Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Does psychotherapy help older people with depression?

The jury is still out on whether psychotherapy can help older people with depression, according to a new review of recent research.

13 Feb 2008

Expenditures rising for back and neck problems, but health outcomes do not appear to be improving

Although expenses related to back and neck problems have increased substantially in the last decade, outcomes such as functional disability and work limitations do not appear to be improving, according to a study in the February 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Feb 2008

Depression in seniors

Depression is sometimes viewed as a normal part of aging.

13 Feb 2008

Ductal carcinoma in situ patients overestimate breast cancer risks

Many women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have inaccurate perceptions of their breast cancer risks, according to a study published online February 12 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

13 Feb 2008

Desire to weigh less is stronger predictor of health than obesity

In a study to examine the impact of desired body weight on the number of unhealthy days subjects report over one month, researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that the desire to weigh less was a more accurate predictor of physically and mentally unhealthy days, than body mass index (BMI).

13 Feb 2008

Hostility plus depression elevates risk for heart disease

Researchers led by Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, report that hostility and depression appear to act together in a complex way to elevate inflammatory proteins in the human body, possibly putting hostility plus depression on the list of risk factors for heart disease along with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and smoking.

12 Feb 2008

Mild Alzheimer's sufferers show rapid decline in financial skills over one year

New research from UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) shows that patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) have a dramatic decline in their ability to make financial decisions over a one year period.

11 Feb 2008

Oxytocin hormone promotes bonding

Gazing into your lover's eyes isn't only romantic; it may also mimic early attachments that forever alter your brain and body.

11 Feb 2008

More doctors prescribe exercise to treat depression

A mental health charity in Britain says increasing numbers of doctors are prescribing exercise for people with depression.

11 Feb 2008

Team approach to treating depression cuts medical costs

A team approach to treating depression in older adults, already shown to improve health, can also cut total health-care costs, according to a new study led by the University of Washington.

8 Feb 2008

Children who live in poor neighborhoods may be at increased risk of verbal and behavioral problems

A new study suggests that for some of their parents, living in poor neighborhoods is associated with poorer mental health, poorer family relations, and less consistent and more punitive parenting.

8 Feb 2008

Ischaemic heart disease in Europe

New figures show there are still large variations between and within European countries in the numbers of stroke and heart disease-related deaths. Several countries, particularly in northern and eastern Europe, have rates of death that are as much as 7-14 times higher than other countries, while countries such as Poland, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the UK have large regional variations.

7 Feb 2008

Brain disturbances in chronic pain

People with unrelenting pain don't only suffer from the non-stop sensation of throbbing pain.

7 Feb 2008

Vitamin D for cancer

It sounds too good to be true … a little inexpensive pill that could block the development of some cancers, strengthen bones, prevent multiple sclerosis and alleviate winter depression.

7 Feb 2008

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, may also indicate how the mood stabilisers used to treat the disorder counteract the changes in the brain that it appears to cause.

5 Feb 2008

Parenting program does not prevent toddler behavior problems

A study of the first universal parenting programme, designed to prevent early child behaviour problems, shows that it has little impact on toddler behaviour.

5 Feb 2008

Enbrel shown to significantly reduced levels of C-reactive protein

Amgen and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth have announced findings from a retrospective analysis, which demonstrated that ENBREL reduced C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis following 12 weeks of treatment. Median reduction in CRP levels was 10 times greater in the ENBREL treated group compared to the placebo treated group.

5 Feb 2008