HealthDay (10/25, Dallas) reports that research published in Neurology suggests that individuals “who take certain commonly used blood pressure medications have a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease than” individuals who do not use the medications. Researchers looked at data on approximately 2,200 individuals aged between 75 and 96 years. The investigators found that “regular use” of “diuretics, ARBs and ACE inhibitors” reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Related Links:

— “Common Blood Pressure Drugs Tied to Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s: Study, “Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, October 24, 2013.

Reuters (10/25, Raven) reports that research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that depression may not increase an individual’s risk of developing cancer. Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing data from more than 14,000 individuals over a period of 15 years.

Related Links:

— “No link between depression and cancer risk: study, “Kathleen Raven, Reuters, October 24, 2013.

On Wednesday evening, Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius both appeared at the inaugural gala of the Kennedy Forum Mental Health Summit held in Boston, Massachusetts. The forum, which includes a day-long conference today, commemorates the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s signing of the Community Mental Health Act, a law that funded mental health centers throughout the US.

The Boston Globe (10/24, Conaboy) reports that Vice President Biden “said Wednesday night that the United States is ‘on the cusp’ of major changes in how mental illness is diagnosed and treated.” In addition, Biden “called provisions of the Affordable Care Act that list treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders as essential health benefits that insurers must pay for.” Also lauding the ACA “as a boon for people suffering from mental illness” was HHS Secretary Sebelius.

Related Links:

— “US ‘on the cusp’ of mental health advances, Biden says, “Chelsea Conaboy, The Boston Globe, October 23, 2013.

USA Today (10/24, Kennedy) reports, “A key part of mental health policy – the final rule on mental health parity – has been delayed…because of the government shutdown this month, said” Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, president of the American Psychiatric Association. Officials with the Obama Administration “say the rule will be issued by the end of the year, and that it entered the final stage of review Monday.” Dr. Lieberman also called the Affordable Care Act “a ‘pivotal moment’ for mental health care…because it will help with homelessness and crime, which are both driven by mental illness.”

Related Links:

— “JFK’s vision for mental health care languishing?, “Kelly Kennedy, USA Today, October 23, 2013.

On its front page, the Wall Street Journal (10/23, Fields, Subscription Publication) reports a noticeable uptick over the past decade in the number of fatal confrontations between police officers and people with severe mental illnesses. A small number of those cases are known as “suicide by cop” in which police officers are intentionally provoked to react with lethal force. In other cases, police officers with poor or no mental health training misread a situation with deadly results. Some police departments are now sending officers to special crisis-intervention training and teaching them how to respond to situations involving people with severe mental illnesses, emphasizing communication and use of non-lethal weapons.

Related Links:

— “Lives of Mentally Ill, Police Collide, The Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2013.

The AP (10/23) reports that Vice President Joe Biden is planning “to join Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and former US Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D-RI] for a forum on policies that affect people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities or addiction.” The two-day forum, which will take place in Boston, “marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s signing of the Community Mental Health Act,” which “helped transform the way people with mental illness are treated and cared for in the” US.

Related Links:

— “VP Biden: Country On Cusp Of Mental Health Changes, “Steve Leblanc, Associated Press, October 23, 2013.

CBS News (10/22, Castillo) reports on its website that, according to a study in the journal Psychological Science, performing a task that is completely unfamiliar and mentally challenging, as opposed to completing puzzles, may be a better way to improve seniors’ memory. The study examined 221 people between the ages of 60 and 90, in which one group would learn a new skill (quilting, digital photography, or both), while another other group performed mentally stimulating activities they were used to, like puzzles, and a third group was asked to perform social activities. Researchers noted that at the end of the study, the group that learned something new showed greatest memory skill improvements.

Related Links:

— “Learning new skill beats puzzles for boosting seniors’ memory, “Michelle Castillo, CBS News, October 21, 2013.

The Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal (10/22, DeLong) reports that in light of the Oct. 21 Sparks Middle School shooting in Nevada, “school counselors will be available to assist students and others” affected by the tragedy. According to mental health experts, “one of the most helpful things parents can do to help their children cope” is to listen attentively and in a supportive fashion. In a sidebar to the article, the American Psychiatric Association provides tips on how to help kids cope with traumatic experiences.

Related Links:

— “Experts say children will need parents to listen after Sparks shooting tragedy, “Jeff DeLong, The Reno Gazette-Journal, October 21, 2013.

The San Francisco Chronicle (10/21, Brown), which reported that men account for a greater portion of eating disorders than previously thought, pointed out recent studies, such as one in Canada, suggesting that “as many as one in three cases of anorexia are male, while past estimates have hovered around one in nine.” The Chronicle noted that ignoring the disorder’s prevalence among men creates a stigma that may prevent them from seeking assistance, as well as a bias that may prevent family members or clinicians from recognizing the disorder in men.

Related Links:

— “Men’s eating disorders get increased attention, “Kristen V. Brown, The San Francisco Chronicle, October 21, 2013.

The Wall Street Journal (10/22, D2, Wang, Subscription Publication) reports that anti-obesity messages may be pushing teens and children into developing eating disorders. The Journal notes that, according to a recent study, nearly 35% of Barcelona hospital patients were treated for eating disorders in 2010, compared to 13% in 2001. Though recent concerns regarding obesity have overshadowed the dangers of eating disorders, experts say extremes hovering near either end of the spectrum may damage one’s body and health. The article also mentions that the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (the DSM-5) has updated criteria for eating disorders.

Related Links:

— “Eating-Disorder Dilemma: When Overweight Turns to Dangerously Thin, “Shirley S. Wang, The Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2013.