Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

UAB study to examine the effects of the Internet and social networking on the elderly

The UAB Department of Sociology and Social Work will use a five-year, $1.9 million National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant to study the ability of computer use and social media networking to enhance the quality of life of elderly adults through online social connections and easier access to health information.

18 Sep 2009

Mayo Clinic scientists conduct clinical study on functional dyspesia patients

"Nerve cells are found throughout the body, and just as their dysfunction in the brain can cause depression, we suspect overly sensitive nerves in the gut can produce this very uncomfortable indigestion," says Nicholas Talley, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the trial and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida.

18 Sep 2009

Insulin metabolism regulates body's internal clock

While scientists have known for several years that our body's internal clock helps regulate many biological processes, researchers have found that the reverse is also true: Many common biological processes - including insulin metabolism - regulate the clock, according to a new study by investigators at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, and the University of California at San Diego.

18 Sep 2009

HDFS develops program to build healthier relationships in American families

Connecting For Baby (CFB) is a program for low-income, unmarried couples who are new parents or soon-to-be parents. The program, developed by researchers in the Human Development and Family Studies Department (HDFS) in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, takes a prevention approach by targeting young couples, ages 18-27.

18 Sep 2009

Fourth-quarter and fiscal year end 2009 results announced by Pioneer Behavioral Health

PHC, Inc., d/b/a Pioneer Behavioral Health (NYSE Amex: PHC), a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, reported financial results for the company's fourth fiscal quarter and year ended June 30, 2009. The results exclude the operations of the company`s research division, Pivotal Research Centers, Inc. ("Pivotal"), which was sold during the 2009 third fiscal quarter and was classified as a discontinued operation.

17 Sep 2009

Educational initiative proves successful in identifying and diagnosing fibromyalgia

According to The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Fibromyalgia Circle of Care Initiative has achieved dramatic success in heightening awareness, diagnosis and best practice treatment of fibromyalgia – a complex and chronic pain disorder that plagues an estimated 10 million Americans.

17 Sep 2009

UPV provides new model to recognize postnatal depression

Worldwide, 13% of women who give birth suffer from postnatal depression, which causes a significant deterioration in a mother's quality of life and her ability to care for her baby. Now, Spanish researchers have developed a model to diagnose this illness with a predictive power of 80% - the best result to date for this kind of depression.

17 Sep 2009

NIH to fund grants for epigenetic research

The National Institutes of Health announced today that it will fund 22 grants on genome-wide studies of how epigenetic changes -- chemical modifications to genes that result from diet, aging, stress, or environmental exposures -- define and contribute to specific human diseases and biological processes.

17 Sep 2009

The Ontario Government must act to reduce the financial barrier to mental health services: MFH

Financial barriers can be immense for people who suffer from mental illness and the Ontario Government has an opportunity to act now. The All-Party Committee on Mental Health and Addictions is hearing from groups and individuals on what should be included in a strategy for the province.

17 Sep 2009

Military families to benefit from expansion of Health Net Federal Services

As flu season approaches, Health Net Federal Services, LLC, the government operations division of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT), is proud to expand the provider network as well as promote awareness, education and resources to encourage all TRICARE North Region U.S. service members, retirees and their families to receive the influenza vaccine and practice preventive measures to avoid the virus this season.

17 Sep 2009

Older Americans coping with financial crisis relatively well: Study

Older Americans have weathered the financial crisis relatively well, although many now expect to work longer than they did just a year ago, according to a University of Michigan study released on Capitol Hill today (Sept. 16).

17 Sep 2009

King's College London and FAPESP sign agreement to strengthen scientific cooperation

King's College London has signed a unique agreement with the Funda--o de Amparo - Pesquisa do Estado de S-o Paulo (FAPESP), the State of S-o Paulo Research Foundation, Brazil. With this agreement King's has become FAPESP's first and only university partner in the UK.

17 Sep 2009

Melbourne's national approach for managing chronic pain

An unprecedented gathering of some of Australia's leading authorities in pain medicine, together with consumer groups representing chronic pain sufferers, will meet in Melbourne today to work towards a national, coordinated approach to managing chronic pain.

17 Sep 2009

State News Round-up: States trim budgets, experiment with reform ideas

News outlets report on a variety of state health stories including the Connector in Massachusetts, mental health care in Texas, hospital payments in Vermont, increased health insurance coverage in California and Republican efforts with employer insurance in Florida.

17 Sep 2009

Youngsters with continuous pain to look as old as those two decades older

Younger people with pain look similar in terms of their disability to people who are two to three decades older without pain, according to a study published in this month's issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

17 Sep 2009

Study: Antiretroviral drugs may prevent HIV infection in women

Hopeful that some of the same antiretroviral (ARV) drugs used to treat HIV infection can also prevent it, researchers from the Microbicide Trials Network have enrolled the first participants into a new, large-scale clinical trial testing two approaches of the strategy in women.

17 Sep 2009