Articles tagged with Psychiatry
A mouse model of traumatic memory found that male mice recall fear-related memories better than female mice due to natural activation of cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in males. Artificial activation of Cdk5 reduced the strength of fear memories in female mice, highlighting sex differences in how fear is remembered.
A new model predicts PTSD risk with high accuracy, identifying individuals at significant risk for early intervention. The model, developed from a large international study, analyzes trauma scores and estimates each individual's risk of chronic PTSD.
A recent study found that over 40% of youth exhibit obsessive or compulsive behaviors, which can be a red flag for serious psychiatric conditions. Children who experience bad thoughts and intrusive images are more likely to develop depression and suicidal tendencies.
A meta-analysis of 242 studies reveals common neurocognitive network alterations across psychiatric disorders, including reduced gray matter and disrupted functional connectivity. These findings suggest that neuroimaging may be providing a measure of symptom-related pathology, rather than directly related to the disease process.
Researchers found that paramedics can effectively identify acute psychiatric crises and divert them to specialized psychiatric facilities, reducing wait times for treatment. Over a five-year period, 22,000 psychiatric patients were treated at these facilities after being medically cleared by paramedics.
A new study by Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden found that children of parents with alcohol use disorder are more likely to get married at younger ages and less likely to marry at older ages. They are also more likely to marry a person who has alcohol use disorder themselves.
A recent study published in Psychiatric Services found that over 12% of U.S. adults used benzodiazepines in the past year, with misuse accounting for nearly 17% of overall use. Benzodiazepine misuse was strongly associated with opioid and stimulant misuse, highlighting concerns about substance abuse.
A new study found that regular visits to museums, theatres, or cinemas can lower the chances of developing depression in people over 50. The research also showed that cultural activities have similar benefits to exercise and eating a balanced diet for mental health.
Researchers found lower overall brain volumes and altered connectivity associated with callous traits in children. The study provides a neural profile of callousness in children, highlighting its potential as an early risk factor for negative behaviors and health outcomes later in life.
A study by Columbia engineers and psychiatrists reveals that avoidant grievers unconsciously monitor and block their mental state to prevent painful thoughts. The researchers used neural decoding to track the interactions between mental processes, showing that this control occurs outside of conscious awareness.
Researchers used brain scans to identify patterns that distinguish individuals with DID from healthy controls, achieving an accuracy of 73%. The study provides the first evidence of a biological basis for diagnosing DID, potentially preventing unnecessary suffering through earlier and more accurate diagnosis.
A study in Biological Psychiatry found that individuals with childhood maltreatment have altered brain networks, but those who are resilient may have additional changes that compensate for the effects of maltreatment. These changes can help predict susceptibility or resilience to psychiatric symptoms.
Researchers at The Ohio State University found that eliminating microglia can reverse some aspects of stress sensitization, but not increased anxiety. Microglia hold unique signatures of chronic stress and play a critical role in the recurrence of anxiety after chronic stress.
A new study shows that fewer Americans have serious psychological distress, but those with less distress are getting more outpatient mental health care. The growth in treatment is driven by people with little or no distress, while those with serious distress often don't receive the care they need.
Research from RCSI found that one quarter of individuals who attempted or died by suicide had problems with basic sensory experiences, such as hearing or seeing things that aren't real. This dysfunction can predict suicidal behavior and offers new avenues for treatment and suicide prevention.
A new specialist programme at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has been shown to significantly reduce hospital readmissions for people with bipolar disorder. The OPTIMA Mood Disorders Service provides intensive, specialist treatment tailored to individual needs, resulting in lower rates of re-admission.
A new study highlights the need for a shift in mental health provision based on public views and individual perspectives. Mental health professionals should adapt their practice to acknowledge patients' beliefs and preferences, rather than relying on assumed assumptions.
A Michigan Medicine study finds that nearly half of suicidal adolescents who watched Netflix's '13 Reasons Why' reported an increased suicide risk, highlighting the need for parental vigilance and tailored prevention programming. The majority of teens who discussed their reactions with peers did so without a parent's involvement.
Researchers at University of Utah Health identified four gene changes linked to increased suicide risk in high-risk families. These findings may lead to new treatments for those who suffer from mental health issues.
A new study found that cessation fatigue, emotional exhaustion and reduced coping resources, increases in the first six weeks of a quit attempt, leading to worse performance on smoking cessation milestones. High cessation fatigue scores predicted lower chances of going a full week without smoking at two months.
Rutgers is creating a regional Mental Health Technology Transfer Center to train mental health practitioners and support the implementation of evidence-based research. The center will focus on increasing access to treatment, prevention, and recovery services for underserved populations.
Researchers discovered that toddlers with autism spectrum disorder display enhanced anger and frustration but decreased fear in response to naturalistic situations. The capacity to experience joy appears intact in the early stages of the disorder, which may help harness emotional competence for therapeutic purposes.
A nationwide study found that mental health diagnoses and treatment among college students increased substantially between 2007 and 2017. The study also revealed a significant decrease in mental health stigma over the same period.
A study published in Biological Psychiatry found that exposure to early life violence accelerates biological aging, including pubertal development, while deprivation-related adversity leads to delayed pubertal development. Children who experienced violence showed signs of accelerated epigenetic aging and increased symptoms of depression.
Researchers have established an in vitro model of human neuron development to investigate the complex genetic origins of mental illnesses. The study found that changes in gene expression during neural development were significantly associated with genetic risk for schizophrenia.
A study published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified two subanesthetic doses of ketamine as effective in reducing symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. The doses of 0.5 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg showed significant symptom improvement, while lower doses did not produce the same results.
A high-fat diet in female mice affects their offspring's obesity, insulin resistance, and addictive-like behaviors for three generations. The study found that only females showed addictive-like behaviors, while males showed obesity characteristics in the third generation.
Researchers found large differences in brain regions among individuals with schizophrenia, making it difficult to diagnose based on symptoms. The study highlights the need for individualized treatments and brain 'fingerprints' to improve patient outcomes.
A Mayo Clinic study found that firearms were involved in 85% of first-time youth suicides, resulting in high lethality rates. The study also revealed that prior mental health concerns were absent in 41.2% of youth index attempters.
Researchers used lesion network mapping to analyze how brain injuries disrupt volition and agency, finding that symptoms localize to interconnected brain networks. The study suggests that targeting these networks through brain stimulation may lead to new approaches for treating disrupted free will in neurological and psychiatric patients.
Experts emphasize the need for more neuroscience research on long-term recovery from substance abuse, citing the potential benefits for clinical practice and public policy. The International Quit & Recovery Registry provides valuable insights into recovery processes.
Researchers at Aarhus University found that patients who received talk therapy shortly after a relative's death had a lower risk of suicide and psychiatric illness. The study, which analyzed health data from over 200,000 Danes, suggests that early intervention can prevent serious psychiatric events.
A recent study found that 55.0% of individuals aged 50+, 62.9% with moderate depression, and 67.8% with severe depression had arthritis. The study highlights the importance of treating arthritis-related pain in older adults with depressive symptoms.
A study in rats found that increased orexin neurons contribute to cocaine addiction and that restoring these neurons or blocking their signaling can reverse addiction. The findings suggest a promising avenue for treating addiction with orexin-based therapies.
A new study identifies missed opportunities for catching depression in non-White and medically ill patients, as well as men, who are less likely to be screened. The research suggests that combining hazardous alcohol use screening with a simple questionnaire could improve treatment outcomes for these at-risk populations.
A research team led by Tohoku University has revealed the evolution of a gene related to psychiatric traits. The SLC18A1 gene variant is associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and neuroticism, suggesting that natural selection may have shaped human psychiatric diversity.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that internet- and telephone-assisted trainings for parents and children with disruptive behavior at age 4 significantly reduced child behavioral problems and increased parental skills. The program showed positive long-term outcomes, i...
A new study published in Molecular Psychiatry reveals that patients with ADHD and emotional instability disorders exhibit similar brain changes, particularly in the frontal lobe. The findings suggest a broader treatment approach for both conditions, potentially benefiting individuals with ADHD who also experience emotional problems.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have discovered a new approach to targeted and more tolerable therapeutics for treating disorders like schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. The study found that selectively activating the G protein signaling pathway can enhance motor function while avoiding negative side effects.
Research from King's College London has found that cannabidiol can help reduce psychotic symptoms by resetting abnormal brain activity. The study provides the first evidence of how cannabidiol acts in the brain to alleviate psychosis and suggests it could be a safer alternative to current treatments.
A new study found an association between maternal pesticide levels and autism in children, with elevated DDE levels increasing the risk of autism by twofold. The study suggests a potential biomarker-based link between maternal exposure to insecticides and autism among offspring.
A new study published in Biological Psychiatry found that high maternal cortisol levels during pregnancy are associated with anxious and depressive-like behaviors in female offspring at the age of 2. The effect is linked to altered brain connectivity, particularly in the amygdala region important for emotion processing.
A study found that frequent tobacco smokers had a nearly 20% decrease in CB1 receptors across the brain, similar to previous findings in cannabis and alcohol abuse. This reduction may be associated with addiction and could have negative effects on normal brain functions like memory and stress coping.
Researchers found that children with a history of mild traumatic brain injury do not have an increased genetic risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), contrasting with developmental ADHD. The study suggests at least two forms of ADHD, one linked to inherited genes and the other to traumatic brain injury.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have found evidence of how certain transport proteins are working at the molecular level, potentially leading to improved treatments for psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, and OCD. The study's findings suggest that a universal feature of these transport proteins may ...
A new study using machine learning has identified four brain-based dimensions of mental health disorders, including mood, psychosis, fear, and disruptive externalizing behavior. These findings suggest that psychiatric symptoms do not neatly fall into established categories, but instead emerge from diverse clinical domains to form dimen...
A study by researchers at IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation and University of Rome found that childhood adversity alters the immune system, increasing sensitivity to cocaine in adulthood. Exposure to psychosocial stress early in life leads to permanent changes in immune function, sensitizing the body to cocaine's effects.
Researchers at the University of Alberta developed a machine-learning algorithm to analyze brain function images and predict schizophrenia diagnosis with 78% accuracy. The model also identified patients who would respond positively to antipsychotic treatment risperidone with 82% accuracy.
Researchers found that boys with autism had lower fractal dimension in the right cerebellar cortex, indicating a flatter surface structure related to communication difficulties. This finding suggests rethinking the role of cerebellar function and structure in young individuals at risk for atypical brain development.
Researchers found Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone suffered from a range of neurological disorders, including migraines and stroke. The study suggests that these patients require specialist support and treatment to manage their symptoms.
Despite a slight increase, routine depression screening among all US adults remains low, affecting around 8% of American adults. The study's findings also highlight the importance of access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers found that increased in utero folic acid exposure was associated with changes in later brain development, predicting a reduced risk for symptoms of psychosis. These findings suggest that prenatal folic acid fortification may be an important intervention in preventing severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that only 22% of American youths who received treatment for anxiety disorders stayed anxiety-free over a six-year period. The study also revealed that 30% remained chronically ill and 48% relapsed, highlighting the need for more dur...
A new study explores the phenomenon of radicalized European youth, finding that adolescent psychopathology plays a role in the radicalization process. The study proposes a comprehensive three-level model to explain the phenomenon, which considers individual, micro-environmental, and macro-environmental factors.
A study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found a steady increase in more frequent cannabis use among adults after 2007, particularly in middle-age and older age groups. This trend contrasts with stable prevalence before 2007 and decreases among adolescents.
Adults who survive opioid overdoses have exceptionally high risks of dying from respiratory diseases, viral hepatitis, and suicide. The study analyzed Medicaid records to find that survivors are substantially more likely to die of these causes than the general population.
A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found an association between preschool and school-age irritability and aberrant reward-related brain connectivity. This suggests possible mechanisms underlying mood dysregulation in youth with increased irritability during these developmental st...
A study published in Biological Psychiatry reveals that cocaine self-administration changes gene expression in the brains of mice. Transcriptome-wide alterations indicate a significant impact on brain reward circuits.
A new study published in Biological Psychiatry provides updated estimates of the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of eating disorders in the US. The study found that 0.80% of US adults will be affected by anorexia nervosa, 0.28% by bulimia nervosa, and 0.85% by binge eating disorder in their lifetime.
A Facebook-based treatment program found that smokers are 2.5 times more likely to quit after three months compared to an online quit-smoking program. Young adults, who are often reluctant to seek help, showed high engagement and short-term abstinence rates.