Mental Disorder News and Research

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Risk of suicide among OCD patients much higher than previously thought

Patients with OCD are 10 times more likely to commit suicide, contrary to what was previously thought. In a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, is also shown that the main predictor of suicide in OCD patients is a previous suicide attempt, which offers opportunities for prevention.

19 Jul 2016

Key warning signs of mental health problems in adults and children

The National Institute of Mental Health says one in five adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder, affecting more than 43 million people in a given year, an issue highlighted recently by the publicized struggles of prominent athletes like NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

1 Jul 2016

Study finds major differences between male and female perpetrators

Women who commit deadly violence are different in many ways from male perpetrators, both in terms of the most common victims, the way in which the murder is committed, the place where it is carried out and the perpetrator's background. This is shown by a new study that also investigated homicide trends over time in Sweden.

17 Jun 2016

Candida yeast infections more common in men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

In a study prompted in part by suggestions from people with mental illness, Johns Hopkins researchers found that a history of Candida yeast infections was more common in a group of men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder than in those without these disorders, and that women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who tested positive for Candida performed worse on a standard memory test than women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who had no evidence of past infection.

4 May 2016

Depression may be a systemic disease, say researchers

An international team of researchers lead by the University of Granada has scientifically proven, for the first time, that depression is associated with important alterations of the oxidative stress, so it should be considered a systemic disease.

2 Mar 2016

New book reveals that self-criticism can be mentally and physically harmful

A new book by Prof. Golan Shahar of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev reveals that self-criticism can be both mentally and physically harmful, leading to mental disorder, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and even suicide.

4 Jan 2016

UGA researchers identify biological markers for mental disorders

A team of researchers led by faculty at the University of Georgia has identified a number of biological markers that make it possible to classify mental disorders with greater precision. Their findings, published today in the American Journal of Psychiatry, may one day lead to improved diagnostics and treatments for those suffering from mental illness.

9 Dec 2015

UNC study reveals how specific schizophrenia symptoms linked to distinct brain circuits

Schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder affecting about one in 100 people, is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, in large part because it manifests differently in different people. A new study published today in Molecular Neuropsychiatry helps explain why.

25 Nov 2015

Older maternal age associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety in young adult females

The daughters, but not the sons, of women who give birth at age 30 or older are more likely to experience symptoms of depression as young adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

18 Nov 2015

New study compares effectiveness of clozapine with standard antipsychotics in adults with schizophrenia

In real-world settings, patients with schizophrenia whose symptoms do not respond to standard antipsychotic medications have better outcomes if they are switched to clozapine instead of another standard antipsychotic. They have fewer hospitalizations, stay on the new medication longer, and are less likely to need to use additional antipsychotics.

6 Nov 2015

Computer algorithm may be useful in early diagnosis of schizophrenia

The opinion of a qualified professional is unlikely to be replaced by a computer algorithm for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, additional medical evidence based on such an algorithm might be useful in early diagnosis, according to work published in the International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications.

5 Nov 2015

New study lays out a case for recognizing nonsuicidal self-injury disorder

Self-injury so often occurs in private, an important reason why solid statistics are hard to come by. But researchers estimate between 10 and 40 percent of adolescents, and up to 10 percent of adults, harm themselves physically - usually by cutting or burning their skin.

31 Oct 2015

High or mild levels of total physical activity help prevent mental disorders

Adults in the Community of Madrid who say to perform high or mild levels of total physical activity present higher levels of mental health than those performing low levels of physical activity. This is the result of a study conducted by researchers from Faculty of Sciences for Physical Activity and Sport at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in collaboration with the European University.

28 Oct 2015

Mental disorders could be underlying risk factors for chronic pain in children and young people

One in four young people have experienced chronic pain and a mental disorder. According to a new report in the Journal of Pain, the onset of pain is often preceded by mental disorders: an above-average rate of incidence of depression, anxiety disorders, and behavioral disorders occurs before the onset of headaches, back pain and neck pain.

8 Oct 2015

Abnormal behaviour of BDNF and DTNBP1 genes linked to underlying cause of schizophrenia

Research led by scientists from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore (Duke-NUS) has linked the abnormal behaviour of two genes (BDNF and DTNBP1) to the underlying cause of schizophrenia. These findings have provided a new target for schizophrenia treatment.

21 Sep 2015

Study suggests potential way to predict autism or psychosis risk in children with genetic abnormality

Doctors and researchers have long known that children who are missing about 60 genes on a certain chromosome are at a significantly elevated risk for developing either a disorder on the autism spectrum or psychosis — that is, any mental disorder characterized by delusions and hallucinations, including schizophrenia. But there has been no way to predict which child with the abnormality might be at risk for which disorder.

28 Jul 2015

Self-quantification extends to the detection of depression

A small study conducted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine has shown that the time spent using a smart phone in conjunction with GPS location sensor data can be used to signal the development of depression.

19 Jul 2015

Georgia State University-led study identifies structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia patients

Structural brain abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia, providing insight into how the condition may develop and respond to treatment, have been identified in an internationally collaborative study led by a Georgia State University scientist.

7 Jul 2015

Use of antipsychotic drugs more common in boys than girls, research shows

Boys are more likely than girls to receive a prescription for antipsychotic medication regardless of age, researchers have found.

2 Jul 2015

Long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication benefits people with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, which affects 2 million to 3 million people in the U.S., causes hallucinations, delusions and disorganization. Left untreated, the disease can cause a significant loss in quality of life, including unemployment and estrangement from loved ones. But many people with schizophrenia can control the disorder and live without symptoms for several years if they consistently take prescribed antipsychotic medication, typically a daily pill.

25 Jun 2015