Mental Health Weekly Digest articles from October 2008

Mental Health Weekly Digest archives from October 2008

Balancing the brain.
October 6, 2008... Neuroscientists at Children's Hospital Boston have identified the first known "master switch" in brain cells to orchestrate the formation and maintenance of inhibitory synapses, essential for proper brain function. The factor, called Npas4,...

Independent brain pathways generate positive or negative reappraisals of emotional events.
October 6, 2008... Scientists now have a better understanding of how the human brain orchestrates the sophisticated pathways involved in the regulation of emotions. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 25th issue of the journal Neuron,...

Selective deletion of Rett syndrome gene provides insight into origin of complex behaviors.
October 6, 2008... A new study describes an exciting approach for mapping the specific neuronal origins of complex and varied behaviors characteristic of Rett syndrome (RTT), an autism spectrum disorder. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 25th...

Personality can hamper a physician's assessment of depression.
October 6, 2008... A physician's personality can affect practice behavior in inquiries about patient mood symptoms and the diagnosis of depression, according to a study led by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers (see also University of Rochester...

New anxiety disorders study findings have been reported by T. Karl and colleagues.
October 6, 2008... "The abundantly expressed neuropeptide Y (NPY) plays an important role in anxiety and stress reactivity, as exogenous NPY administration reduces anxiety-like behaviour in rodents. However, unlike the potent effects of NPY seen in...

New addiction medicine study findings have been reported from Georgia Southern University.(Report)
October 6, 2008... "People recovering from addiction to alcohol or drugs often acknowledge the need for complete change in life pattern orientation in a journey toward healing," scientists writing in the journal Advances in Nursing Science report (see also...

Data from McLean Hospital advance knowledge in alcoholism.
October 6, 2008... "Backgroud: Craving for alcohol and food has been studied in association with alcohol dependence and eating disorders, respectively. One subclass of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, 1519T > C GABA(A)alpha 6 has been reported to be...

Research findings from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism update understanding of alcoholism.
October 6, 2008... "Purified bovine rhodopsin was reconstituted into vesicles consisting of 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine or 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl phosphatidylcholine with and without 30 mol % cholesterol. Rhodopsin stability was examined using...

New atrial fibrillation research from University of Munster outlined.
October 6, 2008... " To determine whether atrial fibrillation (AF) in stroke-free patients is associated with impaired cognition and structural abnormalities of the brain. AF contributes to stroke and secondary cognitive decline," researchers in Munster, Germany...

Reports from Aarhus University describe recent advances in depression.(Report)
October 6, 2008... According to recent research from Denmark, "The majority of experimental studies of the effects of population bottlenecks on fitness are performed under laboratory conditions, which do not account for the environmental complexity that...

Research from F.J. Carodartal and co-authors reveals new findings on depression.
October 6, 2008... According to recent research from Brasilia, Brazil, "We sought to assess the psychometric attributes of the Brazilian version of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) 3.0 in stroke survivors. Patients were evaluated by the National Institutes of Health...

Research from University of Toronto broadens understanding of neuroticism.
October 6, 2008... "Subjective well-being (SWB) has two components: affective well-being (AWB) and cognitive well-being (CWB). The present study demonstrated that AWB and CWB have are influenced by different factors in a nationally representative sample in...

Studies from University College, Department of Mental Health Sciences reveal new findings on dementia.(Report)
October 6, 2008... Current study results from the report, 'The needs of people with dementia in care homes: the perspectives of users, staff and family caregivers,' have been published. According to recent research from the United Kingdom, "People with dementia...

Study results from Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction broaden understanding of dementia.(Report)
October 6, 2008... Fresh data on dementia are presented in the report 'Working in group living homes for older people with dementia: the effects on job satisfaction and burnout and the role of job characteristics.' According to a study from Utrecht, Netherlands,...

New dementia prevention study results reported from University of Kent.
October 6, 2008... A report, 'Screening for dementia in primary care: a review of the use, efficacy and quality of measures,' is newly published data in International Psychogeriatrics. "Despite evidence that early identification of dementia is of growing policy...

Researchers from Tel-Aviv University publish new studies and findings in the area of life sciences in children.
October 6, 2008... Scientists discuss in 'A comparison of the effects of directive visuomotor intervention versus nondirective supportive intervention in kindergarten and elementary school children' new findings in life sciences. According to a study from Tel...

Scientists at Brandeis University discuss research in life sciences.
October 6, 2008... Investigators publish new data in the report 'A neural coding scheme formed by the combined function of gamma and theta oscillations.' According to recent research from the United States, "Brain oscillations are important in controlling the...

Study results from San Diego State University, Department of Psychology broaden understanding of life sciences.(Report)
October 6, 2008... Scientists discuss in 'Implicit orientation toward family and school among bilingual Latino college students' new findings in life sciences. According to a study from the United States, "The authors examined the associations that underlie the...

Scientists at Research Center report research in schizophrenia.(Report)
October 6, 2008... New research, 'Reward processing in schizophrenia: a deficit in the representation of value,' is the subject of a report. "Patients with schizophrenia demonstrate deficits in motivation and learning that suggest impairment in different aspects...

Scientists at Harvard University, Department of Psychology publish research in schizophrenia risk factors.
October 6, 2008... A report, 'Emotion processing in persons at risk for schizophrenia,' is newly published data in Schizophrenia Bulletin. "Evidence suggests that individuals with schizophrenia demonstrate emotion-processing deficits. However, the nature and...

Academy Award Winner Louis Gossett Jr. Joins Tens of Thousands of Americans Rallying in 80 Communities, Celebrating Recovery from Addiction.
October 6, 2008... Academy-Award Winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. will join tens of thousands of people taking part Saturday in the national Rally for Recovery, which will be recognized with events in more than 80 communities across the United States (see also...

National Safety Council President Issues Urgent Call to Engage in Saving Lives.
October 6, 2008... The National Safety Council (NSC)'s 96th Annual Congress & Expo opened today with an address by NSC President & CEO Janet Froetscher asking the thousands of safety professionals in attendance to take action to address the significant causes of...

Statement From Carroll Schroeder, Executive Director for the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, on California's 2008-2009 Final Budget:.
October 6, 2008... "This week both state and national policymakers recognized their responsibility to foster children and youth. First, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a budget which left intact funding for child welfare, foster care, and mental health for...

Co-Chairs of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease Call on Presidential Candidates for Increased Attention to Diagnosis, Treatment of Dementia.
October 6, 2008... House co-chairs for the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), called on the presidential candidates to consider the devastating impact of Alzheimer's disease and related...

Neurologist Helps Patients Fight Dementia With Dakim's [m]Power, Using Senior Brain Training Machine in California Memory Clinic.
October 6, 2008... Dakim, Inc. announced that a California neurologist has become the first physician to use the company's dementia-fighting [m]Power(R) Cognitive Fitness System in private practice. The adoption of [m]Power by Dr. Lorne Label's Brain Longevity...

Paul Polman Chairs Perkins School for the Blind International Advisory Board.
October 6, 2008... Around the world, nearly 5 million blind children do not go to school. Those millions miss the chance to become literate by learning braille, to move about independently using a white cane, or to gain self-confidence and self esteem under the...

Purple, Life's Superdrink, Expands Distribution Channels.
October 6, 2008... Purple Beverage Company, Inc. (OTCBB: PPBV) announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Eureka, California beverage distributor, DelReka Distributing Company, to bring Purple (TM) to outlets on the Northern California coast (see...

Lisa Bushey Joins Qorvis as Managing Director.
October 6, 2008... Qorvis Communications, one of the largest independent communications firms in the U.S., announced that Lisa Bushey has joined the firm as a managing director. Bushey will lead Qorvis' work for Beam Global Wine & Spirits, the fourth largest...

Venezuela Food and Drink Report Q3 2008 Is Available Now.(Report)
October 6, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/e130e1/venezuela_food_and) has announced the addition of the "Venezuela Food and Drink Report Q3 2008" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets). The Venezuela...

In May 2008, Following Years of Frustration with the Turkey's High Taxes, Danish Brewer Carlsberg Decided To Pull Out of the Turkish Market - Turkey Food and Drink Report Q3 2008.(Report)
October 6, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d030a9/turkey_food_and_dr) has announced the addition of the "Turkey Food and Drink Report Q3 2008" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets Ltd.). The Turkey...

Preventing suicide in low- to middle-income countries.
October 6, 2008... An international study of almost 2,000 people in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Iran and China has shown that a low cost strategy to keep in contact with people who have previously attempted suicide, can reduce the risk of subsequent suicides (see...

CRC Health's Steve Brugge of San Jose to Receive Outstanding Individual Award From Johnson Institute at National Press Club, Noon Thurs., Sept. 25, Washington, DC, 14th and F Streets, NW.
October 6, 2008... Steve Brugge of San Jose, CA, the Western Region Business Development Director for CRC Health Group, the country's largest provider of substance abuse treatment, will be honored by the Johnson Institute at the National Press Club, 14th and F...

VA Announces Changes to the Disability Rating Schedule for Traumatic Brain Injuries and Burn Scars.
October 6, 2008... The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced changes in the way VA will evaluate traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and burn scars for purposes of determining the appropriate level of compensation veterans receive for these injuries (see also...

UnitedHealth Group Donates $100,000 to ''Hurricanes of 2008'' American Red Cross Fund; Takes Additional Action to Help Storm Victims.
October 6, 2008... UnitedHealth Group is donating $100,000 to the "Hurricanes of 2008" American Red Cross fund to assist in emergency relief and recovery efforts (see also UnitedHealth Group). The donation will provide support for shelter, meals, clean up and...

Restless nights put older adults at risk for depression recurrence.
October 13, 2008... Nearly 60 percent of the nation's elderly have trouble sleeping, whether it's a lot of tossing and turning or outright bouts of insomnia. While for most people sleeplessness can be annoying at best or unhealthy at worst, for elderly individuals...

Whether combat or peacekeeping, PTSD impacts veterans' well-being.
October 13, 2008... Deployed peacekeeping veterans with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have significant impairments in health-related quality of life according to research by Dr. J. Donald Richardson of The University of Western Ontario and his...

Toddlers' focus on mouths rather than on eyes is a predictor of autism severity.
October 13, 2008... Scientists at Yale School of Medicine have found that two-year-olds with autism looked significantly more at the mouths of others, and less at their eyes, than typically developing toddlers. This abnormality predicts the level of disability,...

New alcoholism research has been reported by scientists at National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
October 13, 2008... In this recent report, researchers in the United States conducted a study "To develop a panel of markers able to extract full haplotype information for candidate genes in alcoholism, other addictions and disorders of mood and anxiety. A total...

Studies from University of Ulster have provided new data on alcoholism.
October 13, 2008... "Attempts have been made to develop typologies to classify different types of alcoholism. However, limited research has focused on classifications to describe general patterns of alcohol use in general population samples," scientists writing in...

Research from T. Hatonen and co-authors yields new data on bipolar disorder.
October 13, 2008... According to a study from Helsinki, Finland, "Alcohol misuse is associated with bipolar disorder. Abnormalities in the circadian clockwork play a role in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder." "Alcohol intake is likely to affect the...

Findings from King's College London, Division of Psychological Medicine in eating disorders reported.(Report)
October 13, 2008... New research, 'Central coherence in eating disorders: a systematic review,' is the subject of a report. According to recent research published in the journal Psychological Medicine, "This review systematically appraised the research evidence...

New life sciences study findings have been published by scientists at Flinders University.
October 13, 2008... Researchers detail in 'Shared and unique risk factors between lifetime purging and objective binge eating: a twin study,' new data in life sciences. According to recent research published in the journal Psychological Medicine, "Objective binge...

Researchers from Tel-Aviv University, Research Center report recent findings in post traumatic stress disorder.(Clinical report)
October 13, 2008... Data detailed in 'Complex trauma of war captivity: a prospective study of attachment and post-traumatic stress disorder' have been presented. According to recent research from Israel, "Victims of war captivity sometimes suffer from complex...

Studies from M.M. Arnau et al provide new data on alcoholism.
October 13, 2008... "The aim was to evaluate TCI (Temperament and Character Inventory) scales in identifying personality traits for predicting adherence to outpatient treatments and the relapse of alcohol consumption by alcoholic patients. Follow-up of 89...

New dementia research has been reported by scientists at University of Manchester.
October 13, 2008... "There is growing evidence that Parkinson's disease patients without dementia exhibit cognitive deficits in some executive, memory and selective attention tasks. However, the impact of these deficits on their everyday cognitive functioning...

Findings from R.J. Siegert et al in schizophrenia reported.(Report)
October 13, 2008... According to a study from London, the United Kingdom, "Cognition in schizophrenia seems to be characterized by impaired performance on most tests of explicit or declarative learning contrasting with relatively intact performance on most tests...

Study results from C.S. Weickert and colleagues update understanding of schizophrenia.
October 13, 2008... According to a study from Randwick, Australia, "Estrogen modifies human emotion and cognition and impacts symptoms of schizophrenia. We hypothesized that the variation in the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) gene and cortical ESR1 mRNA is...

Researchers from University of Oxford detail new studies and findings in the area of suicide.
October 13, 2008... "In Ian Brassington's article in a previous issue of this journal, he argues that suicide for the purpose of avoiding suffering is not, as Kant has contended, contrary to the moral law. Brassington's objections are not cogent because they rely...

New life sciences study results from Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Molecular described.
October 13, 2008... Current study results from the report, 'Differences in ethanol drinking between mice selected for high and low swim stress-induced analgesia,' have been published. "Alcoholism is a complex disorder, still not fully understood, in which...

Research from C.C. Parker and colleagues provide new insights into life sciences.
October 13, 2008... New investigation results, 'Restraint stress and exogenous corticosterone differentially alter sensitivity to the sedative-hypnotic effects of ethanol in inbred long-sleep and inbred short-sleep mice,' are detailed in a study published in...

Research on life sciences published by scientists at Gazi University.
October 13, 2008... Researchers detail in 'Nurses' work demands and work-family conflict: a questionnaire survey,' new data in life sciences. According to a study from Ankara, Turkey, "Work-family conflict is a type of interrole conflict that occurs as a result of...

Borders Publishes Grisham and Donaldson's Civil War Epic 'Bedlam South'; Will Sell Exclusively Beginning Oct. 7.
October 13, 2008... "Bedlam South," a historical novel about the Civil War and the chaos and uncertainty it unleashed on the lives of Southerners, has been published by Borders under its State Street Press imprint. The book will be available beginning Tuesday,...

International Conference on Pain and Chemical Dependency Adds October 29th Preconference Workshops to Philadelphia Event.(Conference news)
October 13, 2008... Two preconference workshops have been added to the ICPCD program. Each will be three hours, morning and afternoon on Wednesday October 29th. They are designed to be practical, interactive, and provide small groups of attendees with in-depth...

Driving Change in Mental Health Through Science and Community.
October 13, 2008... Today, Janssen-Cilag are celebrating their 50 year commitment to researching and developing innovative medicines to help improve the lives of people with mental health problems. Back in 1958, the late Dr. Paul Janssen developed one of the first...

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Orange County to Announce Veterans Program at the 2008 NAMI WALK on October 4.
October 13, 2008... On October 4, 2008, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, Orange County (NAMI-OC) will announce their new program for families of returning Veterans at their fourth annual NAMI WALK on Huntington Beach Pier at 9 AM (see also Mental Illness)....

Liz Smith and Gerald L. Storch to Be Honored by the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children NYSPCC for Their Commitment to Children.
October 13, 2008... The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC), the world's first child protection agency, will honor famed journalist and writer, Liz Smith, as well as Gerald L. Storch, Chairman and CEO of Toys"R"Us, Inc., at its 2008...

Beverage Packaging in US Examines Trends and Prospects for Various Pack Types and Closures.
October 13, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/1f461b/beverage_packaging) has announced the addition of the "Beverage Packaging in US" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets Ltd.). This Beverage Packaging...

CRC Health Group Acquires Burkwood Substance Abuse Services in Hudson, WI; Continues Local Leadership With Benefits of Comprehensive Services From Country's Largest Provider.
October 13, 2008... Dr. Barry Karlin, CEO of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest provider of substance abuse treatment services, announced the acquisition of Burkwood Substance Abuse Services in Hudson, Wisconsin (615 Old Mill Road). Burkwood is a residential...

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen Welcomes Brandon Silveria to Encourage Students to "Make the Right Choice".
October 13, 2008... Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and The Century Council partnered today to bring a life-saving lesson about the dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking to students of Brookfield Central High School. Brandon Silveria and his father Tony...

UNC project helps students with mental illnesses, support services prepare for 'what if' scenarios.
October 13, 2008... Nationally, an estimated 15 percent of students experience some form of mental illness such as major depression while in college. Many often struggle with where to get support (see also University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). But a...

Compassion meditation may improve physical and emotional responses to psychological stress.(Clinical report)
October 20, 2008... Data from a new study suggests that individuals who engage in compassion meditation may benefit by reductions in inflammatory and behavioral responses to stress that have been linked to depression and a number of medical illnesses. The study's...

New addiction medicine research reported from G.F. Koob and co-authors.
October 20, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The conceptualization of drug addiction as a compulsive disorder with excessive drug intake and loss of control over intake requires motivational mechanisms. Opponent process as a motivational...

Recent findings from National Institutes of Health highlight research in anxiety disorders.
October 20, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Fear extinction is a form of new learning that results in the inhibition of conditioned fear. Trait deficits in fear extinction are a risk factor for anxiety disorders." "There are few...

Reports outline anxiety disorders study results from Washington University.
October 20, 2008... "Despite favorable psychometric properties, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) (GAD-Q-IV) does not have a known factor structure, which calls into question use...

Scientists at University of Munster report research in anxiety disorders.
October 20, 2008... "A deficient extinction of memory is particularly important in the regime of fear, where it limits the beneficial outcomes of treatments of anxiety disorders. Fear extinction is thought to involve inhibitory influences of the prefrontal cortex...

National University details research in bipolar disorder.(Report)
October 20, 2008... "In neuroirnaging studies, spatial normalization and multivariate testing are central problems in characterizing group variation of functions (e.g., cortical thickness, curvature, functional response) in an atlas coordinate system across...

Studies from Texas A&M University reveal new findings on eating disorders.
October 20, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Assessment, "This is the first study to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T), and Food Craving Questionnaire-State (FCQ-S) measures using a...

Data on post-traumatic stress disorders discussed by M.J. Bovin and colleagues.(Report)
October 20, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "This study evaluated whether tonic immobility mediates the relations between perceived inescapability, peritraumatic fear, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity among...

Research from C. Laffaye and co-researchers provides new data on post-traumatic stress disorders.
October 20, 2008... "The present study examined the temporal relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social support among 128 male veterans treated for chronic PTSD. Level of perceived interpersonal support and stressors were assessed at two...

Researchers from Kent State University report details of new studies and findings in the area of post-traumatic stress disorders.
October 20, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, "The present study examined the relationship between trauma history characteristics (number and type of traumas, age at first trauma, and subjective responses to prior...

Researchers from University of California detail findings in post-traumatic stress disorders.
October 20, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "It is unknown whether anger is a risk factor for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, arises as a consequence of PTSD, or both." "Two hypotheses were tested in 180...

University of Michigan details research in post-traumatic stress disorders.
October 20, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Hurricane Katrina was the most devastating natural disaster to hit the United States in the past 75 years. The authors conducted interviews of 810 persons who were representative of adult...

Accurate Industry Statistics, Forecasts and Demographics for the U.S. Wine & Alcoholic Beverages Wholesales Industry.(Report)
October 20, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a9a6f3/2009_u_s_wine_a) has announced the addition of the "2009 U.S. Wine & Alcoholic Beverages Wholesales Report" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets Ltd.)....

Research results from Maastricht University update understanding of anxiety disorders.
October 20, 2008... Investigators publish new data in the report 'Social rejection in social anxiety disorder: the role of performance deficits, evoked negative emotions and dissimilarity.' According to recent research published in the British Journal of Clinical...

Research from A. Debruijn et al has provided new information about addiction medicine.
October 20, 2008... According to recent research from Utrecht, Netherlands, " Europe is the heaviest-drinking region in the world, more than 2.5 times the rest of the world's average. The Commission's conclusion The cornerstone for the European Commission's action...

Study findings from E.J. Nestler et al provide new insights into addiction medicine.
October 20, 2008... "Regulation of gene expression is considered a plausible mechanism of drug addiction, given the stability of behavioural abnormalities that define an addicted state. Among many transcription factors known to influence the addiction process, one...

Research data from Charite University update understanding of delirium.(Report)
October 20, 2008... "Delirium is often seen in the recovery room and is a predictor for postoperative delirium on the ward. However, monitoring to detect delirium in the recovery room as a basic prerequisite for early intervention is rarely used," researchers in...

New depression research from University of Calgary outlined.
October 20, 2008... "For over 50 years, it has been recognised that muscles from many different species of animals are able to generate a higher steady-state isometric force after active stretch than during a purely isometric contraction at the same length. This...

Research from University of New Mexico broadens understanding of enzyme research.
October 20, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, " To examine whether withdrawal after abstinence and cue-elicited craving were associated with polymorphisms within two genes involved in regulating the endocannabinoid system, cannabinoid...

Studies from Massachusetts General Hospital further understanding of life sciences.
October 20, 2008... "Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the deposition of senile plaques and progressive dementia. The molecular mechanisms that couple plaque deposition to neural system failure, however, are unknown," researchers in the United States report...

Study results from S.H. Zuvekas and colleagues update understanding of mental health.(Clinical report)
October 20, 2008... "Studies of health service use for emotional problems show that the majority of those with disorders do not seek professional help. In addition, mental health service use is lower among members of minority communities, compared with...

Data on suicide published by researchers at Leiden University.(Report)
October 20, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Assessment, "This study aimed at developing an Urdu version of the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI) for use with Pakistani adolescents and young adults. For this purpose, the English...

Researchers at Kanazawa University publish new data on dementia.
October 20, 2008... Fresh data on dementia are presented in the report 'Subcortical neurofibrillary tangles and argyrophilic grains in a case of familial frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism.' According to a study from Kanazawa, Japan, "A case of familial...

Congress, Stakeholders Make History Achieving Mental Health Parity.
October 20, 2008... Aetna (NYSE: AET) applauds Members of the House and Senate for reaching a landmark agreement on mental health parity that is supported by medical professionals, consumer advocates, hospitals, employers, health plans - including Aetna - and...