Depression News and Research

Latest Depression News and Research

Ziconotide could promote suicidal tendencies: Study

The active agent ziconotide, the synthetic toxin of the cone snail (Conus magus), was acclaimed a safe alternative to morphine when it was introduced six years ago. Now it is increasingly suspected of causing patients to commit suicide. Researchers working under the auspices of Prof. Christoph Maier (Director of the Pain Clinic Bergmannsheil at the Ruhr University in Bochum) presume that ziconotide not only suppresses the transmission of pain stimuli, but also deteriorates the frame of mind and could simultaneously reduce anxiety and impulse control.

23 Nov 2010

Evotec to collaborate with Merck on neurological disease drug discovery program

Evotec AG today announced that it has signed within the "NEU²-Consortium" framework and partially funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung - BMBF), an agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, to develop pre-clinical candidates for an undisclosed neurological disease. Evotec will provide drug discovery expertise covering in vitro biology, medicinal chemistry and in vitro and in vivo pharmacology.

23 Nov 2010

Most patients taking anti-depressants give up treatment: Study

Most patients who take anti-depressants give up their treatment in less than six months, the minimum period recommended for treating severe depression and other derived pathologies. This is the conclusion of a new study carried out by Catalan researchers, which reveals that only 25% continue their treatment for more than 11 months.

23 Nov 2010

Frequent hemodialysis improves left ventricular mass, physical health than conventional treatment

Frequent hemodialysis improved left ventricular mass (heart size) and self-reported physical health compared to conventional hemodialysis for kidney failure, according to the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) Daily Trial funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

23 Nov 2010

AADA releases updated position statement on isotretinoin usage

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) recently updated its position statement on the use of isotretinoin. The position continues to state that patient safety is dermatologists' primary concern and that the AADA is committed to the safe and responsible use of isotretinoin, which is the most effective treatment for severe acne.

23 Nov 2010

Neurocrine announces results from elagolix Phase II Daisy PETAL study in endometriosis

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. today announced results from the open-label portion of the six month Phase II Daisy PETAL study (901 study) using its proprietary, orally-active nonpeptide Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, elagolix, in patients with endometriosis.

22 Nov 2010

Cyberonics second quarter net sales increase 17% to $47.5 million

Cyberonics, Inc. today announced results for the quarter ended October 29, 2010.

22 Nov 2010

New study links high prevalence of insomnia and poor quality of life in software engineers

Insomnia is bad news for software engineers' quality of life and deserves greater recognition and attention, according to new research by Sara Sarrafi Zadeh and Khyrunnisa Begum from the University of Mysore in India. Their work shows that poor sleep has a bearing on quality of life - affecting physical and mental health in particular - in this group with high levels of job-related stress. Their paper is published online in Springer's journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.

22 Nov 2010

VYTORIN reduces major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

In a new investigational study of VYTORIN, the cholesterol-lowering medicine from Merck, VYTORIN 10/20 mg reduced the incidence of first major vascular events defined as non-fatal heart attacks or cardiac death, stroke or any revascularization procedure by a highly statistically significant 16.1 percent compared to placebo, Study of Heart and Renal Protection study involved more than 9,000 patients who, on average, had advanced or end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)

22 Nov 2010

Lotsa Helping Hands' new feature connects community members to healthcare nonprofit organizations

Lotsa Helping Hands, the leading provider of a web-based caregiving coordination service, today announces a new feature that connects its community members to trusted resources from many of the nation's leading healthcare nonprofit organizations.

20 Nov 2010

Study finds gender difference in brain function of schizophrenics

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that differs between the sexes in terms of age at onset, symptomatology, response to medication, and structural brain abnormalities. Now, a new study from the Universit- de Montr-al shows that there is gender difference between men and women's mental ability with women performing better than men.

20 Nov 2010

New treatment model to incorporate systematic depression screening at primary care visits

A treatment model designed to accommodate the beliefs and concerns of Chinese immigrants appears to significantly improve the recognition and treatment of major depression in this typically underserved group

20 Nov 2010

NCI’s website helps women to live a smoke-free life

Are you ready to quit smoking and willing to share the good, bad, and ugly about your experience If so, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) wants to feature you on their Smokefree Women Web site as part of the Women Who Quit campaign.

20 Nov 2010

Anavex closes private placement and issued securities

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. announces that it closed a private placement and issued securities to settle debt owed by the Company.

20 Nov 2010

Illness perception related to concurrent depression symptoms: Research

New research findings which highlight the detrimental effect of depression on patients with end-stage kidney disease has celebrated at the University of Hertfordshire 2010 Awards Ceremonies yesterday (17 November 2010) at the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban.

19 Nov 2010

Children with severe congenital heart defects show high risk of emotional reactivity

Research from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) shows that children with severe congenital heart defects have twice the risk of anxiety at 18 months of age compared to healthy children. Children with mild and moderate heart defects, on the other hand, did not show an increased risk of anxiety.

18 Nov 2010

Study finds association between personality, cognitive ability and neuroendocrinal dysfunction in exhaustion syndrome

Exhaustion syndrome, also called burnout and exhaustion depression, leaves objectively measurable changes in the brain including reduced activity in the frontal lobes and altered regulation of the stress hormone cortisol. This is shown in a new dissertation from Umeå University in Sweden.

18 Nov 2010

CDC data: Adults remain unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that adults remain largely unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses.

18 Nov 2010

Dim light at night linked to depression

Exposure to even dim light at night is enough to cause physical changes in the brains of hamsters that may be associated with depression, a new study shows.

18 Nov 2010

Health Net partners with DoD for Major Depression Disease Management Program

Health Net Federal Services, LLC, part of the Government Contracts segment of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT), today announced its Major Depression Disease Management Program established in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD) for TRICARE beneficiaries, ages 18-64. TRICARE is the DoD's health care plan for active duty and retired service members and their families.

18 Nov 2010