Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Researchers introduce Web-based program to help women experiencing abuse develop safety plans

Intimate partner violence results in 2 million injuries among women in the U.S. each year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. University of Missouri researchers are reducing these numbers with a new Web-based program that helps women experiencing abuse develop individualized safety plans and better assess the severity of their situations.

28 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

Affymetrix to develop, commercialize Axiom Chinese myDesign Genotyping Array

Affymetrix, Inc. today announced that it will develop and commercialize the Axiom Chinese myDesign Genotyping Array, the first product that provides maximum power for genome-wide association studies specifically on Chinese populations.

28 Jul 2010

Study shows music alleviates anxiety, depression

For decades research has shown that listening to music alleviates anxiety and depression, enhances mood, and can increase cognitive functioning, such as spatial awareness. However, until now, research has not addressed how we listen to music. For instance, is the cognitive benefit still the same if we listen to music whilst performing a task, rather than before it? Further, how does our preference for a particular type of music affect performance? A new study from Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that listening to music that one likes whilst performing a serial recall task does not help performance any more than listening to music one does not enjoy.

28 Jul 2010

Journal of Mental Health features special issue on diagnosing mental illness

This month Journal of Mental Health features a special issue on diagnosing mental illness. The issue - which comes out just weeks after the eagerly-awaited new draft of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the global diagnostic 'bible' for the field of mental health medicine - includes a series of articles written by high profile mainstream personalities on what a diagnosis of mental illness has meant to them.

27 Jul 2010

Study finds national differences in degree of conflict between older parents, adult children

Tolstoy wrote that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, and a new study in the August 2010 issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family finds significant national differences in the degree of conflict between older parents and their adult children.

27 Jul 2010

Lenzenweger releases book for schizophrenia

About 1 in 10 people have the potential to develop schizophrenia, but only 1 in 100 actually end up with this devastating illness. The challenge is in knowing why some do and some don't.Drawing from over 25 years of laboratory study, Mark F. Lenzenweger, a distinguished professor of clinical science, neuroscience and cognitive psychology at Binghamton University, thinks that not only does he have the makings of a good response to this troubling question but also how to go about finding those answers.

27 Jul 2010

Need for better understanding of appropriate treatment choices for children with insomnia: Study

A new survey of child psychiatrists indicates that insomnia is a major problem among children in mental health treatment and at least a quarter of these patients are given sleep medication. The results of the survey, conducted by Judith Owens, MD, a sleep expert with Hasbro Children's Hospital, and colleagues, suggests that management of insomnia in this population is a common practice, although the clinical approach varies widely. The study is published in the August 2010 edition of Sleep Medicine.

27 Jul 2010

Psychologists to host China's first-ever conference on positive psychology

The ranks of China's millionaires continue to grow, but the increased wealth has done little to boost the country's gross domestic happiness, according to psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley. They say the pursuit of prosperity in the nation is fast outpacing mental health and well-being, and are seeking to correct that imbalance by spreading the science of happiness in China.

27 Jul 2010

Female sexual dysfunction can affect quality of life: Research

Almost two-thirds of females attending a general urology practice reported that they suffered from sexual dysfunction, according to a paper in the August issue of BJUI. Dysfunction rose with age in all categories except orgasm, with more than half of women aged from 18 to 30 reporting orgasm problems, significantly higher than women aged 31 to 54.

27 Jul 2010

Scientists develop obesity drug without neurological side effects

The drug rimonabant was developed as a treatment for obesity and its myriad of serious health consequences. Despite having its desired effects on weight, which it decreased, and on levels of glucose and fats in the blood, rimonabant was never approved for use in the US because of serious neurological side effects including depression and anxiety. Now, a team of researchers, led by George Kunos, at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, and Alexandros Makriyannis, at Northeastern University, Boston, have developed a drug that has the same positive effects in mice on levels of glucose and fats in the blood as rimonabant but none of the neurological side effects.

27 Jul 2010

Epilepsy drugs analyzed for causing increased risk of suicide in patients

While the Food and Drug Administration requires a warning of an increased risk of suicide for all epilepsy drugs, a new study shows that only certain drugs may increase the risk. The study is published in the July 27, 2010, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Newer drugs with a higher risk of causing depression than other epilepsy drugs, such as levetiracetam, topiramate and vigabatrin, were found to increase the risk of self-harm or suicidal behavior among people with epilepsy.

27 Jul 2010

Alexza second-quarter net loss decreases to $12.9 million

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 and provided a business update. The net loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, as reported in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP), was $12.9 million and $26.3 million, respectively, compared to a net loss of $17.0 million and $23.9 million in the respective comparable periods in 2009. Alexza had consolidated cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at June 30, 2010 of $41.7 million.

27 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

Our system of long-term care does not provide adequate or coordinated human services and medical treatment for our growing aging population. … Thanks to a provision of the new health care law known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program, tomorrow's continuum of care does not have to be so unforgiving. For the first time, a voluntary public insurance program will be available to help adults and families pay for long-term care services (Bruce Chernof, 7/23).

26 Jul 2010

Obesity linked to early puberty in girls

A review of more than 100 studies found overweight girls tend to reach puberty earlier than their peers do.

26 Jul 2010

Number of soldiers leaving the army because of mental health issues jumps 64%

USA Today: "The number of soldiers forced to leave the Army solely because of a mental disorder has increased by 64% from 2005 to 2009 and accounts for one in nine medical discharges, according to Army statistics.

26 Jul 2010

Research roundup: Hospital emergency room HIV screenings; Medical device reviews; Health law impact on docs and hospitals

Physician Satisfaction With Chronic Care Processes: A Cluster-Randomized Trial Of Guided Care - The authors randomly assigned teams of physicians and their chronically ill older patients into groups that either provided Guided Care - an educated registered nurse works with a primary care practice team to enhance quality of care - or usual care. One year later, they measured "physicians' satisfaction with chronic care processes, time spent on chronic care, knowledge of their chronically ill older patients, and care coordination provided by physicians and office staff."

26 Jul 2010

States still hoping for extra Medicaid money but also developing contingency plans

Kaiser Health News reports that states and hospital groups continue to lobby for a six-month extension of enhanced Medicaid money despite funding concerns and the lack of a way forward for such an extension.

23 Jul 2010

Most Americans with disabilities still struggle with lifestyle, economic issues: Survey

On the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a new survey sponsored by Kessler Foundation and National Organization on Disability finds that most Americans with disabilities are still struggling with many of the same lifestyle and economic issues they confronted in 1990 when the ADA became federal law.

23 Jul 2010

Inequalities in premature mortality continue to rise in Britain: Study

The level of inequalities in premature mortality between different areas of Britain has almost surpassed those seen shortly before the economic crash of 1929 and the economic depression of the 1930s, according to a new study published on bmj.com today.

23 Jul 2010

Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Researchers introduce Web-based program to help women experiencing abuse develop safety plans

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Affymetrix to develop, commercialize Axiom Chinese myDesign Genotyping Array

Study shows music alleviates anxiety, depression

Journal of Mental Health features special issue on diagnosing mental illness

Study finds national differences in degree of conflict between older parents, adult children

Lenzenweger releases book for schizophrenia

Need for better understanding of appropriate treatment choices for children with insomnia: Study

Psychologists to host China's first-ever conference on positive psychology

Female sexual dysfunction can affect quality of life: Research

Scientists develop obesity drug without neurological side effects

Epilepsy drugs analyzed for causing increased risk of suicide in patients

Alexza second-quarter net loss decreases to $12.9 million

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

Obesity linked to early puberty in girls

Number of soldiers leaving the army because of mental health issues jumps 64%

Research roundup: Hospital emergency room HIV screenings; Medical device reviews; Health law impact on docs and hospitals

States still hoping for extra Medicaid money but also developing contingency plans

Most Americans with disabilities still struggle with lifestyle, economic issues: Survey

Inequalities in premature mortality continue to rise in Britain: Study

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

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