Mental Health Weekly Digest back issues from October 2003:
Study to examine effectiveness for mentally ill patients.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has awarded a Duke University Medical Center team $1.98 million in research funding to study the use and effectiveness of "psychiatric advance directives (PADs)" - legal documents created by patients who ...
UGA, MCG study impact of long-term use of drugs.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Whether the long-term use of the newer schizophrenia drugs damages or improves a patient's cognitive ability is the focus of a cooperative study by the University of Georgia (UGA) and the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). Many of the ...
Learning skills greatly limits stress for family caregivers, study finds.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Interventional skill-building programs ease the depression, anxiety, and anger common among family caregivers coping with a loved one who has dementia, say Stanford University Medical Center researchers. In the first study of its kind, ...
Screening at primary level could be next trend in health care.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Given that one out of three patients seen by a primary physician suffers from a mental disorder, administering a simple screening measure at this level is not only effective, it's needed, said a Texas A&M University psychologist. "It is ...
Lithium upregulates hippocampal IMPA1 mRNA and MIP synthase.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lithium treatment upregulates both MIP synthase and IMPA1 mRNA in the rat hippocampus. "In the de novo synthesis of inositol, the conversion of D-glucose-6-phosphate to L-myo-inositol-1-phosphate (MIP) is catalyzed by MIP synthase," ...
Different approaches required for monitoring trends.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- U.K. authors of a recently published research letter suggest that conventional methods for assessing trends in suicide rates - which show an overall reduction in suicide in England and Wales over the past 2 decades - have masked an important ...
Role of signal regulation by G-proteins in opioid dependence reviewed.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have published a review of the role of signal regulation by G-proteins in opioid dependence in a recent issue of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology. According to a study from People's Republic of China, ...
Changes in television or magazine exposure affect young girls' eating habits.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Changes in television or magazine exposure affect young girls' eating habits. "The relationship between girls' media exposure and their development of eating disorder symptomatology was assessed. At Time 1 and Time 2 (16 months later), ...
Fasting plasma ghrelin levels examined in subtypes of anorexia nervosa.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The fasting plasma ghrelin levels in subtypes of anorexia nervosa were reported in a recent issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. "Ghrelin has a role in regulating eating behavior and energy metabolism in the central nervous ...
Antipsychotic drugs linked to type 2 diabetes.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Evidence from a large health plan database indicates an association between antipsychotic medications and type 2 diabetes. According to a study from the United States, "Case evidence suggests that some of the atypical antipsychotics may ...
Link to behavioral problems in children found.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Children with asthma are more likely to have behavioral problems, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester. Dr. Rachel Calam, senior lecturer in clinical psychology, and her team followed 663 ...
Generic version of Paxil launched.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Apotex Corp. announced that it has launched paroxetine hydrochloride tablets, 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, and 40 mg. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined that Apotex' paroxetine tablets are therapeutically equivalent to ...
Study confirms the low prevalence of psychiatric adverse events with Keppra.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Results from a new study show that the prevalence of psychiatric adverse events (PAEs) with Keppra (levetiracetam) is low and not related to start dose or titration schedule. The new data reaffirm that Keppra is well tolerated and ...
Economic stress in Germany linked to decline in male births.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- What influences a baby's gender? Forget the myths about the lunar cycle or the location of the parents at conception. A new study by a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, said a country's dramatic, faltering economy may be a ...
Monoamine oxidase A gene mutations may affect autism severity in males.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Monoamine oxidase A gene mutations may influence autism severity in males. "A functional polymorphism (the upstream variable-number tandem repeat region, or uVNTR) in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) promoter region has been reported to be ...
Alzheimer drug trials should include a brain biopsy for beta-amyloid level.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Clinical trials of Alzheimer therapies should include an initial brain biopsy, as many people do have beta-amyloid. "A cortical biopsy was analyzed using immunohistochemical methodology in a total of 213 patients with suspected normal ...
Affectivity model provides best expanation of genetic influence on job satisfaction.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genetic influences on job satisfaction are best explained using the affectivity model of disposition. In a recent study, scientists in the United States investigated "the extent to which traits reflecting individual differences in ...
Antisaccade performance normal in relatives of schizophrenia patients.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antisaccade performance is not impaired in relatives of schizophrenia patients. "Numerous studies have replicated the finding that schizophrenia patients make an increased number of errors on an antisaccade task," scientists in ...
Off-label uses for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors outlined.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have provided evidence for the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for treating off-label conditions. "Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely used because of their safety, tolerability, and ...
Screening for osteoporosis should be done before electroconvulsive treatment.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Screening for osteoporosis should be done before electroconvulsive treatment. "We report on a case of a 64-year-old female patient who received electroconvulsive treatment for major depression. The patient sustained a fracture to the ...
Industry study reveals behavioral health benefits pay off.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A recent study reaffirms the ability to demonstrate effective, measurable results to employers that provide behavioral health benefits. The study, led by G.S. (Jeb) Brown, PhD, of the Center for Clinical Informatics in Salt Lake City and ...
Stress makes symptoms worse.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- For patients with multiple sclerosis, stressful life events seem to make their symptoms worse, finds a study. Dutch researchers followed 73 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Regular visits were scheduled every 8 weeks ...
Circadian tryptophan hydroxylase expression in brainstem varies by isoform.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Circadian tryptophan hydroxylase expression in the brainstem varies by isoform. According to published research from England, "A second gene encoding a functional tryptophan hydroxylase activity has recently been described (TPH2), which ...
Educational achievement can overcome problematic parenting.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Educational achievement can overcome problematic parenting. "This review describes a recent approach to studying the intergenerational processes that place families and children at risk for a broad variety of social, behavioral, and ...
First year of widowhood most harmful to mental health, large study finds.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- From one of the largest prospective and cross-sectional studies conducted on the health of middle-age women, researchers found that first-year widows have a substantial drop in their mental health but do bounce back after a period of time. ...
Recurrent brief depression is prevalent among the young people of Italy.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Recurrent brief depression is prevalent among the young people of Italy. According to a study from Italy, "the clinical relevance of Recurrent Brief Depression (RBD) has not received sufficient attention to date and continues to ...
Apolipoprotein D plays role in psychiatric disorders.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Apolipoprotein D plays a role in psychiatric disorders. "Apolipoprotein D (apoD) is an atypical plasma apolipoprotein and, based on its primary structure, it is a member of the lipocalin protein superfamily. Lipocalins have been ...
FDA approves ABILIFY (Aripiprazole) sNDA.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for ABILIFY (aripiprazole) for maintaining stability in patients ...
Interneurons play important roles in schizophrenia.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Interneurons play important roles in schizophrenic and affective disorders. According to recent research published in the journal Fortschritte der Neurologie Psychiatrie, "In brains of patients with schizophrenic and affective disorders, ...
New program will pursue gene leads.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced a new program expanding genetics research on schizophrenia in its own Bethesda, Maryland, laboratories. "Recent ...
Drug market to triple sales volume by 2012.
Oct 06, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Decision Resources, Inc., a research and advisory firm focusing on pharmaceutical and health care issues, finds that the social anxiety disorder (SAD) drug market will triple sales volume by 2012 primarily as a result of an increase in the size of ...
High blood pressure does not accelerate age-related cognitive decline.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Duke University Medical Center researchers have found that contrary to the classical model of aging, increased blood pressure does not accelerate the age-related decline in performing certain mental tasks. Furthermore, the researchers ...
More screening would detect postpartum depression risk among Hispanic women.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- More screening would detect postpartum depression risk among Hispanic women. "This longitudinal study examined depression symptoms among pregnant, low-income, urban Latinas, primarily Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, receiving obstetrical ...
High blood pressure is a factor in some "senior moments".
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Memory problems commonly associated with age and called "senior moments" might be related to reduced blood flow to the brain caused by high blood pressure, according to a report at the American Heart Association's 57th Annual High Blood Pressure ...
Tau haplotype linked to frontotemporal dementia.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Tau haplotype is linked to frontotemporal dementia development. "It has been reported that the H1 haplotype of the tau gene, located on chromosome 17q21, is associated with progressive supranuclear palsy," scientists in England noted ....
Symptomatology in women with premenstrual disorders is wide-ranging.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Symptomatology in women with premenstrual disorders is wide-ranging. "Because of the prevalence, chronicity and distress caused by premenstrual symptoms (PMS), diagnosis and effective treatments are important information for clinicians ....
Panic attacks may be common among postmenopausal women.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Panic attacks may be relatively common among postmenopausal women and may be associated with stressful life events, medical illness, and functional impairment, according to a new study. Panic attacks and panic disorder are more common ...
Low-growth hormone level, poor attention may signal Alzheimer before memory loss.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Impaired attention and low levels of growth hormone may signal the onset of Alzheimer disease as early as 20 years before memory loss occurs, according to a study by noted brain researcher and clinician Eric Braverman, MD. Dr ....
Connecticut hospital sells off some mental health services.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, is shedding its outpatient mental health services, which involve schools for troubled children and treatment programs in several communities. The hospital plans to sell its ...
Company to market animal model for Alzheimer disease.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hemoxymed, Inc., (HMYD) plans to bring to market research animals that develop a key pathology researchers believe to be an essential characteristic of Alzheimer disease. These animals, which are called htau transgenic mice, have a ...
FDA approves Nefazodone HCL tablets.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Reddy's Laboratories, Ltd., (RDY) announced that the U. S. Food and Drug Administration has issued final approval for the company's Abbreviated New Drug Application for Nefazodone Hydrochloride tablets 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg. The ...
FDA gives final approval for marketing of generic antidepressant.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RPI) announced that Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL) has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market nefazodone hydrochloride tablets, 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, and 250 mg for ...
Study: Lexapro is as effective as Effexor XR, better tolerated.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Forest Laboratories, Inc., (FRX) announced the results of an 8-week study performed in the United States, which found that Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate) relieves the symptoms of major depressive disorder and helps patients achieve remission as ...
Bulimia nervosa has culture-bound origins.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bulimia nervosa has culture-bound origins. In a recent journal report, "the authors explore the extent to which eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), represent culture-bound syndromes and discuss ...
Lack of maternal physical or psychic reference may underlie anorexia nervosa.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lack of maternal physical or psychic reference may underlie anorexia nervosa. "In this study, anorexia nervosa has been examined from an etiopathogenic and psychoanalytical viewpoint. The sociocultural environment and transgenerational ...
In food allergy, c-fos increased in brain emotion areas, anti-IgE resolved.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Psychological disorders in patients with food allergy may be explained by an animal model showing increased c-fos expression in emotion related brain areas; anti-IgE resolved it. "Although many authors have considered the possibility of ...
Saitohin gene mutations strongly linked to tau haplotype in Polish population.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Saitohin gene mutations are strongly linked to tau haplotype in Polish population. The STH gene "is located in intron 9 of the tau protein gene," scientists in Poland explained. "It has been postulated that the R allele of Q7R ...
Human acid sphingomyelinase activity modulated by C-terminal cysteine.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Human acid sphingomyelinase activity is modulated by its C-terminal cysteine. "One form of Niemann-Pick disease is caused by a deficiency in the enzymatic activity of acid sphingomyelinase," scientists in Massachusetts explained ....
Nonverbal reasoning intact in Klinefelter syndrome patients.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nonverbal reasoning skills remain intact in Klinefelter syndrome (KS) patients. KS "is a sex chromosome abnormality associated with male infertility and mild cognitive deficits," scientists in the United States explained. "Individuals ...
The interrelation of cancer, depression, and aging may affect geriatric immunity.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Geriatric therapy may find solutions to immunity problems in the areas of hormone and nerve related drugs; as cancer, depression, and aging may be interrelated. "The purpose of this paper is to review ways in which the neurohormonal ...
Virological suppression in HIV patients linked to improved psychomotor speed.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Virological suppression is linked to improved psychomotor speed in HIV patients. In a recent study, scientists in the United States "evaluated the association of a virologic response to highly active antiretroviral therapy, or a ...
Elderly patients' satisfaction with cochlear implants examined.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A sizable number of the millions of Americans with untreated hearing loss suffer from sadness, depression, anxiety, social isolation, and insecurity. Additional research has found that the hearing impaired have fewer relationships, decreased ...
New laws limit school involvement in medical diagnoses.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- When Scott Ervin's son had some difficulties in class, he and his wife met with officials at the boy's elementary school who suggested they consider whether he would benefit from a drug like Ritalin. Ervin wasn't so sure the 10-year-old ...
Ginkgo biloba causes modest cognitive improvements in postmenopausal women.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ginkgo biloba causes modest cognitive improvements in postmenopausal women. "In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, postmenopausal women (53-65 years old) were randomly assigned to 7-day treatment with Ginkgo (120 mg/day, n=15) or ...
Obstetrical problems aren't linked to schizophrenia in the Caribbean population.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Obstetrical problems aren't linked to schizophrenia in the Caribbean population. According to published research from Trinid & Tobago, "it has been shown that an excess of pregnancy and birth complications (PBCs) does not contribute to ...
The burden of premenstrual dysphoric disorder resembles that of other disorders.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The burden of premenstrual dysphoric disorder resembles that of other disorders. "Currently it is estimated that 3%-8% of women of reproductive age meet strict criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Assessment of published ...
DAP12/TREM2 deficiency is linked to osteoporotic orientation.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- DAP12/TREM2 deficiency is linked to osteoporotic orientation. According to a study from Finland, "polycystic lipomembranous osteodysplasia with sclerosing leukoencephalopathy (PLOSL), Nasu-Hakola disease, is a globally distributed ...
Novel DNA-binding protein plays role in 5-HT1A receptor regulation.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel DNA-bindng protein plays a key role in 5-HT1A receptor regulation. "Altered regulation of 5-HT1A receptors is implicated in mood disorders such as anxiety and major depression," scientists in Canada noted. "To ...
Obesity specialists are biased against overweight patients.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Obesity specialists from physicians and researchers to pharmacologists and psychologists show significant anti-fat bias, according to a recent Yale study. "The stigma of obesity is so strong that even those most knowledgeable about the ...
Birth control pills reduce plasma levels of the drug lamotrigine.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Birth control pills reduce plasma levels of the drug lamotrigine. "The mean steady-state plasma concentration of lamotrigine (LTG) was 13 micro M/L in 22 women taking LTG in combination with oral contraceptives (OC) compared with 28 ...
Milestone reached in CARING study.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genaissance Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (GNSC) announced that it has reached enrollment goals in order to initiate HAP Marker discovery in its Clozapine and Agranulocytosis Relationships Investigated by Genetics (CARING) study. The CARING ...
Learning skills greatly limits stress for family caregivers, says Stanford study.
Oct 13, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Interventional skill-building programs ease the depression, anxiety, and anger common among family caregivers coping with a loved one who has dementia, say Stanford University Medical Center researchers. In the first study of its kind, ...
Gene variations alter antidepressant side effects.
Oct 20, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 20 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center have identified a genetic marker that can explain why some people experience side effects to common antidepressants while others do not. They also found that a key liver enzyme involved ...
Post-stroke antidepressant treatment appears to reduce death rate.
Oct 20, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 20 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antidepressant treatment for people who have had a stroke - whether the patients are depressed or not - appears to increase their chances of living longer, according to a University of Iowa (UI) study. The antidepressants may reduce ...
Mental adjustment to cancer is a main contributor to psychological distress.
Oct 20, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 20 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Mental adjustment to cancer is a main contributor to psychological distress. "Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease among women in developed countries. In Austria and Israel, it accounts for 15% and 18%, respectively, of ...