Publications on Mental Health Topics

Smokers may be at greater risk of depression and schizophrenia, study finds, by Jack Guy, CNN, Nov 6 2019.

“People who smoke tobacco may be at a higher risk of developing depression and schizophrenia, according to a new study. A team of researchers led by scientists from the University of Bristol in the UK has added weight to growing evidence that smoking can have a negative effect on mental health. ”

Rates of ADHD diagnosis among US adults are on the rise, study suggests, by Jacqueline Howard, CNN, Nov 1 2019.

“The prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has continued to climb significantly among adults in the United States within the past decade, a new study suggests.  The study, published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open on Friday, found increasing rates of adults diagnosed with ADHD within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health system between 2007 and 2016, regardless of whether they were first diagnosed as a child or adult. ”

Stress disorders tied to risk for life-threatening infections, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Oct 31 2019.

“People who have stress disorders like PTSD may be more vulnerable to potentially life-threatening infections, especially if they are diagnosed at younger ages or dealing with other psychiatric issues, a recent study suggests. Researchers examined data on 144,919 people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adjustment disorders common after a major life change like a death or move, and other stress-related conditions. They also looked at data for 184,612 siblings of these subjects who didn’t have a stress disorder, along with more than 1.4 million unrelated individuals without these disorders. After an average follow-up of eight years, the annual incidence of life-threatening infections – including infections of the nervous system or heart - was 2.9 in every 1,000 people with stress disorders, compared with 1.7 in every 1,000 siblings and 1.3 in every 1,000 unrelated individuals. ”

Biomarker for schizophrenia can be detected in human hair, by RIKEN, Medical Xpress, Oct 28 2019.

“Working with model mice, postmortem human brains, and people with schizophrenia, researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have discovered that a subtype of schizophrenia is related to abnormally high levels hydrogen sulfide in the brain. Experiments showed that this abnormality likely results from a DNA-modifying reaction during development that lasts throughout life. In addition to providing a new direction for research into drug therapies, higher-than-normal levels of the hydrogen sulfide-producing enzyme can act as biomarker for this type of schizophrenia. ”

There's 'Scarce Evidence' to Suggest Cannabis Improves Mental Health Symptoms, a New Research Review Says, by Jamie Ducharme, Time Magazine, Oct 28 2019.

“Marijuana is more mainstream than it’s ever been. A growing number of states are legalizing it medicinally and recreationally; millions of people are vaping products that contain the compound THC (potentially to the detriment of their health); and non-psychoactive CBD is in everything from beauty products to seltzer water. This spring, Google searches for CBD exceeded searches for buzzy health topics like acupuncture, apple cider vinegar and meditation, according to a recent JAMA Network Open analysis. The problem: Even though many consumers turn to cannabis compounds, known as cannabinoids, to soothe issues like depression and anxiety, these substances don’t seem to do much for mental health, according to a new research review published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry. ”

A Strange New Culprit Behind Eating Disorders, by Olga Kazhan, The Atlantic, Oct 18 2019.

“These cases hinted at a relationship between the infections and the subsequent disordered eating, but childhood infections are so common, and eating disorders so multifaceted, that scientifically connecting the two conditions has been hard. It seems so counterintuitive: Why would a sore throat lead to a state in which a person feels irrationally preoccupied with thinness? This year, though, a large study found that the boys Carandang and Sokol treated weren’t isolated incidents. Infections might, in fact, spark eating disorders in some people. ”

From Hoarding to Healing in California, by Kelly Davis, US News and World Report, Oct 15 2019.

“It's estimated that around 2% to 6% of the U.S. population suffers from hoarding disorder, which is marked by an inability to discard items of little use or value. Research suggests the number of older adults living with hoarding disorder is actually higher. Changes that come with aging – like cognitive decline, downsizing to a smaller living space, or the loss of a spouse, family member or friend – can trigger or exacerbate hoarding behavior, says Catherine Ayers, an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of California–San Diego who's studied hoarding disorder for 15 years. Hoarding, in turn, can create significant health and safety risks for seniors. Clutter can cause falls or fire hazards. An inaccessible kitchen can lead to problems with nutrition and food contamination. Medications are easily lost. In severe cases, hoarding can lead to eviction and homelessness. ”

Lots of Americans have a fear of flying. There are ways to overcome the anxiety disorder., by Sarah Vander Schaaff , The Washington Post, Oct 12 2019.

“Fear of flying, or aviophobia, is an anxiety disorder. About 40 percent of the general population reports some fear of flying, and 2.5 percent have what is classified as a clinical phobia, one in which a person avoids flying or does so with significant distress.  Fear of flying, according to one overview, is far less studied than other conditions that can be detrimental to relationships and careers such as social anxiety, obsessive compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorders. Little is known about what keeps people afraid even after exposure to successful flights.  ”

Hearing aids may help delay dementia, depression in elders, by Vishwadha Chander , Reuters, Oct 11 2019.

“For older adults, hearing aids may delay some forms of mental and physical decline associated with hearing loss and aging, a U.S. study suggests. Among people who’d been diagnosed with hearing loss, those who used hearing aids were up to 18% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia, depression or fall-related injuries over the next three years, compared to people not using the devices, researchers report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. ”

How Vaping Nicotine Can Affect A Teenage Brain, by John Hamilton, NPR, Oct 10 2019.

“The link between vaping and severe lung problems is getting a lot of attention. But scientists say they're also worried about vaping's effect on teenage brains. "Unfortunately, the brain problems and challenges may be things that we see later on down the road," says Nii Addy, associate professor of psychiatry and cellular and molecular physiology at Yale School of Medicine. Potential problems include attention disorders like ADHD, impulse control issues and susceptibility to substance abuse. ”

Can Three Numbers Stem the Tide of American Suicides?, by Greg Miller, The Atlantic, Sep 23 2019.

“Suicide hotlines are based on the simple idea that a conversation with a sympathetic stranger can save a life. Historically, most suicide hotlines have been run by volunteers without advanced degrees in counseling or related fields, and there’s research to suggest that nonexperts are at least as effective, if not more so, than professionals at helping suicidal callers. [...]   “The hurdle we’ve always had is getting people to know how to find us,” says Dwight Holton, the CEO of Lines for Life, a Lifeline call center based in Portland, Oregon.That might soon change. The Federal Communications Commission recently recommended making it easier to reach the Lifeline, by dialing 988 instead of the more cumbersome current 10-digit number. The thinking is that someone in the midst of a crisis is more likely to remember—and dial—a shorter number. ”

NBA adopts new rules requiring teams to add full-time mental health staff for 2019-2020 season, by Elijah Shama, CNBC, Sep 19 2019.

“The NBA is expanding mental health guidelines it adopted last season. Starting this year, all teams must have at least one mental health professional on their full-time staff. The league adopted the new rules at a meeting in Chicago last week.  ”

Should Students Get Mental Health Days Off From School?, by Natalie Proulx, New York Times, Sep 12 2019.

“Two states recently passed laws that allow students to take time off for their mental health. Do you wish your school gave you the option? ”

Living near a gun shop or in a rural area puts you at higher risk for suicide, study says, by Jen Christensen, CNN, Sep 6 2019.

“The suicide rate rose 41% in the United States from 1999 to 2016, and the people at the highest risk have a few factors in common, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Network Open on Friday.  Men had higher suicide rates. Areas with the highest risk were in Western states, and in rural areas. Or, in a city, if there was a gun shop in the neighborhood. ”

Contaminant found in vaping products linked to deadly lung illnesses, state and federal labs show, by Lena H. Sun, The Washington Post, Sep 5 2019.

“State and federal health officials investigating mysterious lung illnesses linked to vaping have found the same chemical in samples of marijuana products used by people sickened in different parts of the country and who used different brands of products in recent weeks.  The chemical is an oil derived from vitamin E. Investigators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the oil in cannabis products in samples collected from patients who fell ill across the United States. ”