September, 2009
Researchers Develop Integrated Treatment for Soldiers with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Pain
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a growing number of soldiers being sent home to the United States to be treated for physical and psychological trauma. Chronic pain is a frequent problem among soldiers returning from the Middle East.
Common sources of pain are in the head (traumatic-brain injury or post-concussion syndrome), legs (fractures, amputations, burns), and shoulders. Other physical injuries include spinal cord and eye injuries as well as auditory trauma. In addition, veterans are reporting high rates of mental health issues, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and alcohol use disorders.
An Interview with Patricia Meyers, Clinical Director of Admissions at Promises
By Meghan O’Dell
Thirteen years ago, Patricia Meyers’ father put his foot down. “We’re done with you,” he said. “You might as well be dead because we don’t even know who you are anymore, and you’re not welcome at our house.” Knowing that he meant it this time, Patricia decided to get clean. After going through 90-day treatment and living in a sober house, she started working for Promises as a driver. Now she’s the Clinical Director of Admissions, and Promises is her life’s work—the thing she was meant to do.
“I was one of those knuckleheads who had a really hard time,” Patricia said. “I’m a product of an intervention myself, but after getting clean I was having a difficult time understanding what my next step was going to be.”
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Marijuana Dependency Linked to Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
A new study found that people who smoke marijuana before age 17 are 3.5 times more likely to attempt suicide as those who started smoking marijuana later in life. In addition, people who are dependent on marijuana have a higher risk of experiencing major depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The large-scale epidemiological study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
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Research Finds Better Ways to Predict Violent Behaviors
New research shows that diagnosing severe personality disorders, evaluating the childhood environment, assessing alcohol consumption, and analyzing the MAOA genotype may provide more accurate means for assessing risk among violent offenders, according to the Finnish research carried out jointly at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Central Hospital Psychiatry Centre.
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Study Analysis Finds Gene Variation Associated with Increased Depression May Not Provide Link
Much of the effective treatment of depression lies in the accurate identification of its origin and triggers. While stressful life events are an obvious trigger, a specific gene variation that has been identified as increasing the risk in conjunction with stressful life events may actually have no impact at all.
This surprising finding is the result of research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, challenges the widely accepted assumption in identifying risk factors for depression.
Scientists believe that most mental disorders are the result of a combination of many genetic risk factors that interact with environmental triggers. Identifying the exact combinations continues to present significant challenges in the research, keeping absolute treatments at bay.
As a result of advances in scientific understanding and technologies in the last decade, mental health researchers found in 2003 that a gene involved in serotonin activity increased over a five-year period. This groundbreaking research received wide acclaim and produced far-reaching influence. The problem with this study is scientists have been unable to replicate its findings as follow-up studies have produced inconsistent results.
To challenge the 2003 findings in an effort to either confirm or contradict the results, Kathleen Merikangas, Ph.D., of the NIMH Intramural Research Program, led a group of scientists from NIMH and six universities in a meta-analysis, re-analyzing data on 14,250 participants in 14 studies published from 2003 through March 2009. This original data was analyzed to also identify potential gender differences associated with serotonin genotype, stressful life events, and depression.
While the workgroup did find a strong association between the number of stressful life events and risk of depression across the studies, the presumed high-risk version of the serotonin transporter gene failed to show a relationship to increased risk for major depression. The relationship was not shown alone or in interaction with stressful life events. The findings proved to be the same in men and women.
Researchers within the workgroup suggest these findings may account for the difficulty others have had in attempting to replicate the 2003 study. The analysis certainly brings into question the validity of the 2003 study and highlights earlier reviews that had also questioned the actual impact the gene had on depression risk.
“Even though our re-analysis did not confirm an association between the serotonin gene and depression, the finding that the environmental factor was strongly associated with depression in several studies reminds us that environmental factors are also involved in the complex pathways leading to mental disorders,” noted Merikangas in a NIMH statement. “Future progress will require thoughtful integration of the tools of genetics, epidemiology, and clinical and behavioral sciences.”
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain which helps brain cells to communicate with one another. This particular neurotransmitter is involved in regulating mood. A person’s inability to make or use the right amount of serotonin has been linked to a number of mental disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, autism, and schizophrenia.
Spice Drug Availability Prevalent Throughout Internet
To get around the illegal aspect of drugs such as marijuana or cannabis, while also achieving the same high, some recreational drug users are turning to a variety of “Spice” drugs. While they appear to be a safe alternative, new research suggests these assumptions are unfounded.
Science Daily recently posted a release summarizing the findings of two University of Herfordshire academics, Professor Fabrizio Schifano and Dr. Ornella Corazza from the University’s School of Pharmacy have released new evidence about the dangers of these drugs.
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Study Examines OxyContin Use and Abuse
The use of pain relievers to produce benefits other than pain relief has become a significant problem in the United States. The war on drugs used to include a focus on keeping heroin and cocaine off the streets and out of the hands of children. Now, these children can easily find drugs in the family medicine cabinet. Not only do these drugs deliver intense highs, they also fetch a nice price on the street.
OxyContin is one such powerful drug with a strong street presence. An opioid agonist, it is a pain reliever often prescribed by physicians. The drug is classified as a Schedule II substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Research in the industry suggests the popularity of OxyContin among recreational users is growing.
Is There Really a “Cure” for Addiction?
Medicine.net defines cure this way:
Cure: 1. to heal, to make well, to restore to good health. Cures are easy to claim and, all too often, difficult to confirm. (emphasis added)
Merriam-Webster’s defines it thus:
n. recovery or relief from a disease; something (as a drug or treatment) that cures a disease; a period or course of treatment
Although the word “cure” has a more subtle meaning than many recognize, it is clear that in the case of addiction, the word can be terribly misused. People believe a cure means they are no longer an addict or alcoholic. The truth is, alcoholism and other addictions are more like a chronic disease that can be held in remission indefinitely if the right steps are taken, but it cannot be cured in that you must remain aware of your vulnerabilities as well as environment cues that could set you up for relapse.
The risk of suggesting a cure for addiction is that it misleads people into believing someone has the magic bullet. Although someone might manage their diabetes through diet, exercise, and medication, you don’t really cure diabetes. You have to maintain a certain lifestyle or you risk your health and life.
New Test May Be Able to Quickly Predict Accuracy of Anti-Depressants for Individuals
Treating major depression is not a quick fix—it is a long, slow journey to restoring mental health. Although many antidepressant medications are available, no single biomarker or diagnostic test exists to predict which one is right for an individual. As a result, for more than half of all patients, the first drug prescribed doesn’t work, and it can take months to figure out what does.
But now, based on the final results of a nationwide study led by UCLA, clinicians may be able to accurately predict within a week whether a particular drug will be effective by using a non-invasive test that takes less than 15 minutes to administer. The test will allow physicians to quickly switch patients to a more effective treatment, if necessary.
Alcohol Abuse May Lead to Overeating and Depression in Women
A new study of young professional women finds that excessive alcohol use can relate to overeating and depression. Researchers surveyed 393 men and 383 women at ages 24, 27, and 30 about their weight, alcohol use, and depression symptoms within the last year. They found that women who had alcohol use disorders at age 24 were more than three times as likely to be obese at age 27, compared to women who did not.
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