 Sep 2010

Illegal drug usage in older people reduces quality of life: Research

Health and social services are facing a new challenge, as many illicit drug users get older and face chronic health problems and a reduced quality of life. That is one of the key findings of research published in the September issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

9 Sep 2010

UCLA psychologist explains measure to overcome drug addiction

Millions of Americans suffer from severe addictions that can ruin lives and are extremely difficult to control. Nearly 2 million enter roughly 12,000 addiction treatment programs in the U.S. each year.

9 Sep 2010

C.A.R.E.S. Alliance launches online tools for addressing misuse and abuse of pain medications

The C.A.R.E.S. Alliance, a new patient safety organization, today launched a range of online tools designed to help solve the growing problem of misuse and abuse of opioids by identifying the risks associated with these powerful pain medications. The free resources offered through the C.A.R.E.S. (Collaborating & Acting Responsibly to Ensure Safety) Alliance promote safety in prescribing, dispensing, using, storing and disposing of these commonly abused pain medications.

9 Sep 2010

NIH announces $161.3 million for expansion of Pharmacogenomics Research Network

The National Institutes of Health plans to spend $161.3 million over the next five years to expand the Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN), a nationwide collaborative of scientists focused on understanding how genes affect a person's response to medicines.

8 Sep 2010

Researchers discover tolerance mechanism in chronic morphine treatment

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered a major mechanism underlying the development of tolerance to chronic morphine treatment. The discovery may help researchers find new therapies to treat chronic pain, and reduce tolerance and side effects associated with morphine use. The findings are published in the July 20th issue of Science Signaling.

8 Sep 2010