Psychosis News and Research

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Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality". People suffering from psychosis are said to be ''psychotic.''

Texas program effectively reduces use of anti-psychotics in foster children

Rutgers researchers have found that a Texas strategy to reduce anti-psychotic medication for children can serve as a model for other state Medicaid programs.

21 Jan 2020

Antipsychotics linked to higher risk of head, brain injuries among persons with Alzheimer's

The use of antipsychotics is associated with increased risks of head and brain injuries among persons with Alzheimer's disease, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland. The risk increase was highest at the initiation of antipsychotic use.

16 Jan 2020

Overactivation of neuroimmune gene leads to schizophrenia-like changes in mice

Excessive activity of an immune system gene previously linked to schizophrenia reproduces neural and behavioral aspects of the disease in mice, according to a new study publishing on January 14 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Ashley Comer and Alberto Cruz-Martín of Boston University and colleagues.

14 Jan 2020

Epilepsy neurostimulators provide extra benefit by reducing neuropsychiatric comorbidities

People with drug-resistant epilepsy also can have deleterious neuropsychiatric symptoms like anxiety, depression, psychosis and impaired memory.

2 Jan 2020

Genetics plays a role in the effects of long-term methamphetamine use

New research led by La Trobe University in Australia has uncovered genetic clues which could explain why some people have more severe side effects from long-term methamphetamine use than others.

19 Dec 2019

Study reveals long-term cognitive changes and clinical outcomes in psychotic disorders

A new study has shown that relative to participants without a psychotic disorder, those diagnosed with a disorder were consistently impaired across all areas of cognitive (memory and thinking) ability measured. The comparison also suggested that declines in some cognitive areas might worsen with age.

16 Dec 2019

Problem drinkers have higher likelihood of using benzodiazepines

Problem drinkers are more likely than teetotalers and moderate drinkers to take benzodiazepines, a class of sedatives that are among the most commonly prescribed drugs -- and the most abused.

14 Dec 2019

New insights into the most perplexing medical mysteries associated with schizophrenia

Four unsolved mysteries around schizophrenia have long plagued the medical community, but a new hypothesis identifying a common link between them and an almost forgotten epidemic of a disease called pellagra could have profound implications for our understanding of psychosis in poorer nations.

12 Dec 2019

Drug used to treat Parkinson’s shows potential as a dementia treatment

Drug used to treat hallucinations and delusions in Parkinson's shows promise as treatment for dementia-related psychosis (DRP).

5 Dec 2019

Study: 20% of people with depression have suicidal thoughts despite treatment

One in five people with depression have suicidal thoughts despite treatment with antidepressants. This is shown by a new study from iPSYCH. The results can be used to examine whether more targeted treatment could be provided for patients where medication does not have a sufficient effect.

2 Dec 2019

Polygenic risk score improves psychosis risk prediction, study finds

A new study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found that that using a polygenic risk score based on data from genome-wide association studies improves psychosis risk prediction in persons meeting clinical high-risk criteria.

12 Nov 2019

Smoking causes… schizophrenia?

Yes, we all know smoking is the cause of lung cancer, throat cancer and many other deadly conditions, but it turns out that smoking also puts a person at risk of depression and schizophrenia as well, according to a new study published in the journal Psychological Medicine on November 6, 2019.

7 Nov 2019

APHA adopts 14 new public health policy statements at 2019 Annual Meeting

The American Public Health Association's Governing Council adopted 14 new policy statements at its 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo in Philadelphia today, covering topics such as environmental justice, drinking water safety and attacks on health workers.

6 Nov 2019

For young people with psychosis, early intervention is crucial

Andrew Echeguren, 26, had his first psychotic episode when he was 15. He was working as an assistant coach at a summer soccer camp for kids when the lyrics coming out of his iPod suddenly morphed into racist and homophobic slurs, telling him to harm others — and himself.

6 Nov 2019

King's College London, UCL launch new study on impact of arts on physical and mental health

The world's largest ever study into the impact and scalability of arts interventions on physical and mental health has been launched today by King's College London and UCL, supported by a £2m award from Wellcome Trust.

30 Oct 2019

Cannabis is not an effective treatment for mental health conditions, conclude experts

A team in Australia has reviewed scientific evidence from the past 30 years to investigate the therapeutic effects of medicinal cannabinoids on mental health.

30 Oct 2019

University of Bath develops simple saliva test to detect synthetic drug 'spice'

A simple saliva test to detect if someone has recently taken the street drug “spice” has been developed at the University of Bath – the first such test ever created.

30 Oct 2019

Study: Diagnosed levels of psychosis and anxiety more severe among men in Hackney

Excess psychosis diagnoses amongst Black and South Asian men in deprived urban areas could reflect a cluster of disadvantage in specific places, rather than individual experiences of deprivation alone, a study led by Queen Mary University of London researchers concludes.

30 Oct 2019

Youth with psychosis spectrum disorders have distinct brain region alterations

Psychotic spectrum (PS) disorders are characterized by abnormalities in beliefs, perceptions and behavior, but how these disorders manifest themselves in earlier development stages is largely unknown.

30 Oct 2019

How the SETD1A gene produces schizophrenia in mice

A new study published in the journal Neuron on October 9, 2019 reports that scientists have unlocked part of the secrets of the SETD1A gene – how mutations in the gene put the individual at risk for the condition.

26 Oct 2019