Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

Music can alleviate chronic pain and depression

Listening to music can reduce chronic pain by up to 21 per cent and depression by up to 25 per cent, according to a paper in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

24 May 2006

Study identified characteristics of caregivers that may increase symptoms in dementia patients

Troublesome symptoms that accompany dementia - including wandering, hallucinations and restlessness - may increase if the patients' caregivers are young, less educated, over-burdened or depressed.

23 May 2006

Body has more than one body clock

Research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University suggests that contrary to popular belief, the body has more than one "body clock."

23 May 2006

Simple lifestyle changes may improve cognitive function and brain efficiency

A UCLA research study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that people may be able to improve their cognitive function and brain efficiency by making simple lifestyle changes such as incorporating memory exercises, healthy eating, physical fitness and stress reduction into their daily lives.

23 May 2006

Childhood verbal abuse triggers adult anxiety, depression

A new study by Florida State University researchers has found that people who were verbally abused as children grow up to be self-critical adults prone to depression and anxiety.

23 May 2006

New tool identifies those at risk of bipolar disorder

According to a new study researchers have identified five predictors for bipolar disorder risk in patients who have been unsuccessfully treated with antidepressants.

23 May 2006

Adult survivors of childhood cancer and unemployment

Adults with a history childhood cancer are more likely than the general population to be unemployed, according to a new review.

23 May 2006

Researchers identify target of the widely prescribed antidepressant Prozac

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island have identified which among several different kinds of cells in the brain is the chief target of the widely prescribed antidepressant Prozac.

23 May 2006

Botox eases lines and depression

According to a U.S. study patients who were depressed who received the treatment botulinum toxin A (Botox) experienced relief from their symptoms.

22 May 2006

Depression in multiple sclerosis patients clue to better treatment

Depression increases in some patients with multiple sclerosis over time, according to neuropsychologists, and this research finding could help reduce depression in patients and aid in better treatment strategies.

17 May 2006

Women may lack lung cancer signs

New research shows that many women recently diagnosed with lung cancer have normal lung function and perform better on lung function tests compared with their male counterparts.

16 May 2006

Signaling pathways in immune cells may lead to novel HIV treatment

New research on signaling pathways in immune cells bolsters evidence of connections between the central nervous system and the immune system.

16 May 2006

FDA warns of suicide risk with Paxil

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S., has notified healthcare professionals in the States and the UK that the antidepressant Paxil produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), appears to raise the risk of suicide in young adults.

15 May 2006

Extension of embryo screening will help reduce serious illness

A fertility watchdog in Britain, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), has given approval for the extension of embryo screening to cover a wider range of mutated genes, in the main those which raise the risk of cancer in later life.

11 May 2006

Lilly to extend patient assistance programs for Medicare patients

Eli Lilly and Company has announced that it will be extending its existing patient assistance program, LillyAnswers, through the end of this year to qualifying patients currently participating in the program, to help bridge the gap in coverage for people who need Lilly medicines, but are not yet enrolled in Medicare Part D.

11 May 2006

Study examines antidepressant therapies for pregnant women

The glossy images of pregnancy often show a woman radiant with happiness. "There is a belief that pregnancy is a state of bliss," said Rachel Manber, PhD. "That's not necessarily the case."

11 May 2006

Psychological well-being improves after adolescence

Although young adults are faced with a diversity of life choices, they seem to be coming to terms with themselves and their lives in their 20s, says new University of Alberta research that shows psychological well-being improves after adolescence and girls improve faster than boys.

10 May 2006

Hurricane linked to long term effects on mental health

Florida State University sociologists in Tallahassee, Fla. have found that some South Floridians who survived 1992's Hurricane Andrew suffered mental health problems many years later, a finding that has led the researchers to predict even more dire consequences for those who lived through last year's devastating Hurricane Katrina.

10 May 2006

Lilly submits Cymbalta NDA for generalized anxiety disorder

Eli Lilly and Company has announced the recent submission of a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.

10 May 2006

Women with lung cancer have better lung function than men

New research shows that many women recently diagnosed with lung cancer have normal lung function and perform better on lung function tests compared with their male counterparts.

9 May 2006