Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Cancer patients report less fatigue while taking narcolepsy drug

A large, phase III clinical study showed the drug modafinil (Provigil) alleviated severe cancer-related fatigue for many patients, paving the way for the first reliable treatment for this debilitating and common side effect.

5 Jun 2008

Nearly one in five teenagers admit eating problems, but anxiety is a bigger problem than appearance

Eighteen per cent of school children who took part in two health surveys carried out a year apart admitted they had eating problems, according to research published in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing.

4 Jun 2008

Legal action proposed against parents who let children drink alcohol at home

The British Government is considering proposals which could include legal action against parents who allow their children to drink alcohol at home.

3 Jun 2008

Job stress causing depression in workers in Victoria

A study by researchers at Melbourne University has found that almost one in six cases of depression among workers in Victoria are caused by job stress.

3 Jun 2008

Socializing can help elderly women stay sharp

Socializing with friends and family can do more than lift the spirits of elderly women - it can improve cognition and might help prevent dementia, according to a new study.

3 Jun 2008

Long term dope use shrinks the brain

According to Australian researchers the long term use of marijuana may cause parts of the brain which control memory, emotion and aggression, to shrink.

3 Jun 2008

Improving cancer diagnosis and support services for Asian patients

There is a need to remove the major ethnic inequalities which still exist in access to cancer services and outcomes, according to the latest edition of Science & Public Affairs.

2 Jun 2008

Many Gulf Coast residents affected by Hurricane Katrina continue to have mental health problems, study finds

More than half of Louisiana and Mississippi residents affected by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 continue to experience significant mental health problems, according to a study released on Friday by the American Medical Association, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

2 Jun 2008

Long-term, heavy cannabis use may shrink brain's hippocampus and amygdala

Long-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

2 Jun 2008

People who are obese may be more likely to become depressed

A major review in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice reveals that research indicates people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed, and people who are depressed may be more likely to become obese.

2 Jun 2008

NIDA highlights best drug abuse treatment approaches at blending conference

The most difficult challenge in finding substance abuse treatment for a loved one is how to know which programs have a proven track record. That is just one of the topics being discussed today at the conference "Blending Addiction Science and Treatment: The Impact of Evidence-Based Practices on Individuals, Families and Communities." Held at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, the conference is hosted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health. It is part of NIDA's Blending Initiative, in which teams of experts create clinical tools based on the latest treatment research.

2 Jun 2008

Acupuncture reduces pain and dysfunction in head and neck cancer patients after neck dissection

New data from a randomized, controlled trial found that acupuncture provided significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients after neck dissection. The study was led by David Pfister, MD, Chief of the Head and Neck Medical Oncology Service, and Barrie Cassileth, PhD, Chief of the Integrative Medicine Service, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Dr. Pfister presented the findings today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology.

1 Jun 2008

Researchers pinpoint gene mutations responsible for 10 percent of non-familial cases of schizophrenia

Scans of the genome of patients with schizophrenia have revealed rare spontaneous copy number mutations that account for at least 10 percent of the non-familial cases of the disease.

1 Jun 2008

Smoking during pregnancy and SIDS

A new study provides the most direct evidence that there exists a causal link between smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

1 Jun 2008

Almost 1 in 6 cases of depression among working Victorians are caused by job stress

Almost one in six cases of depression among working Victorians are caused by job stress. This means more than 21,000 cases of preventable depression are caused by job stress each year, a new University of Melbourne study shows.

1 Jun 2008

Minnesota Health Care Group to launch pilot 'pay-for-performance' initiative to reduce treatment costs for depression

The Buyers Health Care Action Group, a health care purchasing coalition in Minnesota for large employers, on Wednesday announced a pay-for-performance pilot program that will reward physicians who effectively treat depressed patients, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

30 May 2008

Spontaneous mutations widespread in non-familial schizophrenia

People with schizophrenia from families with no history of the illness were found to harbor eight times more spontaneous mutations - most in pathways affecting brain development - than healthy controls, in a study supported in part the National Institutes of Health?s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). By contrast, no spontaneous mutations were found in people with schizophrenia who had family histories of the illness.

30 May 2008

University of Bristol to test effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy

A team of researchers, led by Dr Nicola Wiles at the University of Bristol, has been awarded £1.2 million by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme for a clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for patients with depression who do not respond to treatment with antidepressants.

30 May 2008

US$28 million needed for Myanmar says WHO

WHO and its Health Cluster partners in Myanmar have launched a six-month and US$ 28 million action plan to provide immediate health care for cyclone survivors and to support longer-term efforts to rebuild the country's ravaged health system.

30 May 2008

Post-menopausal therapy to improve women's quality of life

A recent research work by the University of Granada advises post-menopausal women the use of Replacement Hormone Therapy (RHT) for at least five years.

29 May 2008