Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Generic drug gabapentin appears to be safe, effective in treating alcohol dependence

The generic drug gabapentin, which is already widely prescribed for epilepsy and some kinds of pain, appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The finding comes from a 150-patient randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial conducted by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute.

4 Nov 2013

Researchers study quality, effectiveness and safety of generic drugs used to treat depression

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are studying the quality, effectiveness and safety of generic drugs used to treat depression.

4 Nov 2013

ACOEM urges employers to respond to the impact of diabetes on worker health and productivity

In recognition of November as National Diabetes Month, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is urging employers to identify and respond to the impact of diabetes on worker health and productivity.

4 Nov 2013

Teenagers in child welfare system are at higher-than-average risk of abusing marijuana

Teenagers in the child welfare system are at higher-than-average risk of abusing marijuana, inhalants and other drugs, according to a study in the November issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

4 Nov 2013

Physiological changes during pregnancy reduce effects of bipolar drugs

New Northwestern Medicine- research offers one of the first in-depth studies of how physiological changes during pregnancy reduce the effects of a commonly used drug to treat bipolar disorder, making women more vulnerable to recurring episodes. The new findings will help psychiatrists and physicians prevent bipolar manic and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, which are risky for the health of the mother and her unborn child.

4 Nov 2013

Obesity is largest predictor of earlier onset puberty in girls, shows research

New research in Pediatrics shows obesity is the largest predictor of earlier onset puberty in girls, which is affecting white girls much sooner than previously reported.

4 Nov 2013

Scientists find surprising degree of variation among genomes of individual neurons

It was once thought that each cell in a person's body possesses the same DNA code and that the particular way the genome is read imparts cell function and defines the individual. For many cell types in our bodies, however, that is an oversimplification.

4 Nov 2013

Self-harm warns of repeated suicide attempt risk in schizophrenia

Individuals who have attempted suicide and also have a history of self-harm should be thoroughly assessed for psychotic symptoms in order to prevent delayed treatment and the risk for repeated suicide attempts, say researchers.

31 Oct 2013

Large, rare CNV burden reduced in bipolar disorder

Large and rare chromosomal copy number variants are uncommon in patients with bipolar disorder, even those with early-onset disease, study findings confirm.

31 Oct 2013

Prana's PBT2 effective in reversing memory, learning losses associated with aging process

Prana Biotechnology, a leading global developer of first-in-class treatments for neurodegenerative disease, has today announced the publication of an article in the peer reviewed Aging Cell showing the effects of PBT2 on neurogenesis and in reversing the memory and learning losses associated with the aging process, in normal (ie non transgenic) old mice.

31 Oct 2013

IQWiG completes first health economic evaluation

The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care has completed its first health economic evaluation. The report on antidepressants published on 30 October 2013 shows that the "efficiency frontier method" works and can provide very helpful results.

31 Oct 2013

Left-handers more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders

Researchers have long studied the connections between hand dominance and different aspects of the human brain. A new study out today in SAGE Open finds that among those with mental illnesses, left-handers are more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia than mood disorders.

31 Oct 2013

Rat study shows compulsive gambling behaviours can be reduced in humans

With the help of a rat casino, University of British Columbia brain researchers have successfully reduced behaviours in rats that are commonly associated with compulsive gambling in humans.

31 Oct 2013

e-Therapeutics begins ETS6103 phase IIb trial for major depressive disorder

e-Therapeutics plc announces that it has started a randomised double-blind controlled phase IIb trial of ETS6103 in major depressive disorder.

31 Oct 2013

Lifestyle of veterans influences their post-deployment wellness

A new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion finds that the lifestyle of veterans both pre- and post-deployment influences their post-deployment wellness.

31 Oct 2013

Researchers highlight presence of specific antibodies that regulate appetite in obese patients

Obesity affects more than 15% of adults in France, and its constitutive mechanisms are still not completely explained. Normally, fine control of weight and food intake is coordinated by a specialised part of the brain (the hypothalamus).

31 Oct 2013

Mood instability shapes psychotic experiences

Mood instability is a prominent feature of psychosis, say researchers who found it was associated with and predicted the presence of psychotic experiences such as paranoid ideation and auditory hallucinations.

30 Oct 2013

Parental bipolar history common in US bipolar patients

Research findings suggest that patients with bipolar disorder who reside in the United States have a higher parental incidence of bipolar disorder and depression than those who live in Europe.

30 Oct 2013

Brain aging extends beyond schizophrenia

Accelerated brain aging may be a common feature of psychiatric disorders, say researchers.

30 Oct 2013

Multidisciplinary team tests innovative heart failure therapy in global clinical trials

A multidisciplinary team of experts in heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and neurosurgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital are now testing nerve stimulation in the neck as a novel therapy for heart failure patients to potentially help relieve their debilitating symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart arrhythmias, while reducing their hospitalizations.

30 Oct 2013