Depression News and Research

Latest Depression News and Research

ANAVEX 2-73 named 2010's 'most promising trial drug' by Alzheimer's Weekly

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. announced today that ANAVEX 2-73 has been named 2010's "most promising trial drug" by the editorial staff at Alzheimer's Weekly. The publication selected the ANAVEX 2-73 trial from a field of over 100 trials that treat dementias such as Alzheimer's and following the review of more than 10,000 articles.

7 Jan 2011

NARSAD awards $12.6 million for mental health research

NARSAD: The Brain and Behavior Research Fund awards $12.6 million in new research grants, strengthening its investment in the most promising ideas to lead to breakthroughs in understanding and treating mental illness.

7 Jan 2011

CeNeRx commences TriRima Phase II trial for treatment resistant depression

CeNeRx BioPharma, today reported that it has initiated a Phase II trial of its new formulation of TriRima, the company's novel antidepressant in development as monotherapy for treatment resistant depression.

7 Jan 2011

Digital reminiscence system can improve quality of life for people with mild dementia

Dementia is on the increase, but for the sake of the quality of life of sufferers and their family and friends finding ways to allow the patient to remain in their own home and to live independently is an issue that must be addressed. At the same time, enabling independent living could also reduce the economic burden.

6 Jan 2011

Scientists identify prognostic biomarker to treat patients with HCV

Scientists at Inserm and Institut Pasteur have performed biomarker discovery on patients being treated for chronic hepatitis C infection. Their work, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, demonstrates that the plasma levels of the protein IP-10 predict, prior to treatment initiation, the efficacy of treatment with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin.

6 Jan 2011

Winter depression is more common in women than men

As the winter months approach bringing holidays and good cheer, certain health issues may arise that women should have on their radar. From mental health issues like stress, depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), to physical concerns like skin care, the winter can certainly pack a punch.

6 Jan 2011

Maternal depression adversely affects quality of life in children with epilepsy

A study by Canadian researchers examined the prevalence of maternal depression and its impact on children newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Prevalence of depression in mothers ranged from 30%-38% within the first 24 months following a child’s epilepsy diagnosis. The mother’s depressive symptoms negatively impacted the child’s health-related quality of life, but the effects were moderated by the amount of family resources and mediated by how well the family functions and the extent of family demands. Details of this novel study appear online in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy.

5 Jan 2011

Bright light therapy for the aged depressed: Study

A new study shows that exposure to bright light may ease symptoms of depression in elderly people. The researchers tried three weeks of bright light therapy using specially designed light boxes and saw that it improved symptoms of depression by as much as 54% in older adults with depression. The light therapy also improved sleep and optimized levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression and often targeted by antidepressant drugs. This is the first study of its kind to show a beneficial effect of bright light therapy on treating depression in the elderly with non-seasonal major depressive disorder.

5 Jan 2011

Child's epilepsy diagnosis impacts mother's mental health and family environment

5 Jan 2011

Soldiers with positive outlook in traumatic situations less likely to suffer anxiety, depression

In the first combat-zone study of its kind, a research team led by Michigan State University found that soldiers with a positive outlook in the most traumatic situations were less likely to suffer health problems such as anxiety and depression.

5 Jan 2011

CDS introduces new Diabetes DIC in the college curriculum

The College of Direct Support, an internet-based college for Direct Support Professionals and managed in partnership by Elsevier I MC Strategies and the University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center, has introduced its newest Disability Intensive Course into the CDS Curriculum - Diabetes.

5 Jan 2011

Today's Opinions: GOP rerun; Finding bipartisanship; Pawlenty's legacy

You just can't close the door on this crowd. The party that brought us the worst economy since the Great Depression, that led us into Iraq and the worst foreign policy disaster in American history, that would like to take a hammer to Social Security and a chisel to Medicare, is back in control of the House of Representatives with the expressed mission of undermining all things Obama (Bob Herbert, 1/3).

4 Jan 2011

CAMFT launches new searchable online directory for counselors and therapists

Taking control of your mental health and finding the support you need just got easier for Californians thanks to a new searchable online directory, CounselingCalifornia.com. The free service created by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) addresses a significant hurdle for Californians looking for counselors and therapists.

4 Jan 2011

Bupropion and varenicline help curb cigarette craving

The smoking cessation medications bupropion and varenicline may both be associated with changes in the way the brain reacts to smoking cues, making it easier for patients to resist cravings, according to two reports posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 Jan 2011

Baby boomers lack knowledge about Alzheimer's disease

An online survey of baby boomers across Canada conducted by the Alzheimer Society reveals a worrying lack of awareness about Alzheimer's disease.

4 Jan 2011

Depression and diabetes linked to increased risk of death from heart disease in women

Depression and diabetes appear to be associated with a significantly increased risk of death from heart disease and risk of death from all causes over a six-year period for women, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 Jan 2011

Genes determine susceptibility to depression

University of Michigan Health System researchers have found new evidence that our genes help determine our susceptibility to depression.

4 Jan 2011

Mediterranean diet helps more than one chronic condition

In a study that was published in the Oct 13, 2001 issue of Diabetes Care, authors had reported that Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of developing diabetes significantly. Those on this diet were 52 percent less likely to develop diabetes, compared with those who adhered least to the diet. Salas-Salvadó J. of Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain and colleagues compared two groups of subjects following two Mediterranean diets, one with nuts at 30 grams per day and the other with olive oil at 1 liter per week, with those on a low-fat diet.

2 Jan 2011

Team care to help multiple chronic conditions

According to a new study patients with multiple chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus and heart disease are at higher risk of depression that can render medication ineffective. Lead researcher Dr. Wayne J. Katon and colleagues at University of Washington in the study found that patients who received care from nurses who worked with patients and physicians to manage the care for depression and diabetes and heart disease had better outcomes. The study was published in the Dec 30, 2010 issue of New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Jan 2011

New women’s health policy inadequate

The Gillard government is being criticized for issuing a women’s health policy without announcing more funding for struggling women’s services. This is the first national women’s health policy in 21 years that claims to ensure women “have access to the right healthcare at the right time”.

30 Dec 2010