Clinical Psychiatry News articles from January 2005

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from January 2005

Imaging may lead to test for bipolar.(News)
January 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Magnetic resonance spectroscopy can identify distinct abnormalities in the brain chemistry of patients with bipolar disorder, opening up the possibility for a definitive diagnostic test, John D. Port, M.D., said at the annual meeting...

Cultural Competence Training in Vogue.(VITAL SIGNS)
January 1, 2005... Cultural Competence Training in Vogue Note: Based on surveys of about 8,000-9,000 residency directors per academic year. Source: JAMA 2004;292:1032-7

Intervention's benefits persist in depressed elderly: new 2-year data show surprising results.(News)
January 1, 2005... MARCO ISLAND, FLA. -- An intervention significantly increases depression-free days and improves physical functioning in the elderly--even 12 months later, Wayne J. Katon, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic...

Some U.S.-born hispanics at higher risk of disorders.(News)
January 1, 2005... Mexican-American immigrants to the United States are far less likely than U.S.-born Mexican Americans to suffer from psychiatric disorders, lending credence to the theory that traditional cultural roles and ties to the "old country" are...

FDA approves new sleep aid.(News)
January 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new, nonnarcotic therapy for insomnia, eszopiclone. Most sleep aids are approved for only short-term use of a week to 10 days, but eszopiclone can be safely prescribed for longer, according to the...

Anticonvulsant OK'd for bipolar mania.(News)
January 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration has approved an extended-release formulation of carbamazepine for acute manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder. Some psychiatrists said the drug, Equetro, made by Shire Pharmaceuticals...

Novel antipsychotics found effective in bipolar disorder.(News)
January 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- Novel antipsychotics are at least as effective as lithium and anticonvulsants in the short-term prevention of bipolar mania and, when combined with a mood stabilizer, seem to be effective in maintaining long-term remission, Eduard...

Valproate use related to PCOS in 10% of bipolar women.(News)(Polycystic ovary syndrome)
January 1, 2005... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Valproate used as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder can cause polycystic ovary syndrome in about 10% of the women who take it, according to study results presented by Hadine Joffe, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, Boston....

Study of 8,000 N.Y. kids shows impact of Sept. 11.(News)
January 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Data from a study of more than 8,000 New York City school-children show marked increases in psychological and mood disorders among children who directly witnessed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. ...

FDA plans to strengthen Drug Safety program.(News)
January 1, 2005... In the wake of the withdrawal of rofecoxib and the addition of a black box warning for antidepressants, the Food and Drug Administration has announced a plan aimed at strengthening its safety program for drugs. A main component of the plan...

Warning issued on ADHD drug.(News)(Attentition Deficit Hypertension Drug)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a new warning for atomoxetine HCI concerning the potential for severe liver injury. The drug, indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults and children, has been...

Medicare drug discount cards not taking hold.(News)
January 1, 2005... The Medicare-approved discount drugs cards, which have been available since last June, have been confusing for many Medicare beneficiaries, according to a survey commissioned by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. "They just see it...

Polypharmacy may be linked to depression in the elderly.(News)
January 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Polypharmacy is a strong predictor of depression in an elderly patient. James Cassady, M.D., said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services...

Clinical Psychiatry News' top stories of 2004: developments on antidepressant labeling, psychologist prescribing could affect the specialty.(News)
January 1, 2005... Debates over labeling rules for antidepressants that are given to children and adolescents took center stage last year in psychiatry. Other key psychiatric issues and trends of 2004 included the passage of a Louisiana law that opened the...

Liability, malpractice top 2005 health agenda: physician groups have long advocated a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages as part of a package.(News)
January 1, 2005... While medical liability and health care reform remain the top issues for many physicians this year, of particular urgency is a fix to Medicare's flawed payment formula, which threatens cuts of up to 5% in 2006 and cumulative cuts of 30% through...

High costs cause chronically III patients to skip medication at least once per month.(DATA WATCH)
January 1, 2005... High Costs Cause Chronically Ill Patients to Skip Medication at Least Once per Month Note: Based on a nationally representative survey of 4,055 adults aged 50 years and older. Source: Am. J. Public Health 2004;94:1782-7

Did we read the same book?(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Having read "Bush on the Couch" myself, I was surprised at how Rodrigo Munoz, M.D., and I could be exposed to the same information and yet come to such different conclusions (Books, the Children of the Brain, October 2004, p. 68). It's...

Ending the health care crisis.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Health care is not a market or an industry; trying to make it such is one mammoth determinant of the "rising health care costs" described in your recent article ("Market Forces Fail to Rein in Medical Costs," May 2004, p. 2). It is...

Offending words.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I found the opinion piece by Tom Connally, M.D., in "Health Care 2004: You Decide," offensive ("The Kerry Proposal Presented," October 2004, p. 22). While I am accustomed to a difference of opinion in many position statements, I do not...

Opinions balanced in CPN.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Thank you so much for presenting a balanced difference of opinion regarding the presidential election ("Health Care 2004: You Decide," October 2004, p. 22). I am not a member of the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric...

Clinical trial registration.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I have some concerns about medical research ("Physician Groups Still Support Trials Registry," October, 2004, p. 7). With regard to selective reporting of clinical trials, it seems clear to me that to make the best decisions, all the data...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2005... An article about prescribing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to girls included an inaccurate dosage ("Valproic Acid Strongly Linked to Birth Defects," December 2004, p. 67). The increased dosage of folic acid recommended preconceptually for women...

Schizophrenia's multiple domains.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
January 1, 2005... Schizophrenia has at least four distinct domains, and all four must be addressed to achieve an optimal outcome for a given patient. The four domains of schizophrenia are cognitive impairment, mood and suicidality, positive symptoms, and...

The horizontal filing cabinet.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
January 1, 2005... Are there stacks and stacks of "important" tasks piled on your desk? If so, you're far from alone. Most of the physicians' desktops that I've seen are littered with letters, folders, journals, charts, mail, books, and other paraphernalia, often...

The black box warning: a mistake?(FINK! STILL AT LARGE)
January 1, 2005... Many psychiatrists are distressed by the Food and Drug Administration's call for a warning on antidepressants given to children and adolescents. Is there anything we should do differently now when treating these young patients? Maintain...

Too close for comfort.(REEL LIFE)(Movie Review)
January 1, 2005... "Closer," a new film directed by Mike Nichols, is an inquiry into the darker side of love. It deals with sexual obsession, possessiveness, intrusiveness, distrust, jealousy, and betrayal. In particular it is about the tenuous balance that...

Fundamentals of malpractice risk reduction.(PRACTICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY)
January 1, 2005... The risk of malpractice in psychiatry should not be overestimated: Claims are fewer in number and smaller in amount than in other specialties, and they have not increased notably in recent years. Still, 6%-7% of psychiatrists are sued each...

Drug Tx may be appropriate for depression during pregnancy.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- Caring for a pregnant woman with a history of depression means weighing the risks of fetal exposure to psychotropic medication against the consequences of the untreated illness, Vivien Burt, M.D., said at a psychopharmacology...

The art of SylviAnn Murray.(VISIONARY ART)
January 1, 2005... For SylviAnn Murray, painting has facilitated her healing. Ms. Murray's artwork brought up painful memories and feelings, but the act of creating forced her to confront and deal with those issues. Raised in Arlington, Tex., Murray...

A twist on dual diagnosis.(THE PSYCHIATRIST'S TOOLBOX)
January 1, 2005... Now that we are solidly in the 21st century and know the real health effects of cigarette smoking, we psychiatrists should be actively participating in smoking prevention and smoking-cessation treatments. As medical doctors, we need to...

Psychodynamic therapy recognized in Germany.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... ASPEN, COLO. -- Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy demonstrated persuasive evidence of efficacy for a wide range of psychiatric disorders in a new metaanalysis, Falk Leichsenring, Ph.D., said at a psychiatry conference sponsored by the...

Substance abuse and SPMI patients.(EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHIATRIC MEDICINE)
January 1, 2005... The Problem You have a patient who has been diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness and alcohol dependence. This patient has been treated in a state hospital after being found not guilty of a crime by reason of insanity, and...

SSRIs and abnormal bleeding.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Greater levels of serotonin reuptake inhibition result in a greater risk of hospital admission for abnormal bleeding, according to Welmoed E.E. Meijer, Ph.D., of the Utrecht (the Netherlands) Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, and...

Reducing violence in schizophrenia.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Long-term olanzapine therapy appears to reduce the risk of violent behavior to a greater degree than risperidone in schizophrenia patients treated in "real-world" settings such as inpatient admissions and mental health centers, according to...

Depression and autonomic function.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Cardiac autonomic nervous system function is not abnormal in older patients who have major depression, Koen G. van der Kooij, M.D., said at Wonca 2004, the conference of the World Organization of Family Doctors in Orlando, Fla. This...

Defect may raise depression risk.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A recently discovered genetic mutation that causes dysfunction in the synthesizing of serotonin might explain why some depressed patients are resistant to drug treatment, researchers say. Xiaodong Zhang, M.D., and colleagues at Duke...

Tests show complexity of dissociative disorder.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... IRVINE, CALIF. -- Cerebral blood flow and brain activity changed in patients with dissociative identity disorder, depending on which personality was in control, suggesting that this complex condition involves multiple neuronal networks, Aaron...

Trauma common in 'routine' peacekeeping.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- There is no such thing as a benign peacekeeping mission, Rakesh Jetly, M.D., said at the annual conference of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation. A study of 400 Canadian soldiers deployed for a "routine"...

Emotional disclosure is key in PTSD.(Adult Psychiatry)(Posttraumatic stress disorder)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- A focus on emotional disclosure is better than a focus on cognitive restructuring when using a written disclosure paradigm for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, Denise M. Sloan, Ph.D., reported in a poster...

Olanzapine, risperidone outshine others in study.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- Olanzapine and risperidone provided increased symptom relief from schizophrenia and caused fewer extrapyramidal symptoms than haloperidol or quetiapine, with olanzapine edging out risperidone after 6 and 12 months of monotherapy,...

Amisulpride's real-world benefit shown in schizophrenia.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- Amisulpride is associated with significant improvements in symptoms and decreases in concomitant medications among patients with schizophrenia, both in the short and long term, Michael Davidson, M.D., reported in a poster at the...

Dissociative reenactments may help abuse victims: expert says using four paradigms can lead to breakthroughs in treatment of male patients.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Dissociative reenactments of childhood sexual abuse play an important but particularly challenging role in the treatment of male victims of such abuse, Richard B. Gartner, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the International...

More collaborative psychiatric care is needed.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... TORONTO -- Pediatricians often prescribe medications for psychiatric disorders with an insufficient knowledge base and little collaborative help from psychiatrists, according to results of a cross-sectional survey of primary care pediatricians...

Parents of eating disorder patients join forces: group training program aims to give families the skills to reinforce positive eating habits in adolescents.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... A new group skills-training program is exploring the vital role of parents as part of the treatment team for adolescents with eating disorders. "Most families have neither the skills nor the support to address eating disorders at home,"...

Four factors useful in identifying eating disorders in girls.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... HONOLULU -- There are four factors that can help distinguish a girl who has an eating disorder from one who simply diets, Catherine M. Shisslak, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. More than 50% of...

Welcome ...(Letter From the Editor)(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... Welcome... to the Neuroscience Education Institute's (NEI) inaugural newsletter, Psychopharmacology Education Update, or PsychEd Up. We are launching the newsletter as a service to the psychopharmacology community. I will serve as the...

Anticonvulsants in psychiatry: their similarities are different; Part 1--mechanism of action.(Second Messenger)
January 1, 2005... Issue All anticonvulsants reduce seizures, but not all anticonvulsants have identical pharmacologic mechanisms of action (1-8) Actions Learn the different mechanisms of action of anticonvulsants Benefits Understanding mechanism of...

Aripiprazole: dosing tips and prescribing pearls.(Tips and Pearls)
January 1, 2005... Brands * Abilify Generic not available in the United States, Europe, or Japan Class * Dopamine stabilizer Dopamine partial agonist, atypical antipsychotic, third generation antipsychotic; sometimes added as a second-generation...

Optimal dose offers the most: leveraging secondary pharmacologic actions of atypical antipsychotics.(Broca's Area)
January 1, 2005... All five first-line atypical antipsychotic agents entered the U.S. market with dosing recommendations that did not necessarily provide the most useful recipe for establishing maximal antipsychotic efficacy and tolerability of these agents in...

Inbox.
January 1, 2005... Dear Dr. Stahl, I am currently treating a young woman who might benefit from boosting her DA function, but I don't want to risk a seizure. Do you know if there is any data on people with a history of bulimia, but without a history of...

NEI Psychopharmacology Congress.(Upcoming Events)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Psychopharmacology Congress is an annual four-day conference that expands on the curriculum offered at the Academies. Psychopharmacology Congress San Diego, February 17-20, 2005 * Over 25 credit hours of activities * Live...

NEI Psychopharmacology Academy.(Upcoming Events)(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... The Psychopharmacology Academy is a two-day symposium that is held in different locations throughout the year. Upcoming Psychopharmacology Academies: March 12-13, 2005 Dallas, TX April 2-3, 2005 Chicago, IL April 16-17,...

Be sure to balance SSRI benefits against risks.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- It is important to balance risks with benefits when considering a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor to treat a child or adolescent, several experts said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent...

No association seen between suicide, SSRIs among children in Sweden.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Serotonin reuptake inhibitors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- In Sweden, there is no evidence of an association between suicide and the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors among children or adolescents; instead, these drugs appear to be associated with a decreased risk of suicide...

Rate of SSRI prescribing per 1,000 depressed 5- to 18-year-olds.(DATA WATCH)
January 1, 2005... Rate of SSRI Prescribing per 1,000 Depressed 5- to 18-Year-Olds Notes: Based on an analysis of data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. An SSRI is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Source: Linda M. Robison,...

Maternal depression and infants' cortisol response.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... ORLANDO FLA -- Pre- and postnatal depression in women influences neuroendocrine function in their infants, Laura R. Stroud, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Prenatal depression, reported in...

Sleep-disordered breathing, behavior.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Children with mild to moderate sleep-disordered breathing demonstrated significantly more problem behaviors, compared with controls in a cross-sectional study of 829 8- to 11-year-olds, said Carol L. Rosen, M.D., of Case Western Reserve...

CBT relieves depression in IBD patients.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Inflammatory bowel disease)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease and either major or minor depression showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms after 12 sessions of a manual-based cognitive-behavioral therapy program, reported Eva Szigethy, M.D., of...

Recreational Ritalin on the rise.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Approximately 4% of a national sample of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders reported illicit use of methylphenidate (Ritalin) within the past year, said Sean Esteban McCabe, Ph.D., and his associates at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. ...

Iron deficiency's role in ADHD.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder had significantly lower levels of iron, compared with controls in a study of 53 children aged 4-14 years, said Eric Konofal, M.D., of Hopitaux de Paris, and his colleagues. The mean...

Nature and neighborhoods.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Adolescent girls who mature early and live in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods committed three times as many violent acts as early maturers in less disadvantaged neighborhoods, said Dawn Obeidallah, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School,...

Choose atypicals for early onset schizophrenia: two drawbacks are the need for slow titration with younger patients and the high cost of newer agents.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- A second-generation antipsychotic should be the first-line choice in early onset schizophrenia, Harvey N. Kranzler, M.D., said at the psychopharmacology update institute of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry....

Study shows high rates of psychiatric polypharmacy.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Four out of five children and adolescents under psychiatric treatment were receiving pharmacotherapy in a recent study, and slightly more than half of these received more than one psychiatric medication, Joyce C. West, Ph.D.,...

Pain relievers.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... "This one is a little hyper, but he's easy to put in time-out"

Atorvastatin may slow Alzheimer's disease: high-dose statin therapy slowed cognitive deterioration, improved depressive symptoms.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- High-dose atorvastatin in patients with Alzheimer's disease slowed progressive cognitive deterioration and improved depressive symptoms in a first-of-its-kind small, randomized, double-blind trial, D. Larry Sparks, Ph.D., said at...

Galantamine shows mixed results for vascular dementia patients.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- The widely used anti-Alzheimer's disease drug galantamine also is effective in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia, Dr. Alexander P. Auchus said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. ...

Signs of Alzheimer's evident in Iris Murdoch's final novel.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... Famed British author Iris Murdoch suffered from Alzheimer's disease before her death in 1999, and her final novel contains evidence of her increasing disability, according to an analysis by Peter Garrard, M.D., of University College, London,...

Rx mix-ups prompt Reminyl name change.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Janssen Pharmaceutica has agreed to change the name of its Alzheimer's drug Reminyl in response to inadvertent dispensing of the oral blood glucose-lowering drug Amaryl in its place. The mix-ups have resulted in cases of severe hypoglycemia and...

Sleep, cognitive problems could be connected.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... BALTIMORE -- Sleep disturbances are common in assisted-living facilities and may be linked to a variety of cognitive disorders, Patrick J. Raue, Ph.D., said in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric...

PET study reveals brain activation differences: cocaine addicts have an increase in activity after methylphenidate exposure, nonaddicts a decrease.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... PHILADELPHIA -- The activation of certain regions of a drug addict's brain following drug use may shed light on the compulsive nature of addiction, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine. Using...

Naltrexone therapy may control alcohol abuse over long term.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... PARIS -- Long-term therapy with naltrexone can help keep alcohol-dependent patients on the wagon, Barbara J. Mason, Ph.D., said in a poster presentation at the 24th Congress of the Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychophar-macologicum. In...

Social workers step up care for substance abuse.(Addiction Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Social workers are providing care for individuals with substance use disorders at increasing rates, Mickey J.W. Smith said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Association for Medical Education and Research in...

Barriers to buprenorphine treatment examined.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Buprenorphine was approved for the treatment of opioid dependence in 2002, but many physicians are hesitant to prescribe it despite being licensed to do so. Of more than 2.5 million opiate addiction patients in the United...

Alcohol tied to worse PTSD in assault victims.(Addiction Psychiatry)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
January 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Female victims of sexual and physical assault show a high rate of postassault alcohol abuse, which is associated with a more severe course of posttraumatic stress disorder. Compared with nondrinking women, those with alcohol...

New drugs emerging for nicotine dependence.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- With a fuller understanding of the neurobiology of tobacco dependence, potential therapeutic targets have emerged that suggest novel treatments for this devastating health problem, Robert Anthenelli, M.D., said at the annual...

Disulfiram shows promise for cocaine addiction.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Disulfiram, a drug that has long been used for alcohol dependence, appears promising for the treatment of cocaine addiction, Thomas Kosten, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Association for Research in Nervous and Mental...

Hispanic suicide rate lower than national rate.(Community Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... In 2001, the overall age-adjusted suicide rate of 5.6/100,000 population among Hispanics was lower than the U.S. national rate of 10.7, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the Hispanic population, the largest...

Perspective.(Community Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... Many youth appropriately feel quite distressed over divorce, as the family world they have grown up with has undergone a radical change. Several researchers have developed strategies aimed at preventing these at-risk youth from having...

Protecting the children of divorce.(PREVENTION IN ACTION)
January 1, 2005... No divorce is a good divorce, but when it comes to the kids, some divorces are clearly better than others. Research has shown that children of divorce are at high risk for depression and anxiety, behavior problems, and substance abuse. But...

Suicide risk assessment difficult in jails, prisons.(Forensic Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Sometimes the importance of suicide risk assessment in correctional facilities can be brought home in very poignant ways, Michael Champion, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law....

Substance abuse, not mental illness, often drives homicides of strangers.(Forensic Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... It is widely thought in Great Britain that the halving of the number of mental health beds between 1967 and 1997 increased the risk for random violence by mentally ill people now living in the community. But substance abuse rather than...

Patients appear honest about crime convictions.(Forensic Psychiatry)
January 1, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Mental health and substance abuse patients appear to be generally honest about reporting any criminal convictions, Logan Graddy, M.D., said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Bipolar brains exhibit structural abnormalities.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
January 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- The brains of bipolar patients show specific regional abnormalities that may be associated with the neurocognitive deficits that bipolar patients exhibit, Jair Soares, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the European College of...

New drugs curb 'off' episodes in advanced Parkinson's.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
January 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- A single dose of subcutaneous apomorphine rapidly and effectively reverses for at least 90 minutes the hypomobility, or "off," episodes that are common in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, William C. Koller, M.D.,...