Depression News and Research

Latest Depression News and Research

Fatal imbalance between global disease burden and drug development

Despite important progress in research and development (R&D) for global health over the past decade, only a small fraction of new medicines developed between 2000 and 2011 were for the treatment of neglected diseases, highlighting the 'fatal imbalance' between global disease burden and drug development for some of the world most devastating illnesses, said Doctors Without Borders/M-decins Sans Fronti-res (MSF) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), in an analysis to be presented today at an international conference aimed at spurring medical innovations for these diseases.

13 Dec 2012

Change of fatty diet can cause feelings like drug withdrawal and depression

Even before obesity occurs, eating fatty and sugary foods causes chemical changes in the brain, meaning that going on a diet might feel similar to going through drug withdrawal, according to a study published today by Dr. Stephanie Fulton of the University of Montreal's Faculty of Medicine and its affiliated CRCHUM Hospital Research Centre.

13 Dec 2012

Survey finds serious shortfalls in quality of mental health care for older adults

Large majorities of older Americans with depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders are receiving treatment that does not meet evidence-based standards, and many do not know that depression can put their health at increased risk, according to a national survey, "Silver and Blue: The Unfinished Business of Mental Health Care for Older Adults," released today by the John A. Hartford Foundation.

13 Dec 2012

AZD6765 briefly improves treatment-resistant patients' depression symptoms in minutes

A drug that works through the same brain mechanism as the fast-acting antidepressant ketamine briefly improved treatment-resistant patients' depression symptoms in minutes, with minimal untoward side effects, in a clinical trial conducted by the National Institutes of Health. The experimental agent, called AZD6765, acts through the brain's glutamate chemical messenger system.

13 Dec 2012

Takeda, Lundbeck announce FDA acceptance of vortioxetine NDA submission

Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc., (Takeda) and H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) jointly announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing their submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) for vortioxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adult patients.

13 Dec 2012

Viewpoints: Pelosi says higher Medicare age 'doesn't work;' Marketplace's clout could lower seniors' drug costs

In the talks to avert the fiscal cliff, the idea of raising the Medicare age is central to the Republican proposal. There's just one critical problem: It doesn't work. It doesn't have public support. It's unfair. And it doesn't lower health expenditures. Such a proposal is a reflection of the broader Republican plan: an assault on the middle class, seniors -- and our future.

12 Dec 2012

Children with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may benefit from psychological therapies

Children suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of traumatic events, including child abuse, may benefit from psychological therapies, according to a review published in The Cochrane Library.

12 Dec 2012

Benzodiazepines associated with fatal pneumonia

Benzodiazepines are associated with an increased risk for developing pneumonia, as well as an increased risk for dying from pneumonia, research shows.

12 Dec 2012

Kaiser Permanente suggests simple steps to improve overall health

Kaiser Permanente Southern California wants you to take a 12 minute break and think about how you're going to achieve total health this New Year to become a better you!

12 Dec 2012

Bipolar and borderline personality disorder associated with unemployment

Unemployment poses a significant burden on the public no matter what the cause. But for those who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, chronic unemployment is often coupled with significant health care costs. A Rhode Island Hospital study compared unemployment rates among those with various psychiatric disorders, and found that borderline personality disorder is associated with as much unemployment as bipolar disorder.

12 Dec 2012

Zucker Hillside Hospital celebrates opening of new $120 million inpatient pavilion

Zucker Hillside Hospital today celebrated the opening of a new 130,000-square-foot, $120 million inpatient pavilion. Constructed with the generous support of North Shore-LIJ Health System trustees Donald and Barbara Zucker and other donors, the 130,000-square-foot building will consolidate outdated living quarters dispersed across the psychiatric facility's campus, significantly improving the coordination of services and treatment along the continuum of care.

12 Dec 2012

Depression treatment ‘should target emotional control’

Being able to regulate emotions is a key driver of patients’ improvement in symptoms when undergoing treatment for depression, German researchers have shown.

11 Dec 2012

Depression treatment ‘should target emotional control’

Being able to regulate emotions is a key driver of patients’ improvement in symptoms when undergoing treatment for depression, German researchers have shown.

11 Dec 2012

Janssen announces U.S. prescribing information update for EDURANT tablets

Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a prescribing information update for EDURANT (rilpivirine) tablets to include 96-week pooled data from the Phase 3 ECHO and THRIVE studies, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of EDURANT for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in antiretroviral treatment-naive adults.

11 Dec 2012

ATLAS holds up 10-year tamoxifen regime

Results from the ATLAS study indicate that women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer should consider taking tamoxifen for up to 10 years after diagnosis.

10 Dec 2012

Natural product to combat menopause symptoms

Menopause is a time of great changes for most women, but information about this change of life is often sparse and contradictory. Options for symptom relief are limited. Natural products can be a healthier alternative and can provide symptom relief

10 Dec 2012

Despite effective anti-viral drugs, majority of HCV patients remain untreated

Just 20 percent of people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) begin the recommended treatment regimen and less than 5 percent go on to successfully overcome the virus, according to a new review in General Hospital Psychiatry.

10 Dec 2012

Surgical patients with chronic psychological symptoms require psychotherapeutic treatment

In their study, the research group, headed by Privatdozent Dr. Henning Krampe, psychologist at the Charité Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Prof. Claudia Spies, Director of the Charité Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine and Prof. Elmar Brähler, Head of the Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology at the University of Leipzig, initially recorded how many patients faced by a forthcoming operation were interested in psychotherapy sessions and to what extent this interest was associated with the increased psychological distress occurring before the operation. Finally, the scientists examined whether changes in the psychological symptoms took place during the six months following the surgery.

10 Dec 2012

American Journal of Psychiatry publishes results from Successful Aging Evaluation study

Presently, there are about 40 million Americans over the age of 65, with the fastest-growing segment of the population over 80 years old. Traditionally, aging has been viewed as a period of progressive decline in physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning, and aging is viewed by many as the "number one public health problem" facing Americans today.

9 Dec 2012

Treadmill test can accurately predict coronary artery disease in women over 65

Although there is a widespread belief among physicians that the exercise treadmill test (ETT) is not reliable in evaluating the heart health of women, UC Davis researchers have found that the test can accurately predict coronary artery disease in women over the age of 65. They also found that two specific electrocardiogram (EKG) indicators of heart stress during an ETT further enhanced its predictive power.

8 Dec 2012