Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

New medical guidelines for diabetes care

Today the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists released new medical guidelines for developing comprehensive care plan for management of diabetes mellitus.

6 Apr 2011

Major depression linked to premature aging of immune cells: Study

Certain cases of major depression are associated with premature aging of immune cells, which may make people more susceptible to other serious illness, according to findings from a new UCSF-led study.

6 Apr 2011

Huntingtin protein is responsible for metabolic imbalances in hypothalamus

In Huntington's disease, the mutant protein known as huntingtin leads to the degeneration of a part of the brain known as the basal ganglia, causing the motor disturbances that represent one of the most defining features of the fatal disease.

6 Apr 2011

Neurocrine completes NBI-98854 Phase IIa study in schizophrenia patients with dyskinesia

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. announced today that it has completed the dosing and preliminary assessment of the initial cohort of Tardive Dyskinesia patients using its proprietary Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 inhibitor, NBI-98854.

6 Apr 2011

Meditation for pain succeeds: Study

According to a new study meditation may help in reducing pain. For the study researchers mildly burned 15 men and women in a lab on two separate occasions, before and after the volunteers attended four 20-minute meditation training sessions over the course of four days. During the second round, when the participants were instructed to meditate, they rated the exact same pain stimulus - a 120-degree heat on their calves - as being 57 percent less unpleasant and 40 percent less intense, on average.

5 Apr 2011

Scientists reveal metabolic abnormalities underlying schizophrenia

Scientists in Finland have revealed metabolic abnormalities that are associated with schizophrenia. This may be an important step towards development of a clinical test of the disease.

5 Apr 2011

Physical activity may moderate impact of stress on telomeres

UCSF scientists are reporting several studies showing that psychological stress leads to shorter telomeres - the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that are a measure of cell age and, thus, health. The findings also suggest that exercise may prevent this damage.

5 Apr 2011

National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression is now Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (formerly NARSAD, the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression) continues its 25-year mission to alleviate the suffering of mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research.

5 Apr 2011

Mexican-born migrants may face high risk of developing depressive, anxiety disorders

People who migrate to the United States from Mexico have a significantly higher risk of developing depressive or anxiety disorders than family members of migrants who remain in Mexico, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

5 Apr 2011

Acamprosate can help treat patients with autism, Fragile X syndrome

In small, early clinical trials, adults and children with autism and Fragile X syndrome have shown improved communication and social behavior when treated with acamprosate, according to Craig Erickson, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at the Indiana University School of Medicine and chief of the Riley Hospital for Children Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Indiana University Health.

5 Apr 2011

Decrease in income associated with higher risk for anxiety, substance use, and mood disorders

Low levels of household income are associated with several lifetime mental disorders and suicide attempts, and a decrease in income is associated with a higher risk for anxiety, substance use, and mood disorders, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

5 Apr 2011

Risperdal Consta can reduce risk of hospitalisation in patients with schizophrenia

New data from an independent prospective study presented last week at the 19th European Congress of Psychiatry shows treatment with Risperdal Consta is associated with a lower risk of hospitalisation in patients with schizophrenia compared to treatment with other antipsychotics over a 12-month period.

5 Apr 2011

Long hours at work damages heart: Study

According to British scientists, people who regularly work long hours may be significantly increasing their risk of developing heart disease that could eventually kill them.

5 Apr 2011

Promising results for new depression treatment

A new, non-invasive treatment for depression that delivers barely perceptible electric currents to the scalp has had promising results in a Sydney trial, and researchers are now looking for participants for a follow up study.

4 Apr 2011

Lack of specialists accepting Medicaid hampers care

Eight-year-old Draven Smith was expelled from school last year for disruptive behavior, and he is being expelled again this year. But his mother and his pediatrician cannot find a mental health specialist to treat him because he is on Medicaid, and the program, which provides health coverage for the poor, pays doctors so little that many refuse to take its patients.

4 Apr 2011

State Roundup: Budget cuts in Texas, Wash. State; Ariz. smoking, weight fees; Coping with Rx drug abuse

The Texas House voted 98-49 Sunday night to slash funding for public schools, nursing homes and college financial aid in a dramatic show by Republicans elected on a limited-government message in the face of a massive budget shortfall.

4 Apr 2011

First Edition: April 4, 2011

Today's health policy news coverage includes reports about Republican lawmakers' plans to make dramatic changes to Medicare and Medicaid as they seek to cut $4 trillion from the budget over the next 10 years.

4 Apr 2011

Abbott and Enanta's ABT-450/r Phase 2 study results against HCV presented at EASL meeting

Abbott and Enanta Pharmaceuticals today announced 12-week results from a Phase 2 study of ABT-450/r, an investigational, oral protease inhibitor being developed for the treatment of hepatitis C infection.

4 Apr 2011

Researchers pinpoint effects of enhanced adult neurogenesis in hippocampus

Adult mice engineered to have more newborn neurons in their brain memory hub excelled at accurately discriminating between similar experiences - an ability that declines with normal aging and in some anxiety disorders.

4 Apr 2011

BMY announces PEG-Interferon lambda plus ribavirin Phase IIb trial results against HCV

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced results from the Phase IIb EMERGE clinical trial, in which treatment with the investigational compound PEG-Interferon lambda and ribavirin achieved higher rates of rapid virologic response in genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4, and complete early virologic response in genotypes 1 and 4 than the standard regimen of PEG-Interferon alfa and ribavirin in treatment-naïve patients chronically infected with hepatitis C.

4 Apr 2011