Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Report provides two distinct views of behavioral healthcare delivery

Behavioral healthcare systems are playing a major role in responding to the needs of the millions of Americans of all ages who experience psychiatric and substance use conditions each year, according to the latest annual survey from the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) released today.

2 Aug 2012

Medical staff struggle to spot problem drinkers unless they are already intoxicated

Medical staff struggle to spot problem drinking in their patients unless they are already intoxicated, according to research by the University of Leicester.

2 Aug 2012

'Global brain connectivity' explains 10% of variance in individual intelligence

When it comes to intelligence, what factors distinguish the brains of the exceptionally smart from those of average humans? As science has long suspected, overall brain size matters somewhat, accounting for about 6.7 percent of individual variation in intelligence. More recent research has pinpointed the brain's lateral prefrontal cortex, a region just behind the temple, as a critical hub for high-level mental processing, with activity levels there predicting another 5 percent of variation in individual intelligence.

2 Aug 2012

High maternal choline intake may reduce risk of hypertension and diabetes in babies

New research from Cornell University indicates that pregnant women who increase choline intake in the third trimester of pregnancy may reduce the risk of the baby developing metabolic and chronic stress-related diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes later in life.

2 Aug 2012

Caffeine may help control movement in people with Parkinson's

Caffeine, which is widely consumed around the world in coffee, tea and soft drinks, may help control movement in people suffering from Parkinson's. This is the finding of a study conducted at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) that was recently published in Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Aug 2012

Exercise reduces symptoms of depression in patients with chronic heart failure

Patients with chronic heart failure who participated in exercise training had modest reductions in symptoms of depression after 12 months, compared with usual care, according to a study in the August 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Aug 2012

APA Convention to highlight new research in personality and social psychology

From how relationships affect our health to the psychology of an awkward party moment to why we often choose ignorance over information - a guide to some talks with new research in personality and social psychology at the APA Convention in Orlando, Aug. 2-5, 2012.

1 Aug 2012

Researchers develop bioactive coating that actively suppresses brain's immune response

Brain-computer interfaces are at the cutting edge for treatment of neurological and psychological disorder, including Parkinson's, epilepsy, and depression. Among the most promising advance is deep brain stimulation (DBS) - a method in which a silicon chip implanted under the skin ejects high frequency currents that are transferred to the brain through implanted electrodes that transmit and receive the signals.

1 Aug 2012

Obesity affects musculoskeletal pain score in adolescents

Obese adolescents are significantly more likely to report musculoskeletal pain than their nonobese counterparts, researchers report.

1 Aug 2012

Deficit form of bipolar disorder supported

Results from a Japanese study support the existence of a bipolar disorder subtype characterized by pervasive negative symptoms.

1 Aug 2012

Schizophrenia brain changes 'due to disease rather than genes’

The brain abnormalities observed in patients with schizophrenia are primarily due to processes associated with the disease itself or its treatment, as opposed to being caused by genetic factors, the results of a Dutch study indicate.

1 Aug 2012

Childhood obesity could be related to growing problems with infertility

A dramatic increase in childhood obesity in recent decades may have impacts that go beyond the usual health concerns - it could be disrupting the timing of puberty and ultimately lead to a diminished ability to reproduce, especially in females.

1 Aug 2012

Study: 150 million adults suffer from sleep-related problems across developing world

Levels of sleep problems in the developing world are approaching those seen in developed nations, linked to an increase in problems like depression and anxiety.

1 Aug 2012

New drug may be useful in treating long QT syndrome

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a new drug that may be useful in treating a heart rhythm condition called long QT syndrome.

1 Aug 2012

People with mental health problems have lower life expectancy

People with mental health problems have a lower life expectancy, according to a large-scale population based study published today in the British Medical Journal. The findings may prompt further research into the way doctors treat patients with even mild psychological problems.

1 Aug 2012

Australia's top medical researchers for 2012 announced

Finalists for one of Australia’s longest running and most prestigious awards for medical research were announced today. This year’s winner will join a list of alumni winners that includes many of the country’s most respected scientists.

31 Jul 2012

ICF receives IDIQ contract to conduct pilot and evaluation studies, statistical analysis and TTA

ICF International, a leading provider of consulting services and technology solutions to government and commercial clients, has been awarded a re-compete multiple-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to conduct pilot and evaluation studies, statistical analysis, and training and technical assistance (TTA).

31 Jul 2012

High choline intake during pregnancy may improve how a child responds to stress

If you're sick from stress, a new research report appearing in the August 2012 issue of The FASEB Journal suggests that what your mother ate-or didn't eat-may be part of the cause.

31 Jul 2012

Researchers identify anxiety as important risk factor for long-term sick leave

Long-term sick leave is a burden for individuals and society at large, yet very little is known about the underlying reasons for it. Researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, in collaboration with Australian and British institutes, have identified anxiety as a more important risk factor than previously thought.

31 Jul 2012

Study examines link between early-onset mental disorders and adult household income

Mental disorders that emerge in childhood and adolescence, including attention-deficit disorder, depression, anxiety and substance abuse, constitute significant challenges to cognitive, emotional, and social development.

31 Jul 2012