Depression News and Research

Latest Depression News and Research

Omega-3 fatty acids can benefit women at risk of postpartum depression

The "feel-good" hormone serotonin, depleted by pregnancy, can be replenished by adding sources of omega-3 to the diets of pregnant women and new mothers - a development particularly beneficial to the 10 to 15 percent of women at risk for postpartum depression, according to a recent University of Montreal study published in the latest edition of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

29 Nov 2012

Pfizer completes acquisition of NextWave Pharmaceuticals

Pfizer Inc. today announced that it has completed its acquisition of NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

29 Nov 2012

Prevalence of mental health diagnoses increases with long duration of opioid use

Most patients taking opioids for low back pain or other pain syndromes are prescribed low-to moderate doses, but a substantial number are given higher doses. Although there is no consensus on an absolute limit because tolerance varies over time among individual patients, what is known, however, is higher does are associated with elevated risks for side effects, addiction, overdoses and death.

28 Nov 2012

Off label atypical antipsychotic use lacks safety and effectiveness in patients over 40

In older adults, antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest number of antipsychotic prescriptions in older adults is for behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, some of which carry FDA warnings on prescription information for these drugs.

28 Nov 2012

Researchers aim to improve feeling of 'walking on marbles' for arthritis patients

Researchers at the University of Southampton are to undertake a new stage of a study aimed at improving the health and mobility of those suffering from the common complaint of 'walking on marbles' associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in the feet.

28 Nov 2012

State roundup: Conn. official says bulk buying prescription drugs could help budget

The state's chief fiscal watchdog is asking legislators and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration to take a second look at how government purchases prescription medication -- and a proposal he believes could save more than $65 million over the next fiscal year.

28 Nov 2012

THI to launch saliva-based TeloTest in first quarter 2013

Telome Health, Inc. (THI), developer of the TeloTest diagnostic test that measures average telomere length, announces the planned launch of the saliva-based TeloTest in the first quarter of 2013. Related telomere tests, including percentage of short telomeres, would follow.

28 Nov 2012

Immediate behavioral intervention effective in reducing PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a form of learning that begins at the moment of the exposure to extremely stressful situations and that grows in impact as trauma-related memories are rehearsed and strengthened repeatedly.

28 Nov 2012

Trauma does not negatively impact cognition in schizophrenia

A history of trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder is not associated with poorer cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia, researchers report.

27 Nov 2012

Subthreshold bipolarity common in major depressive disorder

Results from a Polish study show that a substantial proportion of patients with major depressive disorder meet criteria for subthreshold bipolarity.

27 Nov 2012

Study examines reasons why smoking is not treated in many cancer patients

It's a sad but familiar scene near the grounds of many medical campuses: hospital-gowned patients, some toting rolling IV poles, huddled in clumps under bus shelters or warming areas, smoking cigarettes.

27 Nov 2012

Low folate and vitamin B12 intake increase risk of melancholic depressive symptoms

A low intake of folate and vitamin B12 increases the risk of melancholic depressive symptoms, according to a study among nearly 3,000 middle-aged and elderly Finnish subjects. On the other hand, non-melancholic depressive symptoms are associated with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome.

27 Nov 2012

Chemotherapy can induce brain changes that may affect concentration and memory

Chemotherapy can induce changes in the brain that may affect concentration and memory, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

27 Nov 2012

Johns Hopkins receives $1.9M NIH grant to establish new center for sleep research

More than one-quarter of the adult population of the U.S. suffers from sleep disturbances known to contribute to life-threatening illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia as well as depression, chronic pain, and fatigue. Often such sleeplessness is a consequence of obesity, lifestyle, and work.

27 Nov 2012

Breast cancer overdiagnosis concerns for USA

Around a third of screening-detected breast cancers in US women in 2008 may have been overdiagnosed, suggests research published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

26 Nov 2012

$Study identifies fractional anisotropy as predictor of brain damage after TBI$

Study identifies fractional anisotropy as predictor of brain damage after TBI

Using a special magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to image patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), researchers have identified a biomarker that may predict which patients will do well over the long term, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

Altered cognition, attitudes mostly state related in bipolar disorder

Altered cognitive processes and attitudes in patients with bipolar disorder are mostly associated with symptomatology, say researchers.

23 Nov 2012

Fear of movement affects 20% of patients with coronary artery disease

A doctoral thesis at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has found that one out of five patients with coronary artery disease experience such a great fear of movement (kinesiophobia) that their health may suffer as a result.

23 Nov 2012

New way of long-term care for elders with memory impairments

Within a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Route 128, a revolutionary new way to provide elder care is quietly making a difference in the town of Westwood. From the outside, the White Oak Cottages may look like ordinary, modern family homes with lots of windows and skylights but what's going on inside is anything but ordinary. Their mission is to de-institutionalize long-term care by providing a real home-like environment for those with Alzheimer's, Dementia and other cognitive impairments.

23 Nov 2012