Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Lonely elders decline, die

Loneliness is a risk factor for functional decline and death in the elderly, say US researchers.

25 Jun 2012

Suicide leading cause of death among young people in India

Suicide has become the second-leading cause of death of young people in India, which has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, according to an Article published as part of the Lancet Series on suicide.

25 Jun 2012

Neuralstem commences dosing in NSI-189 Phase Ib trial for major depressive disorder

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that the first patients were dosed in Phase Ib of its ongoing trial to test the safety of NSI-189 in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

25 Jun 2012

Suicides could be prevented by means restriction

In the third Series paper, Means restriction for suicide prevention, Professor Paul Yip of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, University of Hong Kong, China, and colleagues review the evidence for means restriction in preventing suicides. Despite the fact that some suicide methods are difficult to restrict, the researchers highlight the fact that means restriction remains one of the most effective ways to reduce suicide rates.

25 Jun 2012

High suicide rates in specific regions or ethnic groups may be masked by falls in national rates for young men

In the second Series paper, Suicide in young men, a group of researchers led by Dr Alexandra Pitman of UCL (University College London) Mental Health Sciences Unit, UK, examine another under-investigated area of suicide research. After reviewing research published over the last decade, they found strikingly few studies distinguishing the factors which identify those young men (aged 19 – 30) at greatest risk of suicide.

25 Jun 2012

Self-harm and suicide in young people: the role of new media

In the first Series paper, Self-harm and suicide in adolescents, Professor Keith Hawton, Dr Kate Saunders of the University of Oxford’s Centre for Suicide Research, and Professor Rory O’Connor of University of Stirling’s Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory, UK, examine existing research to look at the connections between self-harm and suicide in young people.

25 Jun 2012

Studies look at how computer and mobile phone use affects mental health of young adults

Young adults who make particularly heavy use of mobile phones and computers run a greater risk of sleep disturbances, stress and symptoms of mental health. "Public health advice should therefore include information on the healthy use of this technology," says researcher Sara Thomée from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

25 Jun 2012

STARS study receives £1.7m funding to test effectiveness of TCM course

Disruptive behaviour in the classroom has an adverse effect on both teachers and pupils. It is a common source of stress for teachers and often a catalyst for leaving the profession. For pupils it may affect mental health, academic attainment and adversely impact on all children in a classroom.

25 Jun 2012

Study examines protective factors that are important in preventing violence among veterans

A national survey identifies which U.S. military veterans may be at most risk of aggression after deployment and what strategies could potentially help reduce likelihood of violence when service members return home.

25 Jun 2012

Even moderate thyroid dysfunction during early pregnancy increases risk of serious complications

Even moderate thyroid dysfunction during early pregnancy significantly increases the risk of serious complications, underscoring the need for universal screening in the first trimester, a new study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

25 Jun 2012

Drop in testosterone levels more likely to result from man's behavioral and health changes

A new study finds that a drop in testosterone levels over time is more likely to result from a man's behavioral and health changes than by aging. The study results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

25 Jun 2012

Inova, Aetna partner to establish Innovation Health Plans in Northern Virginia

Inova Health System and Aetna today announced an exclusive partnership to establish Innovation Health Plans, a jointly owned health plan serving Northern Virginia, including more than 1.1 million residents currently served by Inova.

23 Jun 2012

ULH hopes to help women at risk of PPD through new policy

Although 13 percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression (PPD) in the first year after childbirth, few women recognize the symptoms and seldom discuss their feelings with a health care provider. University of Louisville Hospital (ULH) hopes to change this statistic through a new policy to guide hospital-based perinatal nurses in caring for women with risk of PPD.

23 Jun 2012

Plant compounds from South African daffodils show promise for depression

Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have previously documented that substances from the South African plant species Crinum and Cyrtanthus - akin to snowdrops and daffodils - have an effect on the mechanisms in the brain that are involved in depression.

23 Jun 2012

Young children have higher prevalence of mental health problems: Study

A study published in the June 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that young children who have been investigated for maltreatment by child welfare agencies have a higher prevalence of mental health problems and that very few receive treatment for those problems.

23 Jun 2012

Superior temporal sulcus perfusion linked to QoL in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia patients with a relatively high quality of life show hypoperfusion in the superior temporal sulcus compared with those with a relatively low quality of life.

22 Jun 2012

Amygdala volume reduced in schizophrenia, not psychotic BD

Amygdala volume is reduced in patients with schizophrenia compared with those who have psychotic bipolar disorder, researchers report.

22 Jun 2012

Alexza resubmits ADASUVE NDA to U.S. FDA

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has resubmitted its ADASUVE New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to a Complete Response Letter (CRL) received in May 2012.

22 Jun 2012

Sleep benefits some Parkinson's patients

Some Parkinson's patients report that their motor function is better upon awakening in the morning, which is contrary to what would be expected after a night without medication. This phenomenon, known as sleep benefit, has been studied but no consistent variables have been found and in the last decade there has been little new research.

22 Jun 2012

Emory scientists identify new type of anti-inflammatory compound

Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have identified a new type of anti-inflammatory compound that may be useful in treating a wide range of conditions, including neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. These compounds inhibit the enzyme Nox2, part of a family of enzymes responsible for producing reactive oxygen species (ROS).

22 Jun 2012