Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Geriatric assessments could fine-tune cancer care for older adults

In a move to improve cancer care for older adults, the American Society of Clinical Oncology is recommending that all patients age 65 and older receive a geriatric assessment when considering or undergoing chemotherapy.

28 Jun 2018

Pilates and yoga can benefit people of all ages and fitness levels

The idea of going for a run or joining a gym can be intimidating for people who don't exercise. When you have a health condition that prevents you from engaging in many types of high-impact exercise, it can also be tough to know where to start.

28 Jun 2018

Psychologist suggests few guidelines on how to help children handle scary news

When tragic or violent events occur, parents may wonder about how to help their kids understand the graphic images and emotional video footage that they may see. Stephanie Marcy, PhD, psychologist at Children's Hospital Los angeles suggests a few guidelines to keep in mind so parents can be better equipped to help their children handle scary news.

28 Jun 2018

Researchers examine whether taking a hallucinogen can curb cocaine use

Unlike with alcohol or nicotine, there is not a pharmacological option available to individuals addicted to cocaine to help them stop using the drug. However, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham believe the tool to help individuals treat their addiction may very well exist.

28 Jun 2018

FDA approves cannabis based drug for severe form of epilepsy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 25th of June 2018 approved Epidiolex oral solution that is essentially cannabidiol or the active component of marijuana or cannabis. As of now the drug is approved for use in two rare forms of epilepsy - Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. The approval comes for individuals over two years of age.

28 Jun 2018

Antidepressant drug appears to effectively stop progression of PBC

Gail Wright considered herself healthy. She had no idea she had a chronic liver disease. "I was at a routine check-up and my doctor said my liver enzymes were elevated. I was sent to a specialist but I wasn't too worried. I didn't have any symptoms."

27 Jun 2018

Defendants in diapers? Immigrant toddlers ordered to appear in court alone

As the White House faces court orders to reunite families separated at the border, immigrant children as young as 3 are being ordered into court for their own deportation proceedings, according to attorneys in Texas, California and Washington, D.C.

27 Jun 2018

Fitness may be vital to depression patient’s good health

Exercise may be just as crucial to a depression patient's good health as finding an effective antidepressant.

27 Jun 2018

Starting physical therapy earlier may benefit adolescents with concussion

For adolescents with symptoms following a concussion, starting physical therapy (PT) earlier - within less than three weeks after the injury - provides outcomes similar to those of later PT, suggests a study in the July issue of The Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy.

27 Jun 2018

Researchers identify electrical activity in the brain specific to the start of migraine

When migraine sufferers see the tell-tale squiggly lines, light flashes and blind spots of a migraine aura, they prepare for a migraine.

27 Jun 2018

Suicide at higher altitudes unlikely to be caused by hypoxia

Following an extensive analysis of published studies, researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that while suicide rates are higher at higher altitudes, they are unlikely caused by hypoxia, (low oxygen) at these elevations.

27 Jun 2018

Trauma experienced by separated immigrant children will have future implications, says expert

The damage has been done. More than 2,000 children remain separated from their parents or guardians in detention centers with no plan to be reunited, despite President Trump's new executive order.

27 Jun 2018

Injured athletes can benefit from using mindfulness

A new study of injured athletes carried out by the University of Kent found they can benefit from using mindfulness as part of the sport rehabilitation process to improve their pain tolerance and awareness.

27 Jun 2018

Man born without a penis now has a 'bionic' one

A 44 year old British man, Andrew Wardle, was born without a penis, He successfully underwent a series of operations at London’s University Hospital that gave him a £50,000 penile implant last Friday.

26 Jun 2018

Food insecurity in children associated with behavioral problems and poor cognitive outcomes

In 2016, 12.9 million children lived in food-insecure households. These children represent a vulnerable population since their developing brains can suffer long-term negative consequences from undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.

26 Jun 2018

Serotonin enhances speed of learning, study finds

An international team from the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Portugal, and the University College London, in the UK, has uncovered a previously unknown effect of serotonin on learning.

26 Jun 2018

Unlocked and loaded: Families confront dementia and guns

With a bullet in her gut, her voice choked with pain, Dee Hill pleaded with the 911 dispatcher for help.

25 Jun 2018

FDA approves new marijuana-based drug to treat rare and severe forms of epilepsy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Epidiolex (cannabidiol) oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older.

25 Jun 2018

CRISPR technique reduces repetitive behavior in fragile X syndrome mouse models

Scientists have used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to lessen some autism symptoms in mice with a form of fragile X syndrome, the most common known single-gene cause of autism spectrum disorder.

25 Jun 2018

Study: Men tolerate stress urinary incontinence for years before seeking medical help

Men often tolerate stress urinary incontinence for more than two years before seeking medical help - and one-third put up with it for more than five years, making it important for doctors to check for this problem, a new study from UT Southwestern researchers advises.

25 Jun 2018