Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Scientists discover previously unrecognized signaling network disrupted in lung cancer

A team of researchers led by Dr. Goutham Narla at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in collaboration with scientists at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, have discovered a previously unrecognized signaling network disrupted in lung cancer that can be turned back on by a novel combination of two previously approved FDA drugs.

2 Jun 2012

Subtle executive impairments indicate familial schizophrenia risk

The unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia show subtle executive function impairments, and these deficits are associated with negative symptoms, investigators report.

1 Jun 2012

Factors linked to relapse risk in bipolar disorder identified

A higher number of previous mood episodes and living in a mixed urban/rural area are associated with an increased risk for relapse in patients with bipolar disorder, Spanish researchers report.

1 Jun 2012

College undergraduates less upset than expected by questionnaires about sex, trauma

Research on sex and trauma faces an ethical dilemma: how can we find out more about the effects of such psychologically sensitive topics without hurting the people who participate in the study?

1 Jun 2012

Feds announce effort to slash inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes

An estimated 40 percent of nursing home residents with dementia receive the drugs, which are approved to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

1 Jun 2012

Personalized medicine and the Human Genome Project

It’s nearly a decade since the completion of the Human Genome Project, (1) which aimed to sequence the complete human genome.

1 Jun 2012

Over half of FEP patients achieve symptomatic remission

More than half of patients with a first episode of psychosis achieve symptomatic remission after 2 years of treatment, but recovery rates are lower, results from a Singaporean study show.

31 May 2012

New method can solve 3-D structures of integral membrane proteins

A new method for rapidly solving the three-dimensional structures of a special group of proteins, known as integral membrane proteins, may speed drug discovery by providing scientists with precise targets for new therapies, according to a paper published May 20 in Nature Methods.

31 May 2012

Ketamine reduces suicidal thoughts in patients with bipolar depression

Bipolar disorder is a serious and debilitating condition where individuals experience severe swings in mood between mania and depression. The episodes of low or elevated mood can last days or months, and the risk of suicide is high. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed to treat or prevent the depressive episodes, but they are not universally effective. Many patients still continue to experience periods of depression even while being treated, and many patients must try several different types of antidepressants before finding one that works for them.

31 May 2012

NYU Langone establishes unique neuromodulation center

The Department of Neurosurgery at NYU Langone Medical Center has established a unique, multidisciplinary neuromodulation center for the treatment of complex neurological conditions including movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, chronic pain and psychiatric condition such as obsessive compulsive disorder and severe depression.

31 May 2012

New guidelines for management of childhood aggression

Mayo Clinic researchers, in collaboration with other research institutions and youth mental health experts, are publishing new guidelines for primary care providers and mental health specialists to manage the common but often complex problem of childhood aggression. The goals include improving diagnosis and care and avoiding inappropriate use of medication.

31 May 2012

Interim data from UCLA and NeuroSigma’s eTNS Phase I trial on PTSD, MDD

Today, at the 52nd annual New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) Conference in Arizona, Ian Cook, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Senior Medical Advisor to NeuroSigma, Inc., presented the results from the first 6-subject cohort of a 10-subject Phase I open-label clinical trial studying the effects of external trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy.

31 May 2012

Most immigrant pregnant women in Spain suffer severe stress

A study conducted at the University of Granada has concluded that most immigrant women who give birth in Spain suffer "severe stress" and should receive psychological treatment after giving birth to help them overcome disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, phobic anxiety, depression or psychoticism. These disorders are caused by "the stress of labor itself combined with other personal stress factors. This is a very stressful moment in women's life due to biological, psychological and social factors".

31 May 2012

Topline results from Alkermes’ ALKS 37 phase 2b study on opioid-induced constipation

Alkermes plc today announced topline results from a phase 2b dose-ranging clinical study of ALKS 37 in the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy of ALKS 37 in approximately 150 patients.

31 May 2012

Transcranial stimulation technique reduces hallucinations

Transcranial direct-current stimulation is effective for the treatment of auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia, study results show.

30 May 2012

Posttraumatic stress hits stroke secondary prevention

Patients who develop posttraumatic stress disorder after stroke or transient ischemic attack are at high risk for being nonadherent to secondary prevention medications, say researchers.

30 May 2012

Intensity of itching in eczema linked to depression

Itch intensity in atopic dermatitis is related to the stress level and emotional wellbeing of patients, say researchers.

30 May 2012

IU scientists focus on health issues and behaviors specific to bisexual men and women

Bisexuality, often stigmatized, typically has been lumped with homosexuality in previous public health research. But when Indiana University scientists recently focused on the health issues and behaviors specific to behaviorally bisexual men and women, they found tremendous variety, and that commonly used labels, such as heterosexual and homosexual, can sometimes do more harm than good.

30 May 2012

Patients with mental health issues overwhelm ERs

Patients suffering from schizophrenia, psychotic tendencies and suicidal behaviors are burdening hospital ERs, reports Modern Healthcare.

30 May 2012

Positive results from Alkermes’ ALKS 5461 phase 1/2 study on MDD

Alkermes plc today presented positive results from the phase 1/2 study of ALKS 5461, a novel drug compound for major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients who have an inadequate response to standard therapies for clinical depression, in an oral session at the 52nd Annual New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) Meeting in Phoenix.

30 May 2012