Psychiatry News and Research

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Psychiatry is the treatment, study and prevention of mental disorders.

Legalization of recreational marijuana changes teens' use and perceptions of marijuana

Marijuana use significantly increased and its perceived harm decreased among eighth- and 10th-graders in Washington state following enactment of recreational marijuana laws, according to a UC Davis and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health to be published online in JAMA Pediatrics.

30 Dec 2016

Many smokers desire counseling to help them quit, but only few are receiving it

Among American adults who have a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or clinical depression, 57 percent are smokers. In contrast, only 15 percent of U.S. adults overall smoke.

30 Dec 2016

Discrimination in daily life linked to high rates of sleep problems

People who perceive more discrimination in daily life have higher rates of sleep problems, based on both subjective and objective measures, reports a study in Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

22 Dec 2016

Optical fibers can identify and control neuroreceptors to rapidly inhibit chronic pain

Pain serves as a valuable warning signal, but when it becomes chronic, pain should be considered as a real disease.

21 Dec 2016

Study finds chances for recovery of women with anorexia or bulimia nervosa

A study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators finds that, contrary to what is often believed, around two thirds of women with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa will eventually recover from their eating disorders.

21 Dec 2016

Simple sniff test can enhance accuracy of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease

Tests that measure the sense of smell may soon become common in neurologists' offices.

20 Dec 2016

White matter microstructure in children linked to cognitive development

A new study led by UNC School of Medicine researchers concluded that patterns of white matter microstructure present at birth and that develop after birth predict the cognitive function of children at ages 1 and 2.

20 Dec 2016

Holiday tips and gift suggestions for caregivers, families of AD patients

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, but we all know they can be stressful even under the best of circumstances.

20 Dec 2016

New study finds rise in past-month marijuana use among reproductive-aged women

A new study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that the prevalence of past-month marijuana use among reproductive-aged women rose from 2.4 percent in 2002 to 3.9 percent in 2014, an increase of 62 percent.

20 Dec 2016

Novel approach shows promise for treating co-occurring PTSD and SUD

N-acetylcysteine, when combined with group cognitive behavioral therapy, reduced symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cravings, and depression significantly more than CBT alone in veterans with co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorder, a particularly difficult-to-treat population, according to the findings of a randomized controlled pilot trial conducted by researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.

17 Dec 2016

Refused access to abortion may affect mental health

A study published this week in JAMA Psychiatry reports that restricting a woman's access to having an abortion once she has decided that is what she wants can have detrimental effects on her psychological well-being.

16 Dec 2016

RCSI researcher receives ERC grant for research into psychotic experiences in young people

Professor Mary Cannon from RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) Department of Psychiatry has been awarded a highly prestigious European Research Council’s (ERC) Consolidator Grant for research into psychotic experiences in young people. Just 314 projects from 2,274 applications across Europe were funded with Professor Mary Cannon being the only researcher in an Irish institution to be awarded.

16 Dec 2016

Young children with depression show blunted response to rewards, research finds

For many children, December often is linked to presents and excitement, but when a young child doesn't seem all that enthused about getting gifts, it could be a sign that something is wrong.

16 Dec 2016

Over-the-counter antioxidant may promote reductions in alcohol use in marijuana-dependent teens

An over-the-counter antioxidant known as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is showing early promise at promoting abstinence from or reduced use of alcohol in marijuana-dependent adolescents, report researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in the December 2016 Addictive Behaviors.

15 Dec 2016

Young children with mental health problems need better access to effective treatment

Almost 10 percent of very young children struggle with significant mental health problems, yet few are getting help, according to a new American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement co-authored by a Tulane University child psychiatrist.

9 Dec 2016

New research categorizes patients with depression into four unique subtypes

Patients with depression can be categorized into four unique subtypes defined by distinct patterns of abnormal connectivity in the brain, according to new research from Weill Cornell Medicine.

9 Dec 2016

Resilience lowers risk for developing alcohol use disorders, study shows

Resilience considerably reduces risk for developing alcohol use disorders, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.

8 Dec 2016

Exposure to violence may lead to PTSD symptoms in underserved women

The violence that women in disadvantaged neighborhoods experience and witness can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and full diagnoses, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study that examined a disadvantaged Chicago neighborhood.

8 Dec 2016

Search engines could play role in helping young people find reliable mental health resources

Search engines and content providers could have a role to play in helping young people find the most reliable mental health resources online, research at the University of Strathclyde has found.

8 Dec 2016

New biomarker in cell-free blood plasma linked to overactive stress system in suicidal individuals

Researchers at Lund and Malmö universities in Sweden have measured a biomarker in cell-free blood plasma which can be linked to an overactive stress system in suicidal individuals. This biomarker can hopefully be used in future psychiatric studies.

8 Dec 2016