Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

State roundup: After Vinson stay, Alaska to implement health law

After allowing the application deadline to pass for $1 million in federal health care assistance, Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell said Thursday he will begin implementing the new health care law after all, now that a Florida judge has told the states to do just that.

5 Mar 2011

Brain enzyme can restore even old, fading memories, say researchers

Even long after it is formed, a memory in rats can be enhanced or erased by increasing or decreasing the activity of a brain enzyme, say researchers supported, in part, by the National Institutes of Health.

4 Mar 2011

Alcohol, marijuana and methamphetamines are common abuse substances

A new study shows that the most commonly abused substances among those 18 and older referred to substance abuse treatment from parole or probation was alcohol, followed by marijuana and methamphetamines.

4 Mar 2011

Nevirapine reduces HIV transmission risk from mother to breastfeeding infants by 75%

Giving breastfeeding infants of HIV-infected mothers a daily dose of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine for six months halved the risk of HIV transmission to the infants at age 6 months compared with giving infants the drug daily for six weeks, according to preliminary clinical trial data presented today.

4 Mar 2011

Study finds variation in drinking patterns among men, women depending on neighborhood type

Men living in low-income neighbourhoods consume more than three times as many alcoholic drinks each week compared to women in these neighbourhoods, according to a study led by St. Michael's researcher Flora Matheson.

4 Mar 2011

How cancer impacts patients and their partners

Katarina Sjövall has studied partners of individuals with colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer. The study shows that the number of diagnosed diseases among partners increased by 25 per cent after the cancer diagnosis.

4 Mar 2011

Canadian nurses call for changes to health system

Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) president Judith Shamian and Nursing Association of New Brunswick (NANB) president Martha Vickers announced today that their organizations will join forces to press for changes to Canada's health system.

4 Mar 2011

New study: Depression and anxiety may influence physical symptoms

Researchers have for decades hypothesized that negative emotions lead to inflated reports of common physical symptoms, like headaches or an upset stomach. But a new University of Iowa study suggests that two negative emotions -- depression and anxiety -- influence symptom reporting in different ways.

4 Mar 2011

Lactate plays critical role in formation of long-term memory

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that lactate, a type of energy fuel in the brain, plays a critical role in the formation of long-term memory. These findings have important implications for common illnesses like Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative disorders, aging-related memory impairment and diabetes. The research is published in the March 4th issue of the journal Cell.

4 Mar 2011

Efficiency of brain function depends on family's genetic makeup

How well our brain functions is largely based on our family's genetic makeup, according to a University of Melbourne led study.

4 Mar 2011

Marijuana and psychosis linked in a study

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3 Mar 2011

New study provides fascinating insight into genetic basis of bipolar disorder

A new study provides fascinating insight into the genetic basis of bipolar disorder, a highly heritable mood disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of mania and depression.

3 Mar 2011

SAMHSA survey: 65% of substance abuse treatment facilities accept private health insurance

A new nationwide survey of substance abuse treatment facilities reveals that in 2008 nearly two thirds accepted some private health insurance payment.

3 Mar 2011

Birth of healthy child does not resolve depression and anxiety in women who miscarry

The depression and anxiety experienced by many women after a miscarriage can continue for years, even after the birth of a healthy child, according to a study led by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers and published online today by the British Journal of Psychiatry.

3 Mar 2011

Study demonstrates neuronal loss during initial stages of HIV infection in mouse model

A new mouse model closely resembles how the human body reacts to early HIV infection and is shedding light on nerve cell damage related to the disease, according to researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.

3 Mar 2011

ITI, Takeda collaborate to develop and commercialize PDE1 inhibitors for schizophrenia

Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. ("ITI") and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, today announced that they have entered into an exclusive collaboration to develop and commercialize selective phosphodiesterase type 1 (PDE1) inhibitors, discovered by ITI, for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia. This agreement is targeted worldwide, but ITI has retained the option to co-promote with Takeda in the United States.

3 Mar 2011

Tobacco smoking leads to less activity in the 'executive center' of brain

Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S., with more than 400,000 deaths each year attributable to smoking or its consequences. And yet teens still smoke. Indeed, smoking usually begins in the teen years, and approximately 80 percent of adult smokers became hooked by the time they were 18. Meanwhile, teens who don't take up smoking usually never do.

3 Mar 2011

Study: Medication adherence alone may not benefit employees with chronic conditions

Medication adherence alone may not be enough to impact the productivity of employees with chronic conditions such as depression, diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease.

2 Mar 2011

Self-perception of the body linked with general self-esteem

Low self-esteem is associated with a greater risk of mental health problems such as eating disorders and depression. From a public health perspective, it is important for staff in various health-related professions to know about self-esteem. However, there is a vast difference between the research-based knowledge on self-esteem and the simplified popular psychology theories that are disseminated through books and motivational talks, reveals research from the University of Gothenburg.

2 Mar 2011

Study: Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may decrease risk of dementia

Experts agree that long-term alcohol abuse is detrimental to memory function and can cause neuro-degenerative disease. However, according to a study published in Age and Ageing by Oxford University Press today, there is evidence that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may decrease the risk of cognitive decline or dementia.

2 Mar 2011