Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

U.Va. establishes first college health database

The National Social Norms Institute and the Department of Student Health at the University of Virginia, with the help of funding from the Centers for Disease Control, have established the first college health database - representing more than 600,000 students at 19 schools.

31 Mar 2012

Home walking program can improve QOL, fatigue levels in post-surgery pancreatic cancer patients

Participation in a home walking program can lead to a significant improvement in quality of life, fatigue levels and physical functioning of post-surgery pancreatic cancer patients, according to findings from a randomized, controlled study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson School of Nursing - set to appear in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons on April 1.

31 Mar 2012

New report highlights numerous gaps in knowledge and management of epilepsy

A new report from the Institute of Medicine highlights numerous gaps in the knowledge and management of epilepsy and recommends actions for improving the lives of those with epilepsy and their families and promoting better understanding of the disorder.

31 Mar 2012

Online virtual communities may effectively train patients in mind/body techniques

A small study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers found that online virtual communities may be an effective way to train patients in meditation and other mind/body techniques. The ability to learn and practice approaches that elicit the relaxation response - a state of deep rest that has been shown to alleviate stress-related symptoms - in a virtual environment could help surmount several barriers that can restrict participation.

31 Mar 2012

NACCME acquires US Psychiatric & Mental Health Congress

North American Center for Continuing Medical Education announced today that it has acquired CME LLC, which operates the US Psychiatric & Mental Health Congress.

31 Mar 2012

Cortex reports net income of $832,000 for fourth quarter 2011

Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported net income of approximately $832,000, or $0.01 per share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, compared with a net loss of approximately $984,000, or $0.01 per share, for the corresponding prior year quarter.

31 Mar 2012

Study shows how eating fast food is linked to increased risk of depression

A new study along the same lines as its predecessors shows how eating fast food is linked to a greater risk of suffering from depression. This study has been published in the Public Health Nutrition journal

31 Mar 2012

Physicians advised to use caution in prescribing sedatives for patients taking opioids

Adverse events associated with taking opioid pain medications increase in patients who concurrently use sedatives and alcohol. A study in The Journal of Pain, published by the American Pain Society, advises physicians to use caution in prescribing sedatives for patients taking opioids, even if there is no history of substance abuse.

30 Mar 2012

Scientists reveal powerful role of astrocytes in the brain

A type of cell plentiful in the brain, long considered mainly the stuff that holds the brain together and oft-overlooked by scientists more interested in flashier cells known as neurons, wields more power in the brain than has been realized, according to new research published today in Science Signaling.

30 Mar 2012

First study to examine link between cumulative traumatic stress exposure and inflammation

Greater lifetime exposure to the stress of traumatic events was linked to higher levels of inflammation in a study of almost 1,000 patients with cardiovascular disease led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

30 Mar 2012

Narrative exposure therapy can be used with BPD patients in a standard clinical setting

An investigation published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics introduces a new treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD) that ensues after a traumatic stress.

30 Mar 2012

Study evaluates efficacy of CBT in obsessive-compulsive disorder

This study evaluates the efficacy of a specialized form of psychotherapy (cognitive behavioral therapy) in clinical presentations characterized by the joint presence of obsessions and psychotic symptoms.

30 Mar 2012

Asian Canadian LGB youth more likely to face harassment

Asian Canadian teenagers who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are 30 times more likely to face harassment than their heterosexual peers - a factor that is linked to higher rates of alcohol or drug use, according to University of British Columbia research.

30 Mar 2012

Scientists produce first genetic brain atlas

The first atlas of the surface of the human brain based upon genetic information has been produced by a national team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the VA San Diego Healthcare System.

30 Mar 2012

Mind-pop experiences are related to hallucinations in people with schizophrenia

Almost everyone reports experiencing mind-pops at some time or another, but some experience them more than others according to research conducted by the University of Hertfordshire. In the paper to be published in Psychiatry Research, findings suggest that mind-pop experiences are related to hallucinations in those people suffering from schizophrenia.

30 Mar 2012

Bilingualism can offer protection from symptoms of dementia

New research explains how speaking more than one language may translate to better mental health. A paper published by Cell Press in the March 29th issue of the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences examines how being bilingual can offer protection from the symptoms of dementia, and also suggests that the increasing diversity in our world populations may have an unexpected positive impact on the resiliency of the adult brain.

30 Mar 2012

Dementia numbers to triple by 2050: Australian Report

In a discussion paper given to the State Government, Alzheimer's Australia NSW estimates the number of Australians diagnosed with dementia will rise from 280,000 to around 943,000 by 2050. Of these, 303,500 people will be from NSW.

29 Mar 2012

BHECN designs new online training modules to treat mental health issues

It's estimated that more than half of all U.S. mental health care takes place at the primary care level and that percentage jumps considerably in rural areas where there often are no mental health practitioners for hundreds of miles. New online training modules have been designed by the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) to help primary care providers better treat patients with mental health issues.

29 Mar 2012

Depression more prevalent among stroke and transient ischemic attack survivors

Depression is more prevalent among stroke and transient ischemic attack survivors than in the general population, researchers reported in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke.

29 Mar 2012

New treatment approach halts spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue

Treating invasive brain tumors with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation has improved clinical outcomes, but few patients survive longer than two years after diagnosis. The effectiveness of the treatment is limited by the tumor's aggressive invasion of healthy brain tissue, which restricts chemotherapy access to the cancer cells and complicates surgical removal of the tumor.

29 Mar 2012