Psychiatry News and Research

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

Testing for developmental delay through an app? An interview with Dr. Clara Lajonchere

Cognoa's app helps every parent find out if their child’s development is on track and, if not, get their child the right help as early as possible.

8 Dec 2015

New study reveals effect of cannabis potency on brain structure

Smoking high potency 'skunk-like' cannabis can damage a crucial part of the brain responsible for communication between the two brain hemispheres, according to a new study by scientists from King's College London and Sapienza University of Rome.

27 Nov 2015

Oxytocin hormone strengthens social ties

Nowadays, much emphasis is placed on sustainability. The degree to which people are willing to donate their own money for this depends on their level of oxytocin. Scientists at the University of Bonn Hospital have discovered that the willingness to donate increases with the quantity of this bonding hormone. However, oxytocin only has an effect with regard to social sustainability projects. The hormone does not increase the ability to participate in the case of purely environmentally oriented projects.

26 Nov 2015

Stress-related gene affects post-concussive symptoms after car crashes

Variations in a gene that affect the body's responses to stress influence the risk of developing so-called post-concussive symptoms (PCS) after car crashes, 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.

25 Nov 2015

Researchers find lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in people with bipolar disorder

People with bipolar disorder have lower levels of certain omega-3 fatty acids that cross the blood-brain barrier compared to those who do not, according to researchers from Penn State College of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. The finding could have implications for dietary interventions for the disorder.

25 Nov 2015

UNC study reveals how specific schizophrenia symptoms linked to distinct brain circuits

Schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder affecting about one in 100 people, is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, in large part because it manifests differently in different people. A new study published today in Molecular Neuropsychiatry helps explain why.

25 Nov 2015

Older adults who take more steps per day perform better on memory tasks

Could staying physically active improve quality of life by delaying cognitive decline and prolonging an independent lifestyle? A new study has found that older adults who take more steps either by walking or jogging perform better on memory tasks than those who are more sedentary.

25 Nov 2015

Dopamine measurements provides information crucial for human choice

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have reported measurements of dopamine release with unprecedented temporal precision in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease. The measurements, collected during brain surgery as the conscious patients played an investment game, demonstrate how rapid dopamine release encodes information crucial for human choice.

24 Nov 2015

Brain imaging reveals distinctive aspects of high-inflammation depression

About one third of people with depression have high levels of inflammation markers in their blood. New research indicates that persistent inflammation affects the brain in ways that are connected with stubborn symptoms of depression, such as anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure.

21 Nov 2015

Study examines impact of countywide reductions in psychiatric services

Countywide reductions in psychiatric services -- both inpatient and outpatient -- led to more than triple the number of emergency psychiatric consults and 55 percent increases in lengths of stay for psychiatric patients in the emergency department.

21 Nov 2015

Atypical antipsychotic shows bipolar I depression efficacy

The atypical antipsychotic cariprazine may be effective for the treatment of bipolar I depression, phase II study findings show.

20 Nov 2015

Facebook can have both positive and negative effects on teens' stress hormone levels

Facebook can have positive and negative effects on teens levels of a stress hormone, say researchers at the University of Montreal and the Institut universitaire de santé mentale de Montréal. Led by Professor Sonia Lupien, the team found that having more than 300 Facebook friends increased teens' levels of cortisol.

18 Nov 2015

Researchers identify genetic mutation associated with reckless drunken behavior

University of Helsinki researchers have identified a genetic mutation which renders carriers susceptible to particularly impulsive and reckless behaviour when drunk. More than one hundred thousand Finns carry this mutation.

17 Nov 2015

Bullies and victims at risk for eating disorders

Being bullied in childhood has been associated with increased risk for anxiety, depression and even eating disorders. But according to new research, it's not only the victims who could be at risk psychologically, but also the bullies themselves.

17 Nov 2015

Treating insomnia through a CBT device? An interview with Dr Ebrahim

Insomnia refers to a clinical condition that is characterised by one or more of the following – difficulty initiating sleep and/or maintaining sleep and/or waking up too early AND associated with symptoms the next day such as sleepiness, lethargy, loss of concentration.

16 Nov 2015

Study explores diabetes screening for patients with severe mental illness

A study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine examines diabetes screening for patients with severe mental illness, who are two to three times more likely to have type 2 diabetes than the general population. More than seven million Americans in the United States have severe mental illness, and there are many factors contributing to their increased risk of getting diabetes, including treatment with antipsychotic medication.

13 Nov 2015

Lead exposure in early childhood increases risk for sleep problems in later childhood

A new research study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing shows that lead exposure in early childhood are associated with increased risk for sleep problems and excessive daytime sleepiness in later childhood.

13 Nov 2015

OCD patients can benefit from exposure and response prevention therapy when drug treatment options fail

Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can improve their symptoms significantly by adding exposure and response prevention therapy to their treatment regimen when common drug treatment options have failed, according to new research from psychiatrists at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

12 Nov 2015

Anavex reports safety and efficacy data of ANAVEX 2-73 Phase 2a trial in Alzheimer’s patients

On Saturday, investigators presented positive safety and cognitive efficacy data for ANAVEX 2-73, the Company’s lead investigational oral treatment for Alzheimer’s disease targeting sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors, which are believed to reduce protein misfolding including reduction of beta amyloid, tau protein and inflammation at the international CTAD 2015 conference in Barcelona, Spain.

11 Nov 2015

Women need different treatment from men with addiction, says McMaster University-led study

Painkillers prescribed by doctors are the starting point for an opioid addiction for more than half of female methadone clinic patients, and they need different treatment from men with addiction, says a study led by McMaster University researchers.

10 Nov 2015

Psychiatry News and Research

Further Reading

Testing for developmental delay through an app? An interview with Dr. Clara Lajonchere

New study reveals effect of cannabis potency on brain structure

Oxytocin hormone strengthens social ties

Stress-related gene affects post-concussive symptoms after car crashes

Researchers find lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in people with bipolar disorder

UNC study reveals how specific schizophrenia symptoms linked to distinct brain circuits

Older adults who take more steps per day perform better on memory tasks

Dopamine measurements provides information crucial for human choice

Brain imaging reveals distinctive aspects of high-inflammation depression

Study examines impact of countywide reductions in psychiatric services

Atypical antipsychotic shows bipolar I depression efficacy

Facebook can have both positive and negative effects on teens' stress hormone levels

Researchers identify genetic mutation associated with reckless drunken behavior

Bullies and victims at risk for eating disorders

Treating insomnia through a CBT device? An interview with Dr Ebrahim

Study explores diabetes screening for patients with severe mental illness

Lead exposure in early childhood increases risk for sleep problems in later childhood

OCD patients can benefit from exposure and response prevention therapy when drug treatment options fail

Anavex reports safety and efficacy data of ANAVEX 2-73 Phase 2a trial in Alzheimer’s patients

Women need different treatment from men with addiction, says McMaster University-led study

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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