Archive for the ‘Mental health’ Category

Physicians from the University of California, San Diego believe that “exergames” – video games that combine game play with physical exercise, such as the Nintendo Wii – can improve symptoms of minor depression in seniors. Depression that is not yet classified as “major depression” is very common in seniors and can be associated with substantial suffering, functional disability, and increased use of costly medical services. In an exergames study published in the March 2010 issue of The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, researchers found that “More than one-third of the participants had a 50-percent or greater reduction of depressive symptoms. Many had a significant improvement in their mental health-related quality of life and increased cognitive stimulation.” Although this study was very small, it demonstrates a potentially cost-effective way of reducing morbidity among senior citizens and, indeed, many nursing homes around the country are already employing exergames in physical therapy. [via iHealth Bulletin]

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A new Stanford University study published in the current journal Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests that acupuncture during pregnancy may help with symptoms of depression. The small study followed 150 pregnant women with major depression who were randomly assigned to undergo either acupuncture specifically designed for depression, general acupuncture or Swedish massage. After eight weeks of treatment, nearly 66% of the women who underwent depression-specific acupuncture demonstrated a reduction in at least 50% of their symptoms, compared with just under half of the women treated with either massage or regular acupuncture.  [via TopNews]

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The British Medical Journal is reporting on a new Canadian study which suggests that women who are taking the drug tamoxifen for treatment of breast cancer should not take the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine). This is because Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that significantly inhibits an enzyme called cytochrome P450 2D6, which is needed to metabolize tamoxifen into its active form. This effect, however, was not seen with other SSRIs that were evaluated, including Celexa (citalopram) and Effexor (venlafaxine). It’s important to note that if you are currently takin Paxil, you should not abruptly stop the drug because it can cause serious withdrawal side effects. People who are currently taking Paxil and tamoxifen should talk with their doctors about changing their antidepressant. [via HealthDay]

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A survey recently released by the American Psychiatric Association has found that American workers are hesitant about seeking mental health care for fear of confidentiality issues and possibly losing status at work. Among the 1,129 people surveyed 76% believed their work status would be damaged by seeking treatment for drug addiction, 73% for alcoholism, and 62% for depression, compared with 55% who thought seeking care for diabetes would affect their work status and 54% for heart disease. In total only about 40% of respondents thought their employers were supportive of employees seeking general and mental health care, which sounds counterproductive, especially since research (and logic) shows that people who receive proper health care are healthier and more productive. [HealthDay/Businessweek]

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The benefits of breast feeding are numerous, from reductions in risks of asthma, diabetes and SIDS to stronger immune systems which fend off infections – just to name a few. And now researchers from Australia believe that children who were breastfed for greater than six months demonstrated better mental well-being and improved ability to deal with stress later in life. After assessing more than 2,000 children at various time intervals, researchers also found that children who were breastfed for shorter periods of time had worse behavior which could translate into aggression or depression. But for each additional month a child was breastfed, behavior improved. These findings did not change even after adjusting for social, economic and psychological factors and early life events. “Interventions aimed at increasing breastfeeding duration could be of long-term benefit for child and adolescent mental health,” the researchers concluded. [via Medline Plus]

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A Canadian woman recently lost her health disability insurance benefits over photos of her found on Facebook. Due to a diagnosis of major depression, Nathalie Blanchard was on sick leave from her job at IBM. However, her payments stopped this fall after her insurance agent apparently found several pictures of her in which she appeared to be having fun – at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a getaway vacation. However, having depression doesn’t mean you are depressed all the time. Depressed individuals can have fleeting moments of joy, only to return back to their feelings of sadness afterwords. In her own defense, Ms. Blanchard states it was her physician’s advice to try and interject some fun into her life. She is currently working with her lawyer to regain her benefits. [via Yahoo! News]

Visit our Guide To Major Depression.

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A clinical trial from the University of Washington in Seattle is demonstrating improvement among toddlers with autism through early interventional therapy with a technique called the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). ESDM was developed by Dr. Geraldine Dawson, a University of North Carolina psychologist and chief science officer of the patient-advocacy group Autism Speaks, and Sally Rogers, professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the UC Davis MIND Institute in  California. The intervention is delivered by trained therapists and parents in the child’s normal environment, making it pleasing and less stressful. ESDM has been shown to improve IQ, language ability and social interaction among children with autism – some as young as 18 months of age. After just one year in the current study the IQs of children in the ESDM group increased by an average of 15.4 points, compared with an increase of 4.4 points for those in the comparison group. There was also a nearly 18-point improvement in listening and comprehension ability among the ESDM group, compared to about a 10 point improvement in the comparison group. According to the study authors, “The study strongly affirms the positive outcomes of early intervention and the need for the earliest possible start.” [via Health News]

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Researchers in Japan examined levels of lithium in drinking water and noted that suicide rates were significantly lower in those areas with the highest levels of the element. Lithium is a naturally occurring element that can be found in tap water and is often used to treat mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder and acute mania. So should lithium be added to our drinking water? Not quite yet. There are no large-scale studies to demonstrate feasibility or safety in using lithium to this extent. However, the idea is one which will garner considerable debate. Like many medications it is yet unknown how lithium works in in the brain to treat mood disorders.

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Sleep is important for our mental, emotional and physical well being. Which is why mental disorders, such as depression, often have manifestations of sleep disturbance. However, the results of a University of Michigan study, to be presented at the upcoming World Psychiatric Association meeting, show that the complaint of sleep disturbance is enough to alert physicians that a patient may have a higher risk of suicide, whether or not they have a psychiatric condition. The more types of sleep disturbances people had, the more likely they were to have thoughts of killing themselves, or actually try to do so.

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Doodling may help with concentration and memory, so says a newly published study comparing doodlers and non-doodlers. Study volunteers were tested on how much they were able to recall after listening to a dull 2.5 minute-long telephone message. Those who doodled while listening performed 29% better in recalling specific names and places mentioned in the message. The other half of the group were left to daydream or do anything they pleased while on the phone. Researchers say that doodling is a simple task that may be sufficient to stop daydreaming, but it won’t necessarily distract you from the task at hand.

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