Broad application of bipolar diagnosis in children may do more harm than good
Troubled children diagnosed with bipolar disorder may fare better with a different diagnosis, according to new research. The researchers support an emerging approach, which gives many of those children a new diagnosis called severe mood dysregulation or temper dysregulation disorder with dysphoria.
Failed college dreams don't spell depression, study finds
High school seniors, take note: a wise person once said, "It is better to shoot for the stars and miss than aim at the gutter and hit it." That's right on, says a sociology professor who just completed a study to determine whether unrealized educational expectations are associated with depression among adults.
Electronic assistant to detect stress
Researchers are developing electronic stress assistants that are supposed to monitor stress levels in everyday life -- a step towards preventing burnout and depression more effectively. In principle stress is a healthy reaction. In the short term, the stress reaction helps the body to adapt to the stressor. However, if the organism has no time to recover and the stress reaction proceeds over longer time, this can have adverse effects like cardiovascular diseases or mental illness.
Depression: Antidepressants beneficial in physically ill patients
Antidepressants are effective against depression in patients suffering from physical illnesses, according to a new systematic review in the UK. The researchers found the drugs were more effective than placebos at treating depression in these patients.
Massage eases anxiety, but no better than simple relaxation does
A randomized trial shows three months after 10 massages, patients' anxiety symptoms were halved -- an improvement like that previously reported with psychotherapy, medications, or both. But the trial also found massage no more effective than simple relaxation.
Behavioral problems in childhood doubles the risk of chronic widespread pain in adult life
Bad behavior in childhood is associated with long-term, chronic widespread pain in adult life, according to the findings of a study following nearly 20,000 people from birth in 1958 to the present day. The research found that children with severe behavior disturbances had approximately double the risk of chronic widespread pain by the time they reached the age of 45 than children who did not have behavior problems.
Mouse model reveals a cause of ADHD
Although it's typically considered an adolescent curse, ADHD actually affects about five percent of adults as well. New research in a mouse model of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder suggests that the root of the psychiatric disorder might be the over-activity of a protein that regulates dopaminergic pathways. The work suggests a path toward new treatments for symptoms including inattentiveness, over-activity and impulsivity.
Link between brain chemical, cognitive decline in schizophrenia demonstrated
In one of the first such studies involving human patients with schizophrenia, researchers have provided evidence that deficits in a brain chemical may be responsible for some of the debilitating cognitive deficits -- poor attention, memory and problem-solving abilities -- that accompany the delusions and hallucinations that are the hallmarks of the disorder.
New scale to measure anxiety outcomes developed
A new questionnaire and outcomes measurement scale has proven to be a reliable and valid measure of anxiety. The scale can easily be incorporated into routine clinical practice when treating psychiatric disorders.
Possible early glimpse of autism's impact on older siblings
A new study suggests a trend toward developing hyperactivity among typically developing elementary-school-aged siblings of autistic preschoolers and supports the notion that mothers of young, autistic children experience more depression and stress than mothers with typically developing children.
Vitamin D lifts mood during cold weather months, researchers say
A daily dose of vitamin D may just be what people in northern climates need to get through the long winter, according to researchers. This nutrient lifts mood during cold weather months when days are short and more time is spent indoors.
Major depression more than doubles risk of dementia among adults with diabetes
Adults with both depression and diabetes are more than twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those with diabetes alone. Earlier studies have shown that depression alone is a risk factor for dementia, and that diabetes itself is a dementia risk factor. Researchers found even greater risk of dementia in people with both conditions. The mechanisms behind this increased risk are not yet clear. The researchers suggest that physicians screen and treat their diabetes patients for depression, which is common in people with diabetes.
New generation of rapid-acting antidepressants?
Conventional antidepressant treatments generally require three to four weeks to become effective, thus the discovery of treatments with a more rapid onset is a major goal of biological psychiatry. The first drug found to produce rapid improvement in mood was the NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, ketamine. Researchers report that another medication, scopolamine, also appears to produce replicable rapid improvement in mood.
Critical brain chemical shown to play role in severe depression
The next advance in treating major depression may relate to a group of brain chemicals that are involved in virtually all our brain activity, according to a new study. This study shows that compared to healthy individuals, people who have major depressive disorder have altered functions of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).
Stress: Don't let it grind you down
People who are stressed by daily problems or trouble at work seem to be more likely to grind their teeth at night. Researchers studied the causes of "sleep bruxism," gnashing teeth during the night, finding that it was especially common in those who try to cope with stress by escaping from difficult situations.
Obesity associated with depression and vice versa
Obesity appears to be associated with an increased risk of depression, and depression also appears associated with an increased risk of developing obesity, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies.
Regular exercise reduces patient anxiety by 20 percent, study finds
The anxiety that often accompanies a chronic illness can chip away at quality of life and make patients less likely to follow their treatment plan. But regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, a new study shows.
Video games may help combat depression in older adults
New research suggests a novel route to improving the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD) in seniors through the regular use of "exergames" -- entertaining video games that combine game play with exercise. In a pilot study, the researchers found that use of exergames significantly improved mood and mental health-related quality of life in older adults with SSD.
Stress hormone, depression trigger obesity in girls, study finds
Depression raises stress hormone levels in adolescent boys and girls but may lead to obesity only in girls, according to researchers. Early treatment of depression could help reduce stress and control obesity -- a major health issue.
Building fit minds under stress
A new study in which training was provided to a high-stress U.S. military group preparing for deployment to Iraq has demonstrated a positive link between mindfulness training, or MT, and improvements in mood and working memory.
New proposed changes posted for leading manual of mental disorders: Draft diagnostic criteria for DSM-5
The American Psychiatric Association has released the proposed draft diagnostic criteria for the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The draft criteria represent content changes under consideration for DSM, which is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health and other health professionals, and is used for diagnostic and research purposes.
Depressed people feel more gray than blue
People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state. Researchers describe the development of a color chart, the Manchester Color Wheel, which can be used to study people's preferred pigment in relation to their state of mind.
High sensitivity to stress isn't always bad for children
Researchers looked at 338 kindergarteners, as well as their teachers and families, to determine how family adversity and biological reactivity contribute to healthy development. They found that children who had significantly stronger biological reactions to a series of mildly stressful tasks designed to look like challenges in their daily lives were more affected by their family contexts, both bad and good.
Early abuse tied to more depression in children
A study of 500 low-income children ages 7 to 13, about half of whom had been abused and/or neglected, aimed to find out whether abuse early in life and feelings of depression affected cortisol ("stress hormone") levels. Study results suggest that there are different subtypes of depression, with atypical cortisol regulation occurring among children who were abused before age 5.
Moms' depression in pregnancy tied to antisocial behavior in teens
Researchers studying 120 British youth from inner-city areas found that mothers who became depressed when pregnant were four times as likely to have children who were violent at 16. This was true for both boys and girls. The mothers' depression, in turn, was predicted by their own aggressive and disruptive behavior as teens.
Melatonin precursor stimulates growth factor circuits in brain
N-acetylserotonin, the immediate precursor to melatonin, activates the same growth circuits in the brain as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). The results have implications for how some antidepressants function and suggest that the molecules and pathways involved in mood regulation and circadian rhythms are intertwined.
Excessive Internet use is linked to depression
People who spend a lot of time browsing the 'Net' are more likely to show depressive symptoms, according to the first large-scale study of its kind.
Severe complications of diabetes higher in depressed patients
A prospective study of Group Health primary-care patients with diabetes in western Washington showed that depression raised the risks of advanced and severe complications from diabetes during a five-year follow-up. These complications include kidney failure or blindness, the result of small vessel damage, as well as major vessel problems leading to heart attack or stroke.
