Publications on Mental Health Topics

Unexpected death of a loved one linked to onset of psychiatric disorders, by Columbia University, ScienceDaily, May 29 2014.

“The sudden loss of a loved one can trigger a variety of psychiatric disorders in people with no history of mental illness, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and colleagues at Columbia's School of Social Work and Harvard Medical School. While previous studies have suggested there is a link between sudden bereavement and an onset of common psychiatric disorders, this is the first study to show the association of acute bereavement and mania in a large population sample. ”

Brain's reaction to male odor shifts at puberty in children with gender dysphoria, by Frontiers, ScienceDaily , May 28 2014.

“The brains of children with gender dysphoria react to androstadienone, a musky-smelling steroid produced by men, in a way typical of their biological sex, but after puberty according to their experienced gender, finds a study for the first time. Around puberty, the testes of men start to produce androstadienone, a breakdown product of testosterone. Men release it in their sweat, especially from the armpits. Its only known function is to work like a pheromone: when women smell androstadienone, their mood tends to improve, their blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing go up, and they may become aroused. ”

Predicting Dyslexia - Even Before Children Learn to Read, by Rachel Zimmerman, May 23 2014.

“New research shows it’s possible to pick up some of the signs of dyslexia in the brain even before kids learn to read. And this earlier identification may start to substantially influence how parents, educators and clinicians tackle the disorder. ”

A Revolutionary Approach to Treating PTSD, by Jeneen Interlandi, New York Times , May 22 2014.

“Bessel van der Kolk wants to change the way we heal a traumatized mind - by starting with the body. He suggests, 'if we can help our patients tolerate their own bodily sensations, they’ll be able to process the trauma themselves.’ ”

More insured, but the choices are narrowing, by Reed Abelson, New York Times , May 12 2014.

“In the midst of all the turmoil in health care these days, one thing is becoming clear: No matter what kind of health plan consumers choose, they will find fewer doctors and hospitals in their network - or pay much more for the privilege of going to any provider they want. These so-called narrow networks, featuring limited groups of providers, have made a big entrance on the newly created state insurance exchanges, where they are a common feature in many of the plans. While the sizes of the networks vary considerably, many plans now exclude at least some large hospitals or doctors’ groups. Smaller networks are also becoming more common in health care coverage offered by employers and in private Medicare Advantage plans. ”

Divorce: How to Overcome Depression After Separation and Divorce (Overcoming Depression and Getting Over Divorce), by Nichols, Emily, May 11 2014.

Choosing the Future for American Juvenile Justice (Youth, Crime, and Justice), by Zimring, F.; Tanenhaus, D., May 2 2014.

It's getting safer to be a child in the U.S., by Jen Christensen, CNN , May 1 2014.

“Despite all the national headlines about school shootings and other violence, life has actually gotten a lot safer for American children, according to a new study. Instances in which children were the victims of crimes such as assaults or violence such as bullying have declined significantly, according to the study, which appears in the most recent edition of the JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers compared rates of 50 different types of violence and crime over time. Of those categories, 27 saw significant declines between 2003 and 2011. ”

Suppressing Positive Emotions Can Lead to Postpartum Depression, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Apr 30 2014.

“New research discovers that the suppression of positive feelings can play an important role in the development of postpartum depression. Investigators believe this finding has implications for the treatment of depressed mothers. ”

Learning With Disabilities: One Effort To Shake Up The Classroom, by NPR Staff, NPR, Apr 27 2014.

“This is what an inclusive classroom looks like: Children with disabilities sit next to ones who've been deemed "gifted and talented." The mixing is done carefully, and quietly. Students don't necessarily know who's working at what level. Despite a court ruling 25 years ago that gave children with disabilities equal access to general education activities, change has been slow. Today, about 17 percent of students with any disability spend all or most of their days segregated. Children with severe disabilities can still expect that separation. ”

What makes psychotic teens more at risk for suicide than other groups with psychosis?, by Case Western Reserve, PsyPost , Apr 24 2014.

“Suicide is a general risk for people with psychosis. According to The Journal of Psychiatry, 20 percent to 40 percent of those diagnosed with psychosis attempt suicide, and up to 10 percent succeed. And teens with psychotic symptoms are nearly 70 times more likely to attempt suicide than adolescents in the general population, according to a 2013 study in JAMA Psychiatry. ”

Meaningful Activities Protect the Brain From Depression, by Olga Khazan, The Atlantic , Apr 21 2014.

“How we seek and respond to those rewards is part of what determines our overall happiness. Aristotle famously said there were two basic types of joy: hedonia, or that keg-standing, Netflix binge-watching, Nutella-from-the-jar selfish kind of pleasure, and eudaimonia, or the pleasure that comes from helping others, doing meaningful work, and otherwise leading a life well-lived. Recent psychological research has suggested that this second category is more likely to produce a lasting increase in happiness. Hedonic rewards may generate a short-term burst of glee, but it dissipates more quickly than the surge created by the more selfless eudaimonic rewards. ”

Study finds brain changes in young marijuana users, by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe , Apr 15 2014.

“Young adults who occasionally smoke marijuana show abnormalities in two key areas of their brain related to emotion, motivation, and decision making, raising concerns that they could be damaging their developing minds at a critical time, according to a new study by Boston researchers. Other studies have revealed brain changes among heavy marijuana users, but this research is believed to be the first to demonstrate such abnormalities in young, casual smokers. ”

Depression risks increase for young dads, by Michelle Healy, USA Today , Apr 14 2014.

“Becoming a dad can be emotionally tough for any guy, but especially for young, first-time fathers. A new study finds that the first five years of parenthood - key attachment and bonding years for a child - may be the riskiest for young dads when it comes to developing depression. Symptoms of depression increased on average by 68% over the first five years of fatherhood for men who were around 25 years old when they became fathers and lived with their children, according to the study published online today in the journal Pediatrics. ”

Shooting Unfairly Links Violence With Mental Illness - Again, by Shapiro, Joseph, NPR , Apr 3 2014.

“With the Army's disclosure that Army Spc. Ivan Lopez was being evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder before he went on a shooting rampage Wednesday, there were once again questions about whether the Army could have prevented the violence at Fort Hood. Experts in mental health say (even as about Lopez emerge) that it's highly unlikely the violence could have been predicted. Just raising that question, psychologists and psychiatrists say, shows how much Americans misunderstand the link between mental illness and violence. ”