Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

First Edition: December 2, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about healthcare.gov's status, the challenges that lie ahead and the concerns being expressed by consumers and insurers.

2 Dec 2013

WHO releases new report on spinal cord injury

As many as 500 000 people suffer a spinal cord injury each year. People with spinal cord injuries are 2 to 5 times more likely to die prematurely, with worse survival rates in low- and middle-income countries. The new WHO report, "International perspectives on spinal cord injuries", summarizes the best available evidence on the causes, prevention, care and lived experience of people with spinal cord injury.

2 Dec 2013

Valley Presbyterian Hospital receives First 5 LA grant to implement Welcome Baby program

Valley Presbyterian Hospital was awarded a $772,643 grant from First 5 LA to implement the 'Welcome Baby' prenatal and infant care program. The grant period is from December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 and is expected to be extended for an additional year, through June 30, 2015.

2 Dec 2013

Study reveals effect of energy drinks on the function of the heart

Healthy adults who consumed energy drinks high in caffeine and taurine had significantly increased heart contraction rates one hour later, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

2 Dec 2013

Maintaining antiretroviral adherence: An ongoing challenge for women with HIV

To mark World AIDS Day (December 1, 2013), Women for Positive Action - a global, multidisciplinary group of experts committed to addressing the specific concerns of women living with HIV - has released a commentary highlighting the challenges faced by women in maintaining adherence to their antiretroviral treatment.

29 Nov 2013

Childhood asthma, eczema linked to adolescent psychotic experiences

UK research indicates that children with asthma and eczema are significantly more likely to have psychotic experiences during adolescence, boosting a previously reported relationship between schizophrenia and atopic disorders.

28 Nov 2013

Substance use does not predict schizophrenia self-harm, violence

Substance misuse, although common among people with schizophrenia, does not heighten their risk for self-harm or violence, study findings show.

28 Nov 2013

Early natural history of bipolar disorder mapped

A longitudinal study of children of parents with bipolar disorder gives insights into the developmental trajectory of the condition, which researchers say should prove valuable in guiding future intervention and prevention efforts.

28 Nov 2013

Research: Modification of SUMO protein plays vital role in normal brain function

Scientists are a step closer to understanding how some of the brain's 100 billion nerve cells co-ordinate their communication.

28 Nov 2013

New alliance formed to address domestic child sex trafficking

The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the bipartisan Advisory Council on Child Trafficking (ACCT) announce a new, formal alliance, building on the May 2013 symposium highlighting the need for more rigorous research addressing domestic child sex trafficking.

28 Nov 2013

Modafinil in combination with antidepressants reduces severity of depression more effectively

A new study has concluded that taking the drug modafinil, typically used to treat sleep disorders, in combination with antidepressants reduces the severity of depression more effectively than taking antidepressants alone.

28 Nov 2013

Relatives of patients with mental health conditions feel greater stigma

Mental and physical illnesses necessarily impact upon the lives of the relatives of those afflicted by them, all the more so in families where a member has a mental illness, because they suffer more discrimination.

28 Nov 2013

Health expert calls for international collaboration to improve care for distressed people

A leading mental health expert from Kingston University and St George's, University of London has called for greater international research collaboration to underpin the care offered to support severely disturbed people.

28 Nov 2013

Children of PTSD afflicted mothers are at high risk of developing this disorder

A Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) study indicates that children are more likely to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) if their mother is already afflicted.

27 Nov 2013

Support for personal recovery concept in bipolar disorder

Researchers have found that “respect, hope, and self-empowerment” is a key psychosocial factor in the personal recovery of adults with bipolar disorder.

27 Nov 2013

More than three-quarters of parents are willing to have their children participate in research

To improve healthcare for children, medical research that involves kids is a must. Yet, only five percent of parents say their children have ever participated in any type of medical research, according to a new University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

27 Nov 2013

After son's death, Virginia official vows to help change state's mental health system

Former gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, who was stabbed repeatedly by his son before the young man took his own life, says, "I am alive for a reason and I will work for change."

27 Nov 2013

Drug interactions impact use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs

A new study has found that many people who stopped taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs were also taking an average of three other drugs that interfered with the normal metabolism of the statins.

27 Nov 2013

Treatments based on behavioral or non-invasive physiological stimulation show greatest potential

Because the concept of permanent neurological injury has given way to recognition of the brain's potential for long-term regeneration ad reorganization, rehabilitations strategies are undergoing radical changes. The potential for five new translational interventions was examined in an article published ahead of print on November 13 by Neurology Clinical Practice: Barrett AM, Oh-Park M, Chen P, Ifejika NL: Five New Things in Neurorehabilitation.

27 Nov 2013

Alcohol use disorders contribute more significantly to disease burden

Disorders related to the abuse of alcohol contribute significantly to the burden of disease in the U.S., finds a new study in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Researchers estimated that in 2005, about 53,000 men and 12,000 women died from issues related to alcohol use disorders.

27 Nov 2013