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June 23, 2010

Low-Intensity Exercise Can Reduce Depression And Improve Recovery After A Stroke.

HealthDay (6/7, Preidt) reported that "low-intensity exercise can reduce depression and improve recovery after a stroke," according to a study scheduled to be presented at the Canadian Stroke Congress.

In a study of 103 patients who had had a stroke, approximately "half were then enrolled in an...experimental effort called the Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP)." Investigators found that "the functioning of arms and hands that had been affected by the stroke improved, on average, 33 percent for" participants in the GRASP group. Furthermore, patients in this group "reported less depressive symptoms."

Posted by admin at 05:31 PM

Investigation: Military Failing To Diagnose Brain Injuries.

NPR (6/7, Miller, Zwerdling) reported that an investigation by NPR and ProPublica found that "the military medical system is failing to diagnose brain injuries in troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom receive little or no treatment for lingering health problems."

Unpublished military research found that "tens of thousands of troops with" TBI aren't reflected in the military statistics. NPR asserted, "The military continues to overlook similarly wounded soldiers," adding that "some senior Army medical officers remain skeptical that mild traumatic brain injuries are responsible for soldiers' troubles with memory, concentration and mental focus." Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army's most senior medical officer, "acknowledged shortcomings in the military's diagnosing and documenting of head traumas."

Related Links:

- Military Still Failing To Diagnose, Treat Brain Injuries," T Christian Miller and Daniel Zwerdling, NPR, June 8, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:17 PM

Study Examines PTSD, Increased Risk Of Dementia Among Older Veterans.

Reuters (6/8, Harding) reports that a related study published in the June 8 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry has found that veterans over the age of 55 with PTSD may be almost twice as likely to become demented as veterans who do not have PTSD.

Researchers from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California-San Francisco arrived at that conclusion after tracking some 180,000 veterans over the age of 55 for seven years. The researchers theorized that years of prolonged stress may cause changes in the brain leading to dementia.

Related Links:

- PTSD may boost dementia risk in older vets," Anne Harding, Reuters, June 7, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:57 PM

One In 10 Iraq Veterans May Develop A Severe Case Of PTSD.

The Los Angeles Times (6/7, Kaplan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that a study published June 8 in the Archives of General Psychiatry examines "how many soldiers develop" post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) "and other mental health disorders after deployment."

Researchers "from the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command examined 13,226 anonymous surveys completed by veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom." The investigators found that "roughly one in 10 survey-takers had PTSD that was severe enough to cause 'serious functional impairment.'"

"Between nine percent and 14 percent of the soldiers were diagnosed with PTSD or depression resulting in serious impairment, while 23 percent to 31 percent were deemed to have some impairment," CNN /Health.com (6/7 Gardner) reported. Notably, "the risk of mental health problems may be more persistent among National Guard soldiers, the study suggests. A greater proportion of men and women in the National Guard than in the Army were diagnosed with PTSD and depression one year after their return, although the two groups had similar rates at the three-month mark."

The NPR (6/7, Hensley) "Shots" blog reported, "The researchers conclude that it's clear even a year after deployment, 'many combat soldiers have not psychologically recovered.'" And, "because the time between deployments is often only a year to 18 months for active soldiers, a 'sizable proportion' are likely returning to with lingering mental health issues."

According to HealthDay (6/7, Edelson), approximately "50 percent of those with strictly defined depression or PTSD also admitted to alcohol misuse or physical aggression." The study's "findings suggest a need for improved post-deployment screening, the researchers said."

The Scientific American (6/7, Harmon) "Observations" blog, the Time (6/7, O'Callaghan) "Wellness" blog, and the Discovery Channel (6/7, Niiler) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- About 1 in 10 Iraq veterans develops a serious case of PTSD, researchers say," Karen Kaplan, The Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots Blog, June 7, 2010.

- Depression, PTSD plague many Iraq vets," Amanda Gardner, CNN Health, June 7, 2010.

- PTSD And Depression Common In Returning Combat Soldiers," Scott Hensley, NPR "Shots", June 7, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:45 PM

June 22, 2010

Suicide Rate Among People Aged 45-54 Continues To Rise.

The New York Times (6/6, A16, Cohen) reported, "For the second year in a row, middle-aged adults have registered the highest suicide rate in the country," according to the CDC. Typically, "the eldest segment of the population, those 80 and older, has had the highest rates of suicide in the United States."

But, data from 2007 show that the "45-to-54 age group had a suicide rate of 17.6 per every 100,000 people. The second highest was the 75-to-84 age range, with a rate of 16.4, followed by those between 35 and 44, with a 16.3."

Related Links:

- In Midlife, Boomers Are Happy — and Suicidal," Patricia Cohen, The New York Times, June 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:52 AM

Experts Say Modern Reliance On Gadgets Is Exacting A Mental Toll.

In a front-page article, the New York Times (6/7, A1, Richtel) reports, "Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information."

Notably, "These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement -- a dopamine squirt -- that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored." Psychiatrist Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, says, "The technology is rewiring our brains." Volkow "and other researchers compare the lure of digital stimulation less to that of drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess."

Related Links:

- Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price," Matt Richtel, The New York Times, June 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:38 AM

Childhood Bereavement May Leave Psychological Scars For Decades Afterwards.

The Wall Street Journal (6/2, Zaslow) reports that bereavement experienced during childhood leaves adults emotionally scarred for decades afterwards, according to a study released by Comfort Zone Camp, the provider of camps specially designed for children who have lost a parent.

Meanwhile, a study newly released by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center found that children who lose a parent to suicide may themselves also commit suicide, while youngsters who lose their parents during childhood may end up in the hospital suffering from depression. The authors of the Hopkins study suggested that primary-care physicians and pediatricians better monitor the mental health of all children who lose a parent.

Related Links:

- Families With a Missing Piece," Jeffrey Zaslow, The Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:31 AM

Talk Therapy May Work As Well As Antidepressants For Treating Anxiety, Depression, Survey Suggests.

WebMD (6/1, Doheny) reported that, according to a survey released June 1 and to appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports, "antidepressants are commonly prescribed for treating both anxiety and depression, but talk therapy appears to work just as well as the medications."

WebMD explained that the survey included data from 1,544 respondents "who had sought professional help for depression, anxiety, or another mental health problem between January 2006 and April 2009." Notably, "of the 45% of respondents who turned to talk therapy, either alone or with medication, 46% said the therapy sessions had made their condition 'a lot better,' while 45% termed things 'somewhat better.'"

Related Links:

- Consumer Reports Survey Shows Both Treatments Are Effective for Depression and Anxiety," Kathleen Doheny, WebMD, June 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:19 AM

June 10, 2010

SSRI Antidepressants May Increase Risk Of Developing Cataracts.

The Los Angeles Times (6/1, Maugh) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published in the June issue of the journal Ophthalmology, "the family of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, increases the risk of developing cataracts by about 15%, but some members of the family produce a higher risk."

Researchers, in a study of "18,784 cataract patients and 187,840 healthy controls over the age of 65," found that "fluvoxamine (Luvox) increases the risk by 39%, venlafaxine (Effexor) increases the risk by 33%, and paroxetine (Paxil) increases the risk by 23%."

HealthDay (6/1, Mozes) reported that "rising risk was only associated with the current use of such medications, not prior use, the authors noted." Moreover, the investigators "observed that not all antidepressants appeared to be linked to an increased risk for cataracts, although they noted that the lack of an association was not definitive proof that there is in fact no risk." The study's lead author explained, "The eye's lens has serotonin receptors, and animal studies have shown that excess serotonin can make the lens opaque and lead to cataract formation."

Related Links:

- Antidepressants known as SSRIs increase risk of cataracts, study says," Thomas H. Maugh II, The Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots Blog, June 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:43 PM

Small Study Associates Olfactory Reference Syndrome With High Risk For Suicidality.

Medscape (6/2, Cassels) reported that, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, olfactory reference syndrome (ORS), "a rare but serious mental illness causing individuals to falsely believe that they omit an offensive or foul body odor, is associated with significant increased risk for attempted suicide and psychosocial impairment."

In a study of 20 patients with ORS, researchers found that 32% of them "attempt suicide and 68% have suicidal thoughts." Moreover, "these patients have significant rates of psychiatric hospitalization, they avoid social situations, and many become completely housebound for significant periods."

Posted by admin at 07:37 PM

Study Finds Happiness Increases And Stress Declines With Age.

The New York Times (6/1, Bakalar) reports, "A large Gallup poll has found that by almost any measure, people get happier as they get older, and researchers are not sure why."

The survey, conducted "in 2008, covered more than 340,000 people nationwide, ages 18 to 85, asking various questions about age and sex, current events, personal finances, health, and other matters." Researchers "also asked about 'global well-being' by having each person rank overall life satisfaction on a 10-point scale." They found that "people start out at age 18 feeling pretty good about themselves, and then, apparently, life begins to throw curve balls. ... By the time they are 85, they are even more satisfied with themselves than they were at 18." Notably, "the researchers found that stress declines from age 22 onward, reaching its lowest point at 85."

Related Links:

- .Happiness May Come With Age, Study Says," Nicholos Bakalar, The New York Times, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:30 PM

Spending time with doctors may be good for depression.

WebMD (5/29, Laino) reported that, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, "simply spending more time with the doctor may help people with depression feel better."

After analyzing "data from major studies pitting the antidepressant Effexor [venlafaxine] against placebo in people with depression," researchers found that "about 30% of patients on placebo who were given one screening test per visit showed mood improvements on...the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale," whereas "about 42% of patients on placebo improved when given four assessments per visit." The study authors theorized that spending time with healthcare staff may cause patients with depression to experience the placebo response.

Related Links:

- More 'Doctor Time' Helps Ease Depression," Charlene Laino, WebMD, May 26, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:34 PM

Group Calls For Screening Children, Teens For Mental-Health Issues.

The Wall Street Journal (6/1, Wang) reports that an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) task force now recommends that children should be screened for mental-health issues at every visit to the pediatrician.

The AAP task force also suggests that physicians should put together a list of mental-health clinicians to whom they can refer young patients needing further assessment. The AAP has found that approximately one in five children and teenagers may have a mental illness, but only 20% of those youngsters get appropriate treatment, a fact made worse by a shortage of psychiatrists in the US. Child psychiatrist David Fassler, MD, treasurer of the American Psychiatric Association, hailed the AAP report as "helpful and comprehensive."

Posted by admin at 06:21 PM

Studies On Chocolate's Effects May Have Ties to Chocolate Makers.

The Los Angeles Times (5/31, Conis) reported that "most of the human studies on chocolate's effects have so far been small and of short duration -- and have ties to chocolate makers."

While dark chocolate contains flavonoids which studies have linked to "decreased blood pressure, lower cholesterol," and "reduced risk of heart disease," it is "in no way a diet food." Psychiatrist Philip Muskin, MD, of Columbia University, stated, "Chocolate may be one of the most reliable pleasures in the world...but it has be eaten in moderation."

Related Links:

- Science picks through the chocolate nuggets," Elena Conis, The Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:57 PM

People Who Score Higher On Depression Test Eat More Chocolate.

The Los Angeles Times (5/31, Conis) reported that, according to a study published in April in the Archives of Internal Medicine, "people who score higher on a depression test eat more chocolate than those who are not depressed: eight one-ounce servings per week, as opposed to five."

Some researchers "speculate that chocolate, which some people crave as if it were a drug, could exhibit drug-like properties, improving mood in the short term, but worsening mood with long term, high level consumption."

Related Links:

- The mysterious, dark-coated relationship between chocolate and mood," Elena Conis, The Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:36 PM

Recession's Psychological Toll Leads More Workers To Seek EAP Programs.

The Baltimore Sun (6/1, Sentementes) reports that the "Great Recession is taking a steep psychological toll," and employers are "seeing a rising volume of requests to assistance programs that offer help resolving personal issues, including financial stress, as part of health benefits."

For example, Magellan's employee-assistance programs "increased 10 percent nationally last year," while MHN, Health Net's behavioral health subsidiary, has seen the number of its programs "to help workers cope with on-the-job change and stress grow 45 percent from 2007." But, in an effort to limit expenses, "some companies are cutting back on the EAP benefits," industry experts said.

Related Links:

- The recession's psychological toll," Gus G. Sentementes, The Baltimore Sun, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:24 PM