Behavioral Medicine News and Research

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Behavioral medicine (BM) is a newly developing field of study which integrates behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical concepts and practices to prevent, diagnose, and treat patients with psychosomatic disorders. The practice of BM targets the relation between how both thought and behavior can affect mental and physical health.

Irrational health beliefs associated with lower adherence to prescribed cardiac rehab program, says study

Heart patients with beliefs about health that aren't based on medical evidence are more likely to skip sessions of cardiac rehabilitation, new research suggests.

15 Apr 2014

Study highlights importance of stress management, healthy lifestyle habits for people with migraine

Migraine sufferers who experienced reduced stress from one day to the next are at significantly increased risk of migraine onset on the subsequent day, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Montefiore Headache Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University.

27 Mar 2014

Study establishes innovative approaches to improve vision of young children with brain tumor

Robert Avery, DO, MSCE, of Children's National Health System and colleagues are establishing innovative approaches with technology and medication to improve the vision of young children who have visual pathway glioma, a type of brain tumor.

3 Mar 2014

Dieters more likely to give in to alcoholic temptations than to sugary snacks

There's more to dieting than just sheer willpower and self-control. The presence of friends, late night cravings or the temptation of alcohol can often simply be too strong to resist.

25 Feb 2014

CBT improves blood sugar control and brings faster relief of depression in patients with type 2 diabetes

Although maintaining good blood sugar control is crucial for avoiding complications of diabetes, it has been estimated that only about half of patients are successful in meeting target blood glucose levels.

25 Feb 2014

Breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy show decreased fatigue as result of CBTH

Breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy showed decreased fatigue as a result of cognitive behavioral therapy plus hypnosis (CBTH), according to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

20 Feb 2014

Practicing yoga for atleast 3 months can reduce fatigue and inflammation in breast cancer survivors

Practicing yoga for as little as three months can reduce fatigue and lower inflammation in breast cancer survivors, according to new research.

27 Jan 2014

Acadia Healthcare expands geographic presence in the US

Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. today announced the acquisition of inpatient psychiatric facilities in Seattle, Washington, and Riverside, California, expanding the Company's geographic presence to two new states. Effective, December 1, 2013, the Company completed the purchase of an acute inpatient psychiatric facility from Highline Medical Center, a nonprofit healthcare system headquartered in Seattle.

6 Jan 2014

Study reveals why people are predisposed to cardiovascular disease and death

A genetic trait known to make some people especially sensitive to stress also appears to be responsible for a 38 percent increased risk of heart attack or death in patients with heart disease, scientists at Duke Medicine report.

19 Dec 2013

Concussive brain injuries can lead to depressive behaviors later in life

A head injury can lead immune-system brain cells to go on "high alert" and overreact to later immune challenges by becoming excessively inflammatory - a condition linked with depressive complications, a new animal study suggests.

10 Dec 2013

Research: Chronic stress changes gene activity in immune cells before reaching bloodstream

New research shows that chronic stress changes gene activity in immune cells before they reach the bloodstream. With these changes, the cells are primed to fight an infection or trauma that doesn't actually exist, leading to an overabundance of the inflammation that is linked to many health problems.

6 Nov 2013

Weight Watchers community-based approach more effective than DIY approach

A new randomized controlled trial conducted by Baylor College of Medicine researchers and published today as an Article in Press in The American Journal of Medicine finds that overweight and obese adults following a community-based weight loss intervention, namely Weight Watchers, lost significantly more weight than those who tried to lose weight on their own (10.1 lbs. vs. 1.3 lbs. at six months).

15 Oct 2013

Weight loss mobile applications need to do more to help dieters solve problems

Weight loss mobile applications may work well as basic tracking devices, but need to do more to help dieters improve motivation, reduce stress and solve problems, according to a new report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

11 Oct 2013

Researchers study link between newborn infections and later behavior problems

Researchers exploring the link between newborn infections and later behavior and movement problems have found that inflammation in the brain keeps cells from accessing iron that they need to perform a critical role in brain development.

9 Oct 2013

Smoking-cessation in HIV-positive individuals: an interview with Dr Ellen R. Gritz, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

In the general population, current smoking prevalence is 18%. Persons living with HIV/AIDS smoke at a rate 2 to 3 times higher, up to almost 70% in some studies.

16 Sep 2013

Springer publishes Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine

The Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine, with more than 1.200 entries, is the first encyclopedia devoted to the interdisciplinary field of behavioral medicine. An international advisory board consisting of the leadership and past leadership of the Society of Behavioral Medicine and the International Society of Behavioral Medicine guarantees the high quality of the contributions and ensures that the field will be covered from a global perspective.

10 Sep 2013

New manual by psychologist explains basics of hypnotherapy

Hypnotic Relaxation Therapy: Principles and Applications (Springer Publishing) is a new training manual by Gary Elkins, Ph.D., director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory at Baylor University.

3 Sep 2013

In dynamic mind-body interaction, brain recruits cells from immune system to promote anxiety

New research shows that in a dynamic mind-body interaction during the interpretation of prolonged stress, cells from the immune system are recruited to the brain and promote symptoms of anxiety.

22 Aug 2013

Scientist study irregular brain activity during concussion recovery with fMRI

For the first time, researchers have documented irregular brain activity within the first 24 hours of a concussive injury, as well as an increased level of brain activity weeks later-suggesting that the brain may compensate for the injury during the recovery time.

20 Aug 2013

Neuroscientists discover reason for hot flashes in menopausal women

A new study from neuroscientists at the Wayne State University School of Medicine provides the first novel insights into the neural origins of hot flashes in menopausal women in years. The study may inform and eventually lead to new treatments for those who experience the sudden but temporary episodes of body warmth, flushing and sweating.

16 Jul 2013