Depression News and Research

Latest Depression News and Research

Cognitive behavioural therapy effective when delivered in online by a therapist

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) seems to be effective when delivered online in real time by a therapist, with benefits maintained over 8 months. This method of delivery could broaden access to CBT in primary care. These are the conclusions of an article in this week's Global Mental Health special edition of The Lancet, written by Dr David Kessler, NIHR National School for Primary Care Research, University of Bristol and colleagues.

21 Aug 2009

American Public University offers “Tips for Teachers” cards free of cost

“Tips for Teachers” cards on key behavioral and student wellness issues are available at no cost to teachers, counselors, principals and other school-based personnel, thanks to a program by American Public University, a member institution of American Public University System, an accredited, online university system that serves more than 50,000 working adults studying worldwide.

20 Aug 2009

InterMune receives $20 million event payment from Roche for initiating the Phase 2b trial of RG7227/ ITMN-191

Roche (SIX: ROG.VX; RO.S, OTCQX: RHHBY) and InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN) today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2b study evaluating the hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, RG7227/ ITMN-191, in combination with PEGASYS(R) (pegylated interferon alfa-2a) and COPEGUS(R) (ribavirin). The study, to be conducted at 45 sites globally, will further define the safety and efficacy profile of RG7227/ ITMN-191, for a treatment duration of up to 24 weeks. Approximately 300 treatment-naive patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 1 - the most difficult to treat form of the virus - will participate.

20 Aug 2009

First-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Cyberonics

Cyberonics, Inc. today announced results for the quarter ended July 24, 2009. Net sales were $38.5 million, a 14% increase from $33.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009.

20 Aug 2009

Survey aims to better understand daily needs of unpaid caregivers of people with diabetes

Chevy Chase, MD-The Hormone Foundation, the public education affiliate of The Endocrine Society, in collaboration with the National Alliance for Caregiving, today released key findings from a first-of-its-kind survey (http://www.hormone.org/Public/diabetes_caregiver.cfm) aimed at better understanding the daily needs and struggles of unpaid caregivers of people with diabetes.

19 Aug 2009

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation and the Davis Phinney Foundation jointly fund new study

The Davis Phinney Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) today, announced that it has awarded four Parkinson's disease research centers with support to conduct a landmark study on the long-term changes in quality of life and mobility that occur in people with PD. The results of this research will help to advance the understanding of how interventions, such as exercise, impact changes in quality of life and mobility over the course of the disease.

19 Aug 2009

Depression causes reduced function in the reward center of brain

Clinically depressed individuals are less capable of finding pleasure in activities they previously enjoyed, a recent study has proven. Research featured in the August 26 issue of the NeuroReport shows reduced brain function in the reward center of the brain in depressed individuals, when compared to healthy subjects.

19 Aug 2009

Retirees at risk: The precarious promise of post-employment health benefits

A nearly two-decade trend that is stripping away employer-provided health-care benefits for retirees in private business will likely continue and could soon hit an even deeper pool of government retirees, new research by a University of Illinois elder law expert warns.

19 Aug 2009

Fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer may be caused by inflammation

Patients who experience fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer may be reacting to activation of the proinflammatory cytokine network, a known inflammatory pathway, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

19 Aug 2009

Clinically depressed individuals show reduced brain function

19 Aug 2009

Video-game playing and health risks

While video gaming is generally perceived as a pastime for children and young adults, research shows that the average age of players in the United States is 35.

18 Aug 2009

FDA approves Extavia for multiple sclerosis

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Extavia(R) (interferon beta-1b), the first in a new planned portfolio of multiple sclerosis (MS) medicines from Novartis to help patients manage this devastating disease.

17 Aug 2009

Cognitive behavioral therapy improves sleep and pain in osteoarthritis

A study in the Aug. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective treatment for older patients with osteoarthritis and comorbid insomnia.

16 Aug 2009

Abuse, self-neglect places seniors at increased risk for premature death

Older adults who are subjected to abuse or self-neglect face a greater risk of premature death than other seniors, according to a study published in the medical journal JAMA.

16 Aug 2009

Doctors overiding end of life counseling see benefit in current controversy

The paragraphs, buried deep in the 1,000-page House health reform bill, appear innocuous, but they have ignited a firestorm among critics predicting government-sponsored euthanasia.

14 Aug 2009

Aryx Therapeutics reports Q2 2009 financials

ARYx Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARYX) today reported results of operations and provided a general business update for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009.

13 Aug 2009

Sleep patterns can identify adolescents at greatest risk for depression

Sleep patterns can help predict which adolescents might be at greatest risk for developing depression, a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center has found in a five-year study.

13 Aug 2009

Decreased cravings for pleasure may be at root of a core symptom of major depressive disorder

Decreased motivation to seek and experience pleasurable experiences, known as anhedonia, is a primary symptom of major depressive disorder. Anhedonia is less responsive to many antidepressants and often persists after other symptoms of depression subside. However, understanding the different components of anhedonia - the desire to obtain something pleasurable versus experiencing pleasure - has been difficult for researchers to determine in humans.

12 Aug 2009

Transcript: President Obama Town Hall meeting in New Hampshire

President Barack Obama continued his press for public support of health reform initiatives at what the White House called a "Health Insurance Reform Town Hall" meeting at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

12 Aug 2009

Massage therapy eases sickle cell disease pain in children

Massage offers both physical and psychological benefits and is used at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in many areas including Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and in patients who have received organ transplants, just to name a few. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s recently published a study in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology that revealed the benefits of massage in reducing pain, anxiety and depression in children with Sickle Cell Disease.

12 Aug 2009