ScienceDaily: Mental Health News

Psychiatric disorders linked to a protein involved in the formation of long-term memories

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:45:45 EDT

Scientists have discovered a protein that regulates synaptic ion channels that have been tied to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Incontinence takes mental toll on younger women

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:07:07 EDT

Middle-aged women are more likely to suffer depression from a common medical problem that they find too embarrassing to talk about: urinary incontinence.

Depression in postmenopausal women may increase diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:28:28 EDT

Postmenopausal women who use antidepressant medication or suffer from depression might be more likely to have a higher body mass index, larger waist circumference and inflammation -- all associated with increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

Scan predicts whether therapy or meds will best lift depression

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:23:23 EDT

Pre-treatment scans of brain activity predicted whether depressed patients would best achieve remission with an antidepressant medication or psychotherapy, in a study that may help mental health treatment decision-making move beyond trial-and-error. The study sought to identify a biomarker that could predict which type of treatment a patient would benefit from based on the state of his or her brain.

Dad's life stress exposure leaves mark on sperm, can affect offspring brain development

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:26:26 EDT

Stress felt by dad -- whether as a preadolescent or adult -- leaves a lasting impression on his sperm that gives sons and daughters a blunted reaction to stress, according to a new preclinical study. The findings point to a never-before-seen epigenetic link to stress-related diseases such as anxiety and depression passed from father to child.

Cyberbullying puts teens at risk

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:16:16 EDT

Teenage victims of cyberbullying, defined as the use of the internet or cell phones to send hurtful and harassing messages, are more likely to develop symptoms of depression, substance abuse and internet addiction, reports a new study.

Treatment of mental illness lowers arrest rates, saves money

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:27:27 EDT

Research shows that outpatient treatment of mental illness significantly reduces arrest rates for people with mental health problems and saves taxpayers money.

Do antidepressants impair the ability to extinguish fear?

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:41:41 EDT

Common antidepressant medications may impair a form of learning that is important clinically. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly called SSRIs, are a class of antidepressant widely used to treat depression, as well as a range of anxiety disorders, but the effects of these drugs on learning and memory are poorly understood.

Suicide risk factors described

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:41:41 EDT

The rate of suicide among men is almost three times that of women, according to new research. Being young, single and having a low level of education were stronger risk factors for suicide among men, while mental illness was a stronger risk factor among women. Unemployment was the strongest social risk factor among women, whereas being single was the strongest among men.

Neuroimaging may offer new way to diagnose bipolar disorder

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EDT

MRI may be an effective way to diagnose mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, according to experts.

Nearly one-third of children with autism also have ADHD

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:39:39 EDT

Researchers have found that children with co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders face greater impairments.

Half of those diagnosed with PTSD also suffer from depression

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:35:35 EDT

About one of every two people diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder also suffer symptoms of depression, according to new research.

Exposure to rocket attacks in Israel increases adolescent violence

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:54:54 EDT

A study followed 362 Israeli adolescents from the southwestern Negev from 2008 to 2011, and conducted annual assessments of exposure to rocket attacks, symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as acts of violence.

Role conflict and emotional demands are 'most important' risk factors for distress in workers

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:32:32 EDT

Employees who face high emotional demand and conflicting roles are more likely to report psychological distress—placing them at higher risk of mental health disorders and reduced productivity, reports a new study.

Clear link between perceived stress and an increased incidence of psychosomatic symptoms

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:24:24 EDT

In four out of ten cases, long-term stress suffered by women leads to some form of physical complaint. This is shown by a study of 1,500 women.

Lead acts to trigger schizophrenia

Fri, 31 May 2013 11:47:47 EDT

Mice engineered with a human gene for schizophrenia and exposed to lead during early life exhibited behaviors and structural changes in their brains consistent with schizophrenia. Scientists say their findings suggest a synergistic effect between lead exposure and a genetic risk factor, and open an avenue to better understanding the complex gene-environment interactions that put people at risk for schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

Mother's level of education has impact on depression in her children

Fri, 31 May 2013 11:46:46 EDT

Children of women who did not finish high school were twice as likely to experience a major episode of depression in early adulthood as children whose mothers obtained a high school diploma.

Ketamine cousin rapidly lifts depression without side effects, study suggests

Thu, 30 May 2013 17:00:00 EDT

GLYX-13, a molecular cousin to ketamine, induces similar antidepressant results without the street drug side effects, reported a new study.

Are children who take Ritalin for ADHD at greater risk of future drug abuse?

Wed, 29 May 2013 19:10:10 EDT

Children who take medication such as Ritalin and Adderall for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at no greater risk for later taking alcohol, marijuana, nicotine and cocaine than children with ADHD who do not take the medication, report psychologists who have conducted the most comprehensive assessment ever on this question.

Brain activity in sleep may impact emotional disturbances in children with ADHD

Wed, 29 May 2013 19:09:09 EDT

Sleep consolidates emotional memories in healthy children but not in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new research. The study suggests these deficits in sleep-related emotional processing may exacerbate emotional problems experienced in the daytime by children with ADHD.

Link between domestic violence and perinatal mental health disorders

Tue, 28 May 2013 18:10:10 EDT

Women who have mental health disorders around the time of birth are more likely to have previously experienced domestic violence, according to a study by UK researchers.

Different types of psychotherapy have similar benefits for depression

Tue, 28 May 2013 18:10:10 EDT

Treatments for depression that don't involve antidepressant drugs but rather focus on different forms of talking therapy (referred to as psychotherapeutic interventions) are all beneficial, with no one form of therapy being better than the others, according to a new study.

Childhood bullying increases the propensity to self-harm during adolescence, study finds

Tue, 28 May 2013 09:21:21 EDT

A new study has shown that being bullied during childhood directly increases the likelihood of self-harm in late adolescence.

Hormone levels may provide key to understanding psychological disorders in women

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:17:17 EDT

Women at a particular stage in their monthly menstrual cycle may be more vulnerable to some of the psychological side-effects associated with stressful experiences, according to a study from UCL.

Networks of neurons in brain are disrupted in psychiatric disease

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:18:18 EDT

Studying the networks of connections in the brains of people affected by schizophrenia, bipolar disease or depression has allowed researchers to gain a better understanding of the biological basis of these important diseases. They have shown that different networks, found specifically in humans, are disrupted in different psychiatric diseases.

Breakthrough on Huntington's disease

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:29 EDT

Researchers have succeeded in preventing very early symptoms of Huntington’s disease, depression and anxiety, by deactivating the mutated huntingtin protein in the brains of mice.

Depression linked to telomere enzyme, aging, chronic disease

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:45:45 EDT

The first symptoms of major depression may be behavioral, but the common mental illness is based in biology — and not limited to the brain, new research suggests.

Migraine and depression together may be linked with brain size

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT

Older people with a history of migraines and depression may have smaller brain tissue volumes than people with only one or neither of the conditions, according to a new study.

Good marriage can buffer effects of dad's depression on young children

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:05:05 EDT

What effect does a father's depression have on his young son or daughter? When fathers report a high level of emotional intimacy in their marriage, their children benefit, said a new study.

Insomnia may cause dysfunction in emotional brain circuitry

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:12:12 EDT

A new study provides neurobiological evidence for dysfunction in the neural circuitry underlying emotion regulation in people with insomnia, which may have implications for the risk relationship between insomnia and depression.

Schizophrenia symptoms eliminated in animal model

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:31:31 EDT

Overexpression of a gene associated with schizophrenia causes classic symptoms of the disorder that are reversed when gene expression returns to normal, scientists report. They genetically engineered mice so they could turn up levels of neuregulin-1 to mimic high levels found in some patients then return levels to normal.

Fish oil may help the heart beat mental stress

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:19:19 EDT

Why is fish oil good for the heart? A new study suggests that this omega 3 fatty acid-rich nutrient could blunt some cardiovascular effects of mental stress.

Life expectancy gap widens between those with mental illness and general population

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:41 EDT

The gap between life expectancy in patients with a mental illness and the general population has widened since 1985 and efforts to reduce this gap should focus on improving physical health, suggest new research.

Antidepressant reduces stress-induced heart condition

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:37:37 EDT

A drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety may improve a stress-related heart condition in people with stable coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

Child maltreatment increases risk of adult obesity

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:57 EDT

Children who have suffered maltreatment are 36 percent more likely to be obese in adulthood compared to non-maltreated children, according to a new study. The authors estimate that the prevention or effective treatment of seven cases of child maltreatment could avoid one case of adult obesity.

Genetic predictors of postpartum depression uncovered

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:52:52 EDT

Researchers say they have discovered specific chemical alterations in two genes that, when present during pregnancy, reliably predict whether a woman will develop postpartum depression.

Link between childhood ADHD and obesity revealed in first long-term study

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:39:39 EDT

A new study found men diagnosed as children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were twice as likely to be obese in a 33-year follow-up study compared to men who were not diagnosed with the condition.

Anabolic steroids may affect future mental health

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:48:48 EDT

There is a link between use of anabolic-androgenic steroids and reduced mental health later in life. This is the main conclusion of a new study on elite male strength athletes. Twenty per cent of the subjects in the study admitted steroid use.

One in 10 teens using 'study drugs,' but parents aren't paying attention

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:44:44 EDT

Just one in 100 parents believe their kids have used prescription stimulants to boost grades, according to a new poll.

Ketamine shows significant therapeutic benefit in people with treatment-resistant depression

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Drug associated with rapid antidepressant effect in largest clinical trial to-date.

Skydiving is never 'plane sailing'

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT

Skydivers show the same level of physical stress before every jump whether a first-timer or experienced jumper, say researchers.

Depression linked to almost doubled stroke risk in middle-aged women

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT

Depression among women 47-52 years old is associated with an almost doubled risk of stroke. Researchers call for greater awareness of depression as a preventable risk factor for stroke among younger middle-aged women.

Genetic risk for schizophrenia is connected to reduced IQ

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:53:53 EDT

The relationship between the heritable risk for schizophrenia and low intelligence (IQ) has not been clear. Schizophrenia is commonly associated with cognitive impairments that may cause functional disability. Researchers have now found that individuals with a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia had a lower IQ at age 70 but not at age 11.

Posttraumatic stress disorder associated with type 2 diabetes

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:38:38 EDT

The presence of posttraumatic stress disorder is significantly associated with the development of type 2 diabetes.

Repeat brain injury raises soldiers' suicide risk

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT

Suicide risk is higher among military personnel with more lifetime TBIs, even after controlling for clinical symptom severity. Results of the study show that multiple TBIs, which are common among military personnel, may contribute to increased risk for suicide.

'Good vibrations:' Brain ultrasound improves mood

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:48:48 EDT

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques aimed at mental and neurological conditions include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression, and transcranial direct current (electrical) stimulation (tDCS), have been shown to improve memory. Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) has also shown promise.

Getting a grip on sleep

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:45:45 EDT

All mammals sleep, as do birds and some insects. However, how this basic function is regulated by the brain remains unclear. According to a new study, a brain region called the lateral habenula plays a central role in the regulation of REM sleep.

Flu in pregnancy may quadruple child's risk for bipolar disorder

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Flu in pregnant mothers has been linked to a nearly fourfold increased risk that their child might develop bipolar disorder in adulthood. The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.

Brain-imaging study links cannabinoid receptors to post-traumatic stress disorder: First pharmaceutical treatment for PTSD within reach

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:50:50 EDT

In a first-of-its-kind effort to illuminate the biochemical impact of trauma, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a connection between the quantity of cannabinoid receptors in the human brain, known as CB1 receptors, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the chronic, disabling condition that can plague trauma victims with flashbacks, nightmares and emotional instability.

Out of sync: Body clocks altered at cell level in depression

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:23:23 EDT

Every cell in our bodies runs on a 24-hour clock, tuned to the night-day, light-dark cycles that have ruled us since the dawn of humanity. But new research shows that the clock may be broken in the brains of people with depression -- even at the level of the gene activity inside their brain cells.

Routine screening for depression not recommended for adults with no apparent symptoms of depression

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

For adults with no apparent symptoms of depression, routine screening is not recommended in primary care settings because of the lack of high-quality evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for depression, according to new evidence-based guidelines.

Serotonin mediates exercise-induced generation of new neurons

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons.

Parental addictions linked to adult children's depression

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

The offspring of parents who were addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely to be depressed in adulthood, according to a new study. Investigators have examined the association between parental addictions and adult depression in a representative sample of 6,268 adults, drawn from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey.

Methylphenidate 'normalizes' activation in key brain areas in kids with ADHD, study suggests

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

The stimulant drug methylphenidate "normalizes" activation of several brain areas in young patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new review.

Chronic pain sufferers likely to have anxiety

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Patients coping with chronic pain should also be evaluated for anxiety disorders, according to new research.

Why family conflict affects some children more than others

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:28 EDT

New research reveals why some children are badly affected by negative family conflicts while other children survive without significant problems. Researchers found that the way in which children understood the conflicts between their parents had different effects on their emotional and behavioral problems. Where children blamed themselves for the conflicts between their parents, they were more likely to have behavioral problems, such as anti-social behavior. But if their parents' fighting or arguing led to a child feeling threatened, or fearful that the family would split up, the child was more likely to experience emotional problems, such as depression.

Women with unintended pregnancy are more likely to suffer from postpartum depression

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:58:58 EDT

Women with unintended pregnancy are four times more likely to suffer from postpartum depression at twelve months postpartum, suggests a new study.

Link between intimate partner violence and depression

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:56:56 EDT

Not only are women who have experienced violence from their partner (intimate partner violence) at higher risk of becoming depressed, but women who are depressed may also be at increased risk of experiencing intimate partner violence, according to a new study.

Nerve stimulation for severe depression changes brain function

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:44:44 EDT

For nearly a decade, doctors have used implanted electronic stimulators to treat severe depression in people who don't respond to standard antidepressant treatments. Now, preliminary brain scan studies are revealing that vagus nerve stimulation brings about changes in brain metabolism weeks or even months before patients begin to feel better.

Anti-depressant link to Clostridium difficile infection

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:10:10 EDT

Certain types of anti-depressants have been linked to an increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a new study. Awareness of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI.