Mental Health Weekly Digest articles from June 2009

Mental Health Weekly Digest archives from June 2009

Scientists discover neurons that 'mirror' the attention of others.
June 1, 2009... Whether a monkey is looking to the left or merely watching another monkey looking that way, the same neurons in his brain are firing, according to researchers at the Duke University Medical Center (see also Duke University Medical Center). ...

Substance abuse factor in higher risk of violent crime by persons with schizophrenia.
June 1, 2009... This release is available in Chinese (see also JAMA and Archives Journals). The increased risk of persons with schizophrenia committing violent crime may be largely mediated by co-existing substance abuse problems, according to a study in...

Children who are depressed, anxious or aggressive in first grade risk being victimized later on.
June 1, 2009... Children entering first grade with signs of depression and anxiety or excessive aggression are at risk of being chronically victimized by their classmates by third grade. That's the finding of a new longitudinal study that appears in the...

New anxiety disorders study findings reported from University of Sao Paulo.(Report)
June 1, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, "The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of stress and anxiety on the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of masticatory muscles and on the subjective pain...

Reports from University of Colorado add new data to research in anxiety disorders.
June 1, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Rats exposed to an uncontrollable stressor demonstrate a constellation of behaviors such as exaggerated freezing and deficits in shuttle box escape learning. These behaviors in rats have...

Studies in the area of personality disorders reported from Brown University.
June 1, 2009... "Although decision-making processes have become a principal target of study among addiction researchers, few studies have specifically examined decision-making among individuals with alcohol dependence (AD) and findings to date are mixed. The...

Communities Containing More Alcohol Outlets Show Increased Underage Alcohol Access.
June 1, 2009... Communities containing larger numbers of stores selling alcohol are more likely to have higher levels of underage alcohol access, according to a three-year study carried out by the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for...

Data from Muhlenberg College provide new insights into addiction medicine.
June 1, 2009... "The term addiction involves aspects of salience, withdrawal, and conflict or interference with everyday functioning. The present series of studies examined whether high levels of engagement with the Harry Potter (HP) phenomenon could qualify...

New addiction medicine data have been reported by researchers at Carleton University.
June 1, 2009... "Health and social harms from cannabis use typically are assessed by comparing those who use to those who do not use. Recognizing that not all use of cannabis is necessarily problematic, we examine rates of self-reported harms as a function of...

New addiction medicine findings from D.E. Hagarty and co-researchers published.
June 1, 2009... "The longer a patient remains engaged in recovery activities the greater the success of long-term abstinence. Self-help community programs that use the 12-steps such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are known in the...

New addiction medicine research reported from University of Auckland.(Report)
June 1, 2009... According to recent research from Auckland, New Zealand, "This study examines the relationship between Brown's core criteria for addiction and ringing psychic hotlines. Both quantitative and qualitative data were endorsed to explore Brown's...

New alcoholism findings from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism described.(Report)
June 1, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Earlier age of drinking onset has been associated with greater odds of involvement in motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, and physical fights after drinking. This study explores...

Scientists at University of Lubeck report research in alcoholism.
June 1, 2009... "The importance of sleep for memory consolidation has become a major focus of research. While it is known that abstaining alcohol-dependent patients often have sleep disorders and that there is some cognitive impairment during early abstention...

Research on bullying published by scientists at Yeditepe University.(Report)
June 1, 2009... "Various aspects of the relationship between ethical climate types and organizational commitment have been examined, although a relationship with the concept of bullying, which may be very detrimental to an organization, has not attracted...

Research from C. Conte and co-researchers provides new data on Cockayne syndrome.
June 1, 2009... According to a study from Rome, Italy, "Back Cockayne syndrome (CS; MIM 133540-216400) is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive growth failure, microcephaly, mental retardation, retinal pigmentary...

Findings from G.I. Kalal and co-researchers advance knowledge in de lange syndrome.
June 1, 2009... "Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CDLS) is a relatively common multiple congenital anomaly/mental retardation disorder with an unknown genetic and molecular pathogenesis. The essential features of this developmental malformation syndrome are...

Reports from Harvard University, Medical Department describe recent advances in dementia.(Report)
June 1, 2009... "The quality of nursing home (NH) care for residents with advanced dementia has been described as suboptimal. One relatively understudied factor in the provision of NH care is the role of private oversight and monitoring by family members and...

Studies from United Arab Emirates University in the area of dementia published.
June 1, 2009... According to a study from Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, "A number of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinsons disease, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy are characterized by the formation and intraneuronal...

Studies from A.A. Asgharali and co-authors have provided new information about depression.
June 1, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "While the most serious of depressive illnesses in the elderly is major depressive disorder, patients' quality of life can be significantly impacted by dysthmic disorder, sub-threshold depression...

Studies from University of Surrey further understanding of mental health.
June 1, 2009... According to recent research from Guildford, the United Kingdom, "Qualitative investigations show that people can have positive and negative experiences of involuntary inpatient care. Legal changes have extended the use of compulsory...

Study findings from K. Agarjacomb et al provide new insights into mental health.(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of Mental Health, "Research shows that alternatives to hospitalization are as effective, or more effective, than hospitalization. But do service users want such services? Aim: The aim of...

New personality disorders study findings have been reported by C.C. Berghout and co-researchers.
June 1, 2009... "The present study evaluated the clinical significance of long-term psychoanalytic treatment in four groups of about 60 patients in different phases of treatment (before, during, after, follow-up) with normative comparisons on four symptom...

New research on life sciences from Sun Health Research Institute summarized.
June 1, 2009... Scientists discuss in 'Unified staging system for Lewy body disorders: correlation with nigrostriatal degeneration, cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction' new findings in life sciences. According to recent research published in the journal...

Findings from Rice University in mental health reported.(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... New investigation results, 'Physical and mental health status of Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston in 2005 and 2006,' are detailed in a study published in Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. According to a study from the...

Study findings from D.K. Deitz et al broaden understanding of mental health prevention.(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... Fresh data on mental health are presented in the report 'A web-based mental health program: reaching parents at work.' "The purpose of the project was to test a web-based program providing working parents with the knowledge and skills necessary...

American Express Travel Survey Reveals Top 2009 Summer Travel Trends and Travel Agent Tips on How and Where to Find the Best Deals.
June 1, 2009... A new survey of more than 600 American Express Travel agents suggests that while Americans continue to book summer vacations, they are being savvier travelers and making smart tradeoffs to help offset their travel costs. In fact, the vast...

Healthcare Leader Dr. Gary Gottlieb Keynotes Commencement.
June 1, 2009... Dr. Gary L. Gottlieb, President of Brigham and Women's Hospital, will be the keynote speaker at Bunker Hill Community College's 35th commencement exercises, on Saturday, May 30, at 11:00 a.m. Dr. Gottlieb, a strong proponent of alleviating...

Cost Plus World Market Asks Customers to Identify Iconic Landmarks in Its "Where in the World?" Photo Contest over Memorial Day Weekend.
June 1, 2009... The first to bring the Papasan Chair to market, Cost Plus World Market knows a thing or two about icons. Now, the specialty retailer is asking, "Where in the World?" and inviting customers into the store over Memorial Day Weekend to identify...

States Can Charge for Alcohol-Related Harm to Ease Budget Deficits.
June 1, 2009... As state budgets sink, Marin Institute, the alcohol industry watchdog, released a tool to calculate the rising tide of alcohol taxes and fees. The user-friendly alcohol tax calculator can be found at www.MarinInstitute.org (see also Marin...

California Voters Reject Special Election Budget Proposition That Jeopardized Current Mental Health Services Funding.
June 1, 2009... The Providence Service Corporation (NASDAQ:PRSC) today commented on yesterday's rejection by California voters of several of the Governor's budget propositions. Chief among these special election referendums was Proposition 1E, which would have...

New mtvU & Associated Press Poll Shows How Stress, the Economy & Other Factors are Affecting College Students' Mental Health.
June 1, 2009... As millions of college students graduate college this year, mtvU, MTV's 24-hour college network and The Associated Press today revealed the results of a new poll examining the emotional health of college students as they face a global recession...

Attorney General Holder Announces Recovery Act Grant to Save or Create Justice Related Pennsylvania Jobs.
June 1, 2009... U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that more than $45 million in Recovery Act funds will go to the State of Pennsylvania to maintain or increase public safety in the state, while creating or retaining jobs within the law enforcement...

Venezuela Food and Drink Report Q2 2009.(Report)
June 1, 2009... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/eb178b/venezuela_food_and) has announced the addition of the "Venezuela Food and Drink Report Q2 2009" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets). The Venezuela...

IAC's Dictionary.com Selects Addictionary to Power New Wordplay Offering.
June 1, 2009... SpectrumDNA (OTC Bulletin Board: SPXA) has partnered with Dictionary.com, an operating business unit of IAC, to license its award-winning Addictionary, a SaaS (software-as-a-service) user-generated dictionary that lets people create their own...

SportScapeSM Debuts as National Network Dedicated to Sports TV Viewing Away From Home.
June 1, 2009... OnSite Sports, LLC, announced the launch of SportScape(SM), a TV sports network engaging away-from-home sports viewers via a unique platform that combines live network TV sports programming with original digital message management. SportScape...

Congressman Jim Himes CT-04 Welcomes Brandon Silveria to Encourage Teens To 'Make the Right Choice' During Prom and Graduation Season.
June 1, 2009... Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) and The Century Council, a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, brought a life-saving lesson about the dangers of drunk driving and...

Competitiveness and Perfectionism: Common Traits of Both Athletic Performance and Disordered Eating.
June 1, 2009... Timberline Knolls, one of the country's leaders in the treatment of eating disorders, is recognizing well-known tennis star, Monica Seles, for disclosing her history with an eating disorder in her new book Get a Grip. Ms. Seles' display of...

Justice Department Sues Garner, North Carolina, for Disability Discrimination.
June 1, 2009... The Justice Department announced that it has filed suit against the town of Garner, N.C., and the town's board of adjustment alleging that they violated the Fair Housing Act when they refused to allow up to eight men recovering from drug and...

'Extreme' college drinking and a sensation-seeking disposition lead to injury.(Report)
June 8, 2009... Drinking on college campuses in the United States is a pervasive problem, leading to numerous problems. One study estimated that more than 500,000 college students suffered alcohol-related injuries in 2001. This study examined the...

Research on anxiety disorders described by scientists at University of Texas.
June 8, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder that results from loss of function mutations in the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene. Using viral-mediated basolateral...

Studies from University of Essex update current data on anxiety disorders.
June 8, 2009... According to a study from Colchester, the United Kingdom, "Humans differ in terms of biased attention for emotional stimuli and these biases can confer differential resilience and vulnerability to emotional disorders. Selective processing of...

Study results from Vita-Salute University broaden understanding of anxiety disorders.
June 8, 2009... In this recently published article, scientists in Milan, Italy conducted a study "To assess the efficacy of rehabilitation for dizzy patients after recent acute vestibular disturbance. Forty patients recently hospitalised for an acute episode...

Research on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder reported by scientists at University of Massachusetts.
June 8, 2009... "Prescribing controlled substances in correctional settings can create challenges for security, nursing, and psychiatric staff. Some inmates, including those with functionally significant attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),...

New post-traumatic stress disorders research has been reported by scientists at University of Illinois.
June 8, 2009... "The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom factors and two facets of emotion were examined.. Emotional congruence effects were examined using an affective priming word pronunciation (naming) task, and negative affect...

New post-traumatic stress disorders study findings have been reported by P.S. Calhoun and co-researchers.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Posttraumatic stress disorder has been associated with poor physical health. Depression is also associated with poor health, and may be responsible for the apparent relationship between PTSD...

Research from F.H. Norris and co-authors in the area of post-traumatic stress disorders published.
June 8, 2009... "One year after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, we assessed 82 adults from a population-based sample of the Vietnamese American community who had participated in a larger study of immigration weeks before the disaster," scientists in...

Data from Duke University advance knowledge in life sciences in children.(Report)
June 8, 2009... New research, 'Psychometric properties of teacher SKAMP ratings from a community sample,' is the subject of a report. "This study examines the basic psychometric properties of the Swanson, Kotkin, Agler, M-Flynn, and Pelham Scale (SKAMP), a...

Research on delirium discussed by scientists at Vanderbilt University.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, "To determine whether nursing home patients are more likely than non-nursing home patients to present to the emergency department (ED) with delirium and...

Research from G. Kim and co-researchers in the area of depression published.
June 8, 2009... "To examine cultural equivalence in responses to depressive symptom items of three racial or ethnic elderly groups. Cross-sectional analyses of two national data sets," investigators in the United States report (see also Depression). "The...

Studies from S.H. Straus and colleagues provide new data on life sciences.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Risk Analysis, "The propensity of fatal traffic collisions transcends driver age and reinforces the need to evaluate, among other factors, the impact of roadway lighting and other features...

Data on mental health reported by F.H. Norris and co-researchers.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, "Hurricane Katrina created the largest population of internally displaced persons in the history of the United...

Findings from S.H. Zuvekas and co-authors broaden understanding of mental health.
June 8, 2009... "We examine the potential of mental health/substance abuse (MH/SA) parity laws to reduce the out-of-pocket spending burden for outpatient treatment at the state level by exploring cross-state variations and their causes, as well as the...

Investigators at National Institute of Mental Health have published new data on mental health.
June 8, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "There is a pressing need for comparative effectiveness research to improve mental health treatments. Although U. S. mental health spending has increased dramatically, mainly because of the rapid...

New mental health findings from A. Burnam and co-authors described.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Despite recent efforts to increase access to appropriate mental health care for veterans returning from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, many challenges remain. These include veterans'...

New mental health research reported from Harvard University, Medical Department.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Health Affairs, "Mental health spending attracts attention from payers and policymakers. Historically, the public sector paid directly for a good deal of care, and special institutions and...

New mental health study findings have been reported by F.H. Norris and co-researchers.(Clinical report)
June 8, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "The severe consequences of Hurricane Katrina on mental health have sparked tremendous interest in improving the quality of mental health care for disaster victims. In this special issue, we seek to...

New mental health study findings recently were published by researchers at University of Virginia.(Clinical report)
June 8, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "On 16 April 2007, a deeply disturbed Virginia Tech student murdered thirty-two fellow students and faculty and then shot himself." "Less than one year later, the Virginia legislature improved...

Report summarizes mental health study findings from F.H. Norris and co-researchers.(Clinical report)
June 8, 2009... "The 2005 hurricane season was the worst on record, resulting in disaster declarations and the implementation of federally-funded crisis counseling programs in five states. As part of a larger cross-site evaluation of these programs, data from...

Studies in the area of mental health reported from K. Jones and co-researchers.
June 8, 2009... "During January-April 2007, Project Recovery, a federally funded crisis counseling program implemented by Mississippi's Department of Mental Health, piloted a new model of Specialized Crisis Counseling Services (SCCS) on the Mississippi Gulf...

Study data from K. Dixon et al provide new insights into mental health.
June 8, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "By design, the new mental health parity law should work harmoniously with innovations that have helped slow down growth in mental health and substance abuse (MH/SA) treatment costs and...

New findings from R.T. Brousseau and co-authors describe advances in mental illness.
June 8, 2009... "Foundations are often criticized for their short attention spans and inability to continue funding the toughest social problems. Homelessness among people with mental illnesses is considered among the most intractable of social issues,"...

Research from Harvard University has provided new data on mental illness.
June 8, 2009... "Placing people with mental illnesses in nursing homes is an important policy concern. Using nursing home Minimum Data Set assessments from 2005, we found much variation across states in both the rates of mental illness among nursing home...

Reports summarize life sciences study results from E.A Doughty and co-researchers.(Report)
June 8, 2009... Current study results from the report, 'Investigation adaptive grieving styles: a Delphi study,' have been published. According to recent research from the United States, "There has been an evolution in the understanding of the nature of grief...

American Airlines Cashless Cabins Begin Monday Onboard U.S. Domestic and Canada Flights.
June 8, 2009... On June 1, American Airlines will go cashless onboard flights within the continental United States, as well as flights to and from Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. Effective Monday, for inflight purchases such as headsets, fresh meals, snacks and...

The Family Support Foundation for Mental Illness Launches New Website.(Website overview)
June 8, 2009... The Family Support Foundation for Mental Illness announces the official launch of www.fsfmi.org, a website devoted to increasing awareness and understanding of mental illness issues, supporting legislation that benefits those suffering from...

McCormick Foundation, Major League Baseball Announce $2.6 Million in Additional Grants for "Welcome Back Veterans".
June 8, 2009... The McCormick Foundation's Board of Directors has approved $2.6 million in 2009 grants as part of Welcome Back Veterans, a national public awareness and fundraising initiative to address the mental health and employment needs of America's...

Returning War Veterans: Challenges in Continuing Mental Health Care After Military and Civilian Trauma.
June 8, 2009... "The mental health system in the U.S. needs to anticipate the needs of 1.5 million soldiers and marines and their families who have experienced the trauma of war. Estimates are as high as 33% that these troops are likely to have significant...

VA Web Site Helps College Counselors Aid Veterans.(Website overview)
June 8, 2009... The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a new Web site to strengthen the connection between college and university mental health professionals and the Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts now studying on their campuses...

Legislation Makes Researching the Health and Welfare of Children a National Priority.
June 8, 2009... Critical to addressing the myriad needs of children is first identifying and then understanding those specific needs. That is the objective of legislation introduced this week by Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI)....

Non-alcoholic Beverages: a Retail Perspective in the United States 2009 Out Now.
June 8, 2009... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a84c54/nonalcoholic_beve) has announced the addition of the "Non-alcoholic Beverages: A Retail Perspective in the United States 2009" report to their offering (see also Research...

Beverage Packaging in Canada - Order Report Now.
June 8, 2009... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/54e5b0/beverage_packaging) has announced the addition of the "Beverage Packaging in Canada" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets Ltd.). The Beverage...

Wine Patriarch Premieres Terlato Family Vineyards Russian River Pinot Noir.
June 8, 2009... The Terlato family announces the inaugural vintage of Terlato Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, heralding from The Russian River Valley. This 2007 Pinot Noir is Burgundian in style with an elusive aroma of violets, raspberries and strawberries and a...

Criminal Minds Star Kirsten Vangsness To Be Interviewed Live on Your Mental Health Talk Radio.
June 8, 2009... Jacqueline Foreman, host of the popular Internet radio talk show Your Mental Health Talk Radio will be interviewing Kirsten Vangsness on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT at www.blogtalkradio.com/yourmentalhealth (see also Your...

Daily alcohol intake can lead to binge drinking.
June 15, 2009... This release is available in French (see also University of Montreal). Montreal, May 28, 2009 -- Sipping wine, beer or spirits three to four times per week increases the risk of binge drinking, particularly among young men, according to a...

Studies from University of Pittsburgh, Western Psychiatric Institute update current data on anxiety disorders.
June 15, 2009... "Treating mental disorders in pregnant or breastfeeding women is an important clinical issue. Antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs are generally considered to be relatively safe when used during pregnancy or breastfeeding," investigators in...

Study results from F.R. Schneier and colleagues update understanding of anxiety disorders.(Report)
June 15, 2009... "Dopamine D-2 receptor and dopamine transporter (DAT) availability in the striatum (STR) have each been reported abnormal in generalized social anxiety disorder (GSAD) in studies using single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). D-2...

Study results from University of Sydney broaden understanding of anxiety disorders.
June 15, 2009... According to recent research from Sydney, Australia, "Those who stutter have a proclivity to social anxiety. Yet, to date, there is no comprehensive measure of thoughts and beliefs about stuttering that represent the cognitions associated with...

Findings in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder reported from Florida State University.(Report)
June 15, 2009... "This study used confirmatory factor analysis to compare one-, two-, and three-factor models of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms to determine which model is the best fit for the data. Participants were 190...

Death Is Doorway to a Wonderful Life: Author and Former Country Pastor Baylor Teaches Everyone to Not Fear Death.
June 15, 2009... Nathan Baylor presided over 200 funerals during his time as a country pastor in Montana and Michigan. In "Overcoming The Fear of Death" (published by iUniverse), he helps everyone understand the best way to find comfort in such difficult...

Studies conducted at Uppsala University on life sciences recently published.
June 15, 2009... "The aim was to examine long-term mental health and posttraumatic stress symptomatology in a Swedish tourist population after exposure to the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami. Data from 4822 returned questionnaires 14 months after the disaster were...

New schizophrenia research from P.H. Lysaker and colleagues discussed.
June 15, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Many with schizophrenia report exposure to trauma which may reduce health-related quality of life (HRQOL). To explore whether different forms of trauma are linked to different domains of...

synthesis - Regulation vs. Criminalization - Criminal Addiction and Freedom.
June 15, 2009... The following blog posts were published on May 24th & 25th, 2009, by Shafeen Charania, author of the synthesis blog, winner of the 2008 Weblog award for best new blog, and Time.com's 25 best blogs of 2009 (see also synthesis). Regulation...

Researchers at National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have published new data on alcoholism.
June 15, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "At its fundamental level, human memory is thought to occur at individual synaptic contact sites and manifest as persistent changes in synaptic efficacy. In digital electronics, the fundamental...

Scientists at University of Cambridge release new data on alcoholism.
June 15, 2009... "Problem gambling has been proposed to represent a 'behavioural addiction' that may provide key insights into vulnerability mechanisms underlying addiction in brains that are not affected by the damaging effects of drugs. Our aim was to...