Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Europe to tackle brain disorder research by linking industry, academia

Attempts to cure brain-related disorders have proved less successful than therapies for other major conditions such as heart cancer, even though just as many people suffer from them.

27 Nov 2007

Wildfires and PTSD-related psychological distress

While the wildfires that destroyed more than 2,000 homes in southern California have been almost completely contained, the emotional effects of the devastation will linger for months or even years to come.

27 Nov 2007

Transcranial magnetic stimulation effective in treating major depression

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and other study sites have found that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – a non-invasive technique that excites neurons in the brain via magnetic pulses passed through the scalp – is a safe and effective, non-drug treatment with minimal side effects for patients with major depression who have tried other treatment options without benefit.

27 Nov 2007

Toddlers with sleep problems injured more often

A new study by psychologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) finds that toddlers who persistently wake up one or more times a night, at least once a week are at a greater risk for accidental injuries severe enough to require medical attention.

27 Nov 2007

Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers

Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers, according to a study in the November 2007 issue of Preventive Medicine by Temple University researcher Dr. Robert Whitaker.

27 Nov 2007

Psychiatric advance directives enhance patient-doctor communication

In theory, psychiatric advance directives provide a way to improve medical decision making during a mental health crisis.

27 Nov 2007

Nicotine patches can enhance cognitive function among newly recovering alcoholics with a history of smoking

Detoxified alcoholics in the early stages of recovery tend to have impaired cognitive functioning.

27 Nov 2007

Do rural and non-rural single, young adults differ in their risk and protective HIV/STD behaviors?

Single young adults living in rural areas are no more inclined to engage in safe sex behaviors than their non-rural peers, according to a new analysis by Indiana University sexual health experts of a nationally representative survey.

27 Nov 2007

More evidence that biological factors play a significant role in the development of sexual orientation

A study of men in Ontario, Canada provides a new twist on the connection between sexual/relational orientation and right or left-handedness.

27 Nov 2007

Children with bipolar disorder respond differently to facial expressions

Children with bipolar disorder respond differently to facial expressions than children without psychiatric disorders, according to a new study led by a Bradley Hospital researcher.

27 Nov 2007

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons prior to pregnancy could limit offspring's fertility

A study by a research team at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital suggests that mothers who are exposed to certain toxic environmental compounds prior to pregnancy could limit their offspring's fertility.

27 Nov 2007

Premenopausal women with depression have less bone mass

Premenopausal women with even mild depression have less bone mass than do their nondepressed peers, a study funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shows.

27 Nov 2007

FDA accepts Schering-Plough's new drug application for Asenapine

Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently accepted the filing for review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for asenapine, a fast-dissolving, sublingual tablet.

26 Nov 2007

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression

For the first time in a large-scale study, transcranial magnetic stimulation has been shown to be an effective, non-drug treatment for major depression.

21 Nov 2007

New discoveries about nitric oxide can provide drugs for schizophrenia

Problems with memory and social function in patients with schizophrenia may result from an imbalance in the brain’s nitric oxide system.

21 Nov 2007

Molecular foreman discovered for brain wiring

Researchers have identified a master regulatory molecule that is responsible for triggering the remodeling of neuronal connections that is critical for learning.

21 Nov 2007

Antidepressant drug mianserin extends the lifespan of adult roundworms

A team of scientists led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator Linda B. Buck has found that a drug used to treat depression can extend the lifespan of adult roundworms.

21 Nov 2007

Trauma earlier in life may result in long-term changes

Researchers have known for years that psychological trauma that results in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression can change how a person responds to stress.

21 Nov 2007