Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Landmark international study confirms common genetic contribution to mental illness

An international research consortium has confirmed that common genetic variants contribute to a person’s risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest study of its kind provides new molecular evidence that 11 regions have strong association with these diseases, including six regions not previously observed. The researchers also found that many of these DNA variations contribute to both diseases. The findings, reported by the Psychiatric Genome-Wide Association Study Consortium (PGC) and published online in two papers in the journal Nature Genetics, represent significant advances in the understanding the causes of these severe and often debilitating disorders.

18 Sep 2011

An evening of grace and glamour to benefit people living with HIV/AIDS in Orange County

AIDS Services Foundation Orange County (ASF) will literally roll out the red carpet for its signature fund raising event – Red Ball II on Saturday, September 24 at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach at 6 p.m.

17 Sep 2011

Researchers discover molecular-level changes in brains of women with major depressive disorder

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered molecular-level changes in the brains of women with major depressive disorder that link two hypotheses of the biological mechanisms that lead to the illness. Their results, published online this week in Molecular Psychiatry, also allowed them to recreate the changes in a mouse model that could enhance future research on depression.

17 Sep 2011

Reducing levels of protein FKBP51 may yield new antidepressant therapies

Decreasing expression of a protein associated with susceptibility to depression made old mice resistant to depressive-like behavior while improving their hormonal response to stress, a study led by researchers at the University of South Florida found. The lack of this protein, FKBP51, did not adversely affect their memory, learning, or basic motor functions.

17 Sep 2011

House Republicans launch new attacks on health law regulations

The medical-loss ratio requirement is one of the prime GOP targets. Democrats responded that Republicans were trying to roll-back key consumer protections. In other health law implementation news, HHS announced new funding for community health centers, and groups interested in setting up health insurance co-ops are seeking certain HHS "tweaks" in the regulations.

17 Sep 2011

PopART project awarded $37 million study grant for HIV prevention in Africa

A team of researchers led by Professor Richard Hayes at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has been awarded $37 million to test an innovative combination of strategies to prevent HIV in African countries.

16 Sep 2011

Policies needed to prepare individuals, society for earlier diagnosis and high risk of Alzheimer's

The changing tide of Alzheimer's diagnosis presents new challenges to the public, physicians and lawmakers: if you could find out your Alzheimer's risk, would you want to know? How should doctors tell you your risk? And what does it mean for the many newly diagnosed Americans still in the workplace?

16 Sep 2011

Researchers discuss how decision neuroscience hopes to advance understanding of brain

Although still a young field, research in "decision neuroscience" has exploded in the last decade, with scientists beginning to decipher what exactly is happening in our brains when we are making choices, whether big or small.

16 Sep 2011

CHAM experts available to discuss variety of back-to-school issues

Experts from The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) are available for interviews on a variety of back-to-school issues.

16 Sep 2011

New report finds improvements in hospital performance

Meanwhile, Reuters reports on the quality of weekend care at stroke centers and nursing homes are trying to reduce their use of powerful antipsychotic drugs for patients with dementia.

16 Sep 2011

Positive thoughts improve mental health in men with testicular cancer

Men who channeled positive thoughts into a five-week writing assignment about their testicular cancer showed signs of improved mental health afterward, in contrast to men who wrote negatively or neutrally about their condition, according to results of a Baylor University pilot study.

16 Sep 2011

U of C researchers create new model of obsessive-compulsive disorder

A new model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that mirrors both symptoms of the disease and the timing of its treatment in humans has been created by University of Chicago researchers, according to a new study.

16 Sep 2011

Symposium to raise awareness on post-infectious neurological syndromes

This symposium will provide information to educate physicians, psychiatrists and other medical and mental health-care professionals about the possibility of neurological repercussions to post-infectious syndromes.

16 Sep 2011

Scientists uncover unknown fail-safe pathway for inherited disorders

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have uncovered a previously unknown fail-safe (compensatory) pathway that potentially protects the brain and other organs from genetic and environmental threats.

16 Sep 2011

Anavex Life Sciences to present data on lead compound for Alzheimer’s at Japan Neuroscience Society

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. will present the most recent data showing the therapeutic potential of ANAVEX compounds in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease at a special symposium of the 34th annual meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society. The symposium is being held in Yokohama, Japan from September 15-17, 2011.

15 Sep 2011

International patient groups anxiously await start of Huntington’s trial

Prana Biotechnology Limited received a very positive reaction from international patient groups and researchers at this week’s World Congress on Huntington’s Disease in Melbourne. The company had a major presence at the Congress and the Prana team has held numerous meetings and conversations with patient groups and researchers.

15 Sep 2011

Alzheimer’s & You: prevention & treatment of dementia

Despite many promising leads, no drug has yet been found to slow or modify the debilitating, and ultimately fatal, progress of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Within 20 years almost half a million Australians will suffer from dementia, by 2050 the number will double to one million.

15 Sep 2011