Psychiatry News and Research

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

Researchers examine neuroanatomical signature of schizophrenia in different ethnic groups

While it is known that the incidence and outward symptoms of schizophrenia are strongly influenced by ethnic factors--for instance, patients from Asian ethnicities are more likely to experience visual hallucinations, whereas patients from western cultures and Caucasian ethnicities are more likely to suffer from auditory hallucinations--it was unclear if brain deficits would differ amongst suffers from various ethnic backgrounds.

14 Sep 2015

Study shows reduced heart rate variability may be contributing risk factor for PTSD

A prospective longitudinal study of U.S. Marines suggests that reduced heart rate variability - the changing time interval between heartbeats - may be a contributing risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

11 Sep 2015

Psychosis, hepatitis C infection are greatest risk factors for mortality in marginalized Vancouver residents

Marginalized residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside are dying at more than eight times the national average, and treatable conditions are the greatest risk factors for mortality, researchers at the University of British Columbia have found.

11 Sep 2015

NIH-funded study may help predict treatment response in older adults with depression

Treating depressed individuals and figuring out who will and won't respond to antidepressants is mostly trial and error — much to the frustration of patients and the health care providers who treat them.

11 Sep 2015

Study reveals why long-term use of L-DOPA leads to dyskinesia

Researchers have discovered why long-term use of L-DOPA (levodopa), the most effective treatment for Parkinson's disease, commonly leads to a movement problem called dyskinesia, a side effect that can be as debilitating as Parkinson's disease itself.

11 Sep 2015

Hastings Center receives NSF grant for ethical analysis of next-generation prenatal genetic tests

Prenatal testing is changing dramatically. With greatly expanded low-cost genetic tests - some as simple as a maternal blood test - prospective parents will soon be able to learn far more, far earlier, than ever before about their fetuses' medical conditions and risks, and some nonmedical traits.

11 Sep 2015

Nicotine reinforcement demonstrated in study with ‘never-smokers’

In a study with 18 adults who had never smoked, scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have demonstrated one of the earliest steps — nicotine “reinforcement” — in the process of addiction, and shown that some people are far more vulnerable to nicotine addiction than others.

10 Sep 2015

Special issue provides update on mental health diagnosis and treatment of older adults

The aging of the population, shifting diagnostic criteria, and new health care policy initiatives are some of the factors driving changes in mental health treatment for older Americans, according to the September special issue of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

10 Sep 2015

Study points to genetic/metabolic factors that make people vulnerable to nicotine addiction

In a study with 18 adults who had never smoked, scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have demonstrated one of the earliest steps — nicotine "reinforcement" — in the process of addiction, and shown that some people are far more vulnerable to nicotine addiction than others.

10 Sep 2015

Study evaluates effectiveness of hypnotherapy

Although hypnosis has existed for hundreds of years, today it is still difficult to clearly judge its usefulness in the medical domain.

10 Sep 2015

Researchers use stem cell-derived 'mini-brains' to identify drug candidate for rare neurological disorder

Using "mini-brains" built with induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patients with a rare, but devastating, neurological disorder, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say they have identified a drug candidate that appears to "rescue" dysfunctional cells by suppressing a critical genetic alteration.

9 Sep 2015

UCLA-led initiative that aims to provide better care for children with autism gets $10 million grant

A UCLA-led initiative to provide better treatment for children with autism in under-served areas has received a five-year, $10 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. The program aims to bring evidence-based research practices to communities throughout the U.S.

9 Sep 2015

Novel research tool identifies link between negative symptoms of schizophrenia and adverse clinical outcomes

A novel research tool developed by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London has identified a link between the negative symptoms experienced by people with schizophrenia and adverse clinical outcomes.

8 Sep 2015

WPA launches first ever global campaign to achieve fairness in mental healthcare

The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is today launching the first ever 'World Mind Matters Day', a global campaign with the main goal of achieving fairness in mental healthcare for all.

4 Sep 2015

Ex-prisoners with common psychiatric disorders more likely to commit violent crimes after release

Ex-prisoners with common psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder) and alcohol and drug abuse are substantially more likely to commit a violent crime after release than other prisoners, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.

4 Sep 2015

University of Basel scientists identify genes that play central role in development of Alzheimer's disease

Genes are not only important for regular memory performance, but also for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at the University of Basel now identified a specific group of genes that plays a central role in both processes. This group of molecules controls the concentration of calcium ions inside the cell.

3 Sep 2015

Household food insecurity increases likelihood of metabolic diseases in children

New research indicates that household food insecurity dramatically increases the likelihood of metabolic diseases in children, with many showing chronic disease markers before they graduate from high school.

3 Sep 2015

UC Santa Barbara neuroscientists uncover mechanism of Alzheimer's progression

Medical research has yet to discover an Alzheimer's treatment that effectively slows the disease's progression, but neuroscientists at UC Santa Barbara may have uncovered a mechanism by which onset can be delayed by as much as 10 years.

2 Sep 2015

SKA2 gene may play a role in development of PTSD

A gene linked in previous research, appears to predict more severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as well as a thinner cortex in regions of the brain critical for regulating strong emotions and coping with stressful experiences. This study is believed to be the first to show that the spindle and kinetochore-associated complex subunit 2 (SKA2) gene may play a role in the development of PTSD.

2 Sep 2015

Sleep loss increases chance of catching a cold

A new study led by a UC San Francisco sleep researcher supports what parents have been saying for centuries: to avoid getting sick, be sure to get enough sleep.

1 Sep 2015

Psychiatry News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers examine neuroanatomical signature of schizophrenia in different ethnic groups

Study shows reduced heart rate variability may be contributing risk factor for PTSD

Psychosis, hepatitis C infection are greatest risk factors for mortality in marginalized Vancouver residents

NIH-funded study may help predict treatment response in older adults with depression

Study reveals why long-term use of L-DOPA leads to dyskinesia

Hastings Center receives NSF grant for ethical analysis of next-generation prenatal genetic tests

Nicotine reinforcement demonstrated in study with ‘never-smokers’

Special issue provides update on mental health diagnosis and treatment of older adults

Study points to genetic/metabolic factors that make people vulnerable to nicotine addiction

Study evaluates effectiveness of hypnotherapy

Researchers use stem cell-derived 'mini-brains' to identify drug candidate for rare neurological disorder

UCLA-led initiative that aims to provide better care for children with autism gets $10 million grant

Novel research tool identifies link between negative symptoms of schizophrenia and adverse clinical outcomes

WPA launches first ever global campaign to achieve fairness in mental healthcare

Ex-prisoners with common psychiatric disorders more likely to commit violent crimes after release

University of Basel scientists identify genes that play central role in development of Alzheimer's disease

Household food insecurity increases likelihood of metabolic diseases in children

UC Santa Barbara neuroscientists uncover mechanism of Alzheimer's progression

SKA2 gene may play a role in development of PTSD

Sleep loss increases chance of catching a cold

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Automating research - solutions and best practices

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