Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

MRI research may lead to new methods for diagnosing ADHD and other mental health disorders

Oregon Health & Science University researchers, along with scientists at Washington University in St. Louis, are uncovering new information about the mind by studying the brain while it is at rest. It is believed this research will one day provide new tools for diagnosing mental health disorders and monitoring the progress of treatments.

7 May 2009

Many seniors at risk of malnutrition

As many as one in six people who took part in a study of older people who live at home were under-nourished and at risk of malnutrition, according to the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

7 May 2009

Merck Serono starts second phase III trial of Safinamide in advanced Parkinson's

Merck Serono announced today the initiation of the SETTLE study. This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of a dose range of safinamide (50-100 mg once daily) as add-on therapy to a stable dose of levodopa, in mid- to late-stage Parkinson's disease patients with motor fluctuations compared to placebo.

7 May 2009

FDA approve Fanapt tablets (iloperidone) to treat adults with schizophrenia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Fanapt tablets (iloperidone) to treat adults with schizophrenia, a chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder.

7 May 2009

Study looks at mental health effects of perceived racism among young children

Fifth-graders who believe they have experienced racial discrimination are much more likely than other children to have symptoms of depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and other mental health problems, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health, USA Today reports.

6 May 2009

Attitudes toward tobacco industry linked to smoking behavior

A new study by UCSF researchers concludes that media campaigns that portray the tobacco industry in a negative light and that appeal to young adults may be a powerful intervention to decrease young adult smoking.

6 May 2009

New antidepressants might be no more effective than the best existing drugs

The reviews suggest that sertraline - sold under the brand name Zoloft since 1991- could be the best initial choice of antidepressant in people with acute major depression. The generic formulation produced the best balance of effectiveness, tolerability and purchase price, the authors say.

5 May 2009

Mental health prescriptions increased by 73% among adults, 50% among children from 1996-2006

From 1996 to 2006, prescriptions for mental health medications increased by 73% among U.S. adults and by 50% among children, according to a study published on Tuesday in the journal Health Affairs, the Wall Street Journal reports.

5 May 2009

Potential molecular target for new schizophrenia treatments

A study on schizophrenia has implicated machinery that maintains the flow of potassium in cells and revealed a potential molecular target for new treatments. Expression of a previously unknown form of a key such potassium channel was found to be 2.5 fold higher than normal in the brain memory hub of people with the chronic mental illness and linked to a hotspot of genetic variation.

5 May 2009

Kids with high blood pressure more likely to have learning/attention problems

Children who have high blood pressure are more likely to have learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than children who are not hypertensive. They are also more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI), an indicator of body fat.

4 May 2009

oct3 protein key to Parkinson's, drug addiction

Scientists have identified a protein that appears not only to be central to the process that causes Parkinson's disease but could also play a role in muting the high from methamphetamine and other addictive drugs.

4 May 2009

Helping children and teens cope with fear and uncertainty of swine flu

Children and teens need their parents help in coping with fear and uncertainty as 2009 H1NI virus (swine influenza A) spreads amid intense media coverage and school closings.

4 May 2009

Variety of food or lack of puts autistic kids at risk for poor nutrition

The strong preference kids with autism have for certain foods places them at risk for nutritional deficiencies because their diets lack sufficient variety, according to research from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center at this year's Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Baltimore.

4 May 2009

Discovery of gene associated with narcolepsy

Scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health have identified a gene associated with narcolepsy, a disorder that causes disabling daytime sleepiness, sleep attacks, irresistible bouts of sleep that can strike at any time, and disturbed sleep at night. The gene has a known role in the immune system, which strongly suggests that autoimmunity, in which the immune system turns against the body's own tissues, plays an important role in the disorder.

3 May 2009

Extremely shy? - help is at hand

Help is at hand for those who suffer from extreme shyness. Shyness in its extreme form can have a huge impact on peoples' lives because it results in an avoidance of the usual common social situations, such as meeting new people or going on a date, and can also have an impact on work situations.

30 Apr 2009

Obama discusses progress, prospects on major initiatives at events marking 100 days in office

President Obama on Wednesday held a town hall meeting in Missouri and a news conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss progress on issues such as health care during the first 100 days of his presidency, the Washington Post reports.

30 Apr 2009

Genes that influence brain cell connections linked to autism

In three studies, including the most comprehensive study of autism genetics to date, investigators funded in part by the National Institutes of Health have identified common and rare genetic factors that affect the risk of autism spectrum disorders.

30 Apr 2009

New initiative to ensure the safe use of methadone

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched an initiative to help ensure the safe use of methadone.

30 Apr 2009

New target for the treatment of depression

An acid-sensitive protein in the brain may represent a new target for the treatment of depression, according to animal research in the April 29 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

30 Apr 2009

Are we cherry picking participants for studies of antidepressants?

Findings from clinical studies used to gain Food and Drug Administration approval of common antidepressants are not applicable to most patients with depression, according to a report led by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.

30 Apr 2009