Rates of prescriptions of antidepressants are increasing, and with some studies showing a small proportion of patients that actually benefit, some doctors are suggesting that the drugs are overprescribed. Antidepressant prescriptions in the UK have increased by 9.6% in 2011, to 46 million prescriptions. Does this reflect overmedicalisation or appropriate treatment? Two experts debate the… [Continue Reading]
Gene Mutation Discovered That Explains Some Cases of Schizophrenia
January 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The causes of schizophrenia aren’t always clear to scientists, but new research suggests that a single mutation in a particular gene explains some cases. The gene normally functions in brain cell development, and its mutation has been found in a family with many cases of the condition. Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a rare gene… [Continue Reading]
Sweetened and Diet Drinks Linked to Increased Risk of Depression
January 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Consuming sweetened and diet drinks are associated with a higher risk of depression, a new study has found. Scientists examined the drinking habits of over a quarter million individuals and tracked their risk of depression later in life. New research suggests that drinking sweetened beverages, especially diet drinks, is associated with an increased risk of… [Continue Reading]
Anti-Depressants During Pregnancy Not Linked to Infant Death
January 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A study examining women taking a common class of anti-depressants during pregnancy has found that the drugs are not linked to stillbirth or early infant mortality. The study highlights that treating depression during pregnancy need not have harmful effects on children. In a study that included nearly 30,000 women from Nordic countries who had filled… [Continue Reading]
Depression In Some Older Patients Can Be Sign of Dementia
January 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Depression in seniors is linked to the risk of developing dementia, a new study suggests. The basis for the link isn’t clear, but scientists suggest that depression and dementia may be different positions on the spectrum of brain function. Depression in a group of Medicare recipients ages 65 years and older appears to be associated… [Continue Reading]
New Antidepressant Drug Quick-Acting, Safe, and Effective
December 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Researchers developing a novel type of antidepressant have shown the new drug to be fast-acting, safe, and effective. The drug targets a specific type of receptor in the brain, which could be used to treat multiple mental health and neurological disorders. A first-of-its-kind antidepressant drug discovered by a Northwestern University professor and now tested on… [Continue Reading]
Media Multi-Tasking Linked to Anxiety and Depression
December 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
People who consume multiple forms of electronic media at the same time have a higher rate of anxious and depressive symptoms, according to a new study. Researchers say the study could mean that individuals with mood disorders seek out media, or that media multi-taking could cause the symptoms. Using multiple forms of media at the… [Continue Reading]
Abnormal Sensory Processing Could Help Explain Schizophrenia Symptoms
November 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
An analysis of the brains of schizophrenic patients suggests that improper sensory processing may be the root of some symptoms. The study finds that in individuals with the disease, the brain has an abnormal and insufficient response to sound, which may be linked to disrupted attention and auditory symptoms. Researchers at the University of California,… [Continue Reading]
Off-Label Use of Anti-Psychotic Drugs Could Be Dangerous For Older Adults
November 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A new study has found that several powerful anti-psychotic drugs that are frequently prescribed off-label, that is, for uses not approved by the FDA, lack basic safety and effectiveness information in some groups of people. Without solid data on the drugs in older patients, the researchers suggest, people taking them could be at risk. In… [Continue Reading]