Mental Health Articles

Genetic Variation Cues Social Anxiety In Monkeys, Humans

A genetic variation involving the brain chemical serotonin has been found to shape the social behavior of rhesus macaque monkeys, which could provide researchers with a new model for studying autism, social anxiety and schizophrenia. Humans and macaques are the only members of the primate family to have this particular genetic trait. “We have found [...]

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7 Depression Tips To Get Through Tthe Most Depressing Day of the Year

The most depressing day of the year is January 19. Here are some depression busting tips to get through the most depressing day of the year and manage depression. Just how much can a person take these days? Worst unemployment since World War II, global economy is collapsing and now you tell me it’s “The [...]

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How Defective DNA Repair Triggers Two Neurological Diseases

Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have teased apart the biological details distinguishing two related neurological diseases — ataxia telangiectasia-like disease (ATLD) and Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS). Both disorders arise from defects in a central component of the cell’s machinery that repairs damaged DNA, but each disease presents with distinct pathologies. Defects in DNA [...]

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Relaxation Response Can Influence Stress-Related Genes

How could a single, nonpharmacological intervention help patients deal with disorders ranging from high blood pressure, to pain syndromes, to infertility, to rheumatoid arthritis? That question may have been answered by a study finding that eliciting the relaxation response – a physiologic state of deep rest – influences the activation patterns of genes associated with [...]

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Violence Declines With Medication Use In Schizophrenia Patients

Some schizophrenia patients become less prone to violence when taking medication, but those with a history of childhood conduct problems continue to pose a higher risk even with treatment, according to a new study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center. “This is the first large randomized controlled study to compare the effectiveness of several [...]

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New Treatments For Bipolar Disorder Found

For the 5.7 million Americans with bipolar disorder, finding effective treatments can pose a serious challenge. But recent research has shown promise for expanding the number of medicines that can be used to prevent the manic “highs” and depressed “lows” that characterize this condition. On Friday, July 11 at 11 a.m., a national expert on [...]

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Louisiana Improves Law For Treating Mentally Ill

A new law making it easier for someone with a severe mental illness in Louisiana to receive court-ordered outpatient treatment was signed by Governor Bobby Jindal. The law, which unanimously passed both houses of the state legislature earlier this year, will take effect on August 15. “Nicola’s Law,” named after slain New Orleans police officer [...]

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Middle Eastern Families Help Scientists Pinpoint Autism Genes

The hunt for gene mutations that contribute to autism has proceeded slowly, largely because autism encompasses a spectrum of diseases. Just as its symptoms vary widely among individuals, so do the genetic mutations that cause them. Now, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Christopher Walsh, in collaboration with scientists and physicians in the United States, Turkey, [...]

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MySpace Campaign To Help Teen New Yorkers Cope Depression

Teenage visitors are encouraged to seek help for depression, drugs and dating violence. The New York Health Department last week announced a new online campaign to engage teenagers grappling with depression, drugs, and violence, and to encourage them to seek help. NYC Teen Mindspace, posted on MySpace, is the agency’s first effort to promote health [...]

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Children With Autism In Illinois To Have Health Insurance Coverage

Gov. Blagojevich uses amendatory veto to expand House Bill 4255 requiring health insurance companies in Illinois to also cover a range of autism treatment for youth until the age of 21. Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today used his amendatory veto power to expand House Bill 4255 to require insurance companies to cover autism diagnosis, occupational [...]

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How Culture May Affect Depression Diagnosis

A new study of depression from the Center for Addiction and Mental Health examines the widely held expectation that East-Asian people emphasize physical symptoms of depression, and offers clinicians valuable insight into cultural context when assessing a patient, leading to more accurate diagnosis. New data may help doctors more accurately diagnose patients who may be [...]

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Treating ADHD Symptoms Without Medication

ADDitude magazine released an expert report on the non-medical treatment of ADHD symptoms. Top ADHD doctors and treatment specialists contributed to the free ADDitude Guide to Alternative ADHD Treatment, which investigates and clearly explains the benefits and risks of natural ADHD therapies like fish oil. For the nearly 2 million parents of American children diagnosed [...]

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