Psychiatry News and Research

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

Bipolar disorder in adolescents is a huge risk factor for smoking and substance abuse

A study from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) supports previous reports that adolescents with bipolar disorder are at increased risk for smoking and substance abuse.

2 Jun 2008

Distinct clusters of genetic markers linked to treatment responses for smoking cessation

Scientists have identified distinct clusters of genetic markers associated with the likelihood of success or failure of two smoking cessation treatments, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and the medication bupropion (Zyban). This study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was published in the June issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

2 Jun 2008

Researchers pinpoint gene mutations responsible for 10 percent of non-familial cases of schizophrenia

Scans of the genome of patients with schizophrenia have revealed rare spontaneous copy number mutations that account for at least 10 percent of the non-familial cases of the disease.

1 Jun 2008

University of Bristol to test effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy

A team of researchers, led by Dr Nicola Wiles at the University of Bristol, has been awarded £1.2 million by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme for a clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for patients with depression who do not respond to treatment with antidepressants.

30 May 2008

Avoiding spleen removal for Cooley's anemia sufferers

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College may have discovered the precise role of a gene in one of the world's most common blood disorders, beta-thalassemia, commonly known as Cooley's anemia. Along with sickle-cell anemia, Cooley's anemia is the most commonly inherited disease in the world, affecting many people of Mediterranean descent, and 20 out of every 100,000 African-Americans. The World Health Organization estimates that between 50,000-100,000 children are born with the disease each year.

27 May 2008

Molecular fingerprint of cocaine addiction revealed

The first large-scale analysis of proteins in the brains of monkeys addicted to cocaine reveals new information on how long-term cocaine use changes the amount and activity of various proteins affecting brain function.

27 May 2008

Gene mutations in mice mimic human-like sleep disorder

Mutations in two genes that control electrical excitability in a portion of the brain involved in sleep create a human-like insomnia disorder in mice, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found. The findings may help scientists better understand the disorder and provide an animal model for developing treatments.

20 May 2008

Spectral Modeling technology substantiated through creation of antipsychotic bank of drug candidates

LIUS Molecular Design is pleased to announce that it has successfully created two antipsychotic drug candidates with third party confirmation of predicted biological activities via in vitro testing.

19 May 2008

Researchers who helped millions with arthritis receive Janssen Award

Two British researchers who pioneered treatments which have helped millions of people with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases have been awarded the prestigious 2008 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research, announced today.

13 May 2008

Researchers find link between altered dopamine activity and social anxiety disorder

Using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), researchers in The Netherlands were able to detect biochemical differences in the brains of individuals with generalized social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia), providing evidence of a long-suspected biological cause for the dysfunction.

12 May 2008

New MRI technique detects subtle but serious brain injury

A new technique for analyzing magnetic resonance imaging data, developed by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center, can reveal serious brain injury missed by current tests and help predict a patient's degree of recovery.

12 May 2008

microRNAs provide more clues to genetics of schizophrenia

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have illuminated a window into how abnormalities in microRNAs, a family of molecules that regulate expression of numerous genes, may contribute to the behavioral and neuronal deficits associated with schizophrenia and possibly other brain disorders.

11 May 2008

University of Leicester to lead audit of adults with autism

The University of Leicester is leading on a national study to calculate the number of adults with autism, it has been announced today.

9 May 2008

FDA approves Strattera for ADHD in children and adolescents

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Strattera (atomoxetine HCI) for maintenance treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Strattera, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is the first FDA-approved non-stimulant to treat ADHD in children, adolescents and adults.

8 May 2008

Big differences in depressed brains

Depressed people may have far fewer of the receptors for some of the brain's "feel good" stress-response chemicals than non-depressed people, new University of Michigan Depression Center research shows.

8 May 2008

Lack of motivation in schizophrenia linked to brain chemical imbalance

A study of patients with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia suggests an alternative explanation for why many sufferers lack motivation. The research is described in BioMed Central's journal BMC Psychiatry.

8 May 2008

A new search for causes of autism

Dr. Eric Fombonne, from the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is involved in a multi-site consortium to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years.

7 May 2008

Major mental disorders cost society billions in unearned income

Major mental disorders cost the nation at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study was published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

7 May 2008

Antidepressants do work in depression while evidence for cognitive behavioural yherapy is poorer say experts

A new revision of clinical guidelines to help doctors manage patients with depression has challenged the rationale behind the UK government's policy of rolling out of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for milder depression.

7 May 2008

Nurse care for schizophrenia patients

Drug and psychosocial interventions for the symptoms of schizophrenic disorders contribute to a lower incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia. Nurses will be able to offer better care through the use of nursing models and theories in the care of Schizophrenics.

6 May 2008