Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Taste may give a clue in how to treat depression

Researchers in the UK have found that taste tests could determine the cause of depression in patients and also indicate which is the best drug to treat the illness.

6 Dec 2006

CJD closes operating theatres in Canada

All surgery at a hospital in Ontario Canada has been halted after it was discovered that a patient undergoing neurosurgery on November 30th may have had the fatal brain-wasting disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD).

6 Dec 2006

Older schizophrenia drugs cheaper and work just as well

According to a new study an older antipsychotic drug has been found to be both cheaper and as effective for some patients with schizophrenia as the newer drugs on the market.

4 Dec 2006

Researchers discover protein interaction that may explain how Huntington's disease affects the brain

The findings, published in and featured on the cover of the current issue of Human Molecular Genetics, show how the mutated Huntington's protein interacts with another protein to cause dramatic accumulation of cholesterol in the brain.

2 Dec 2006

West Virginia pilot project would create incentive program for Medicaid beneficiaries to live healthier

The New York Times on Friday examined new revisions to the West Virginia Medicaid program that will "reward 'responsible' patients with significant extra benefits or -- as critics describe it -- punish those who do not join weight-loss or anti-smoking programs, or who miss too many appointments, by denying important services" to help reduce costs.

2 Dec 2006

Schizophrenia treatment with older, generic antipsychotics cheaper, as effective as treatment with newer drugs

Treating schizophrenia patients with older, less expensive antipsychotic drugs reduces overall treatment costs by up to 30% and produces no increase in side effects or decrease in effectiveness compared with newer, brand-name medications.

2 Dec 2006

In 25 years AIDS will be the number one killer disease

A study by World Health Organisation (WHO) researchers has predicted that by the year 2030 AIDS will claim as many as 6.5 million lives per year.

29 Nov 2006

Ecstasy harmful to the brain even in small doses

Dutch researchers have found that even a small amount of ecstasy can be harmful to the brain.

29 Nov 2006

A male contraceptive pill - but will they take it?

British scientists say a male contraceptive pill could be on the market within five years.

28 Nov 2006

Whoever said people were much the same was wrong!

An international research team have come up with a new genetic map which could demand a fundamental shift in how we think genes work.

22 Nov 2006

Combination of depression, anxiety, hostility and anger increases risk for heart disease

Frequent bouts of depression, anxiety, hostility and anger are known to increase a person's risk for developing coronary heart disease, but a combination of these "negative" personality traits may put people at especially serious risk, according to a study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

20 Nov 2006

Women are diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder more than men

Males experience more traumatic events on average than do females, yet females are more likely to meet diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to a review of 25 years of research reported in the November issue of Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

20 Nov 2006

Sleep apnea treatment curbs aggression in sex offenders

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects up to 20% of men in western cultures, 5% of whom experience significant physical symptoms.

19 Nov 2006

Testosterone replacement therapy appears to be safe - has little effect on the prostate gland

Preliminary research suggests that testosterone replacement therapy for men with low testosterone levels appears to have little effect on the prostate gland, contrary to some reports that this therapy may be harmful, according to a study in the November 15 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

14 Nov 2006

Distress, psychiatric syndromes, and impairment of function in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer

Almost half of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients are found to have clinically significant emotional distress or symptoms of psychiatric disorders before treatment is begun, according to a new study published in the December 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

13 Nov 2006