Behavioral Health News
New Study Suggests Elderly Fight Depression by Staying Current on Family Matters
Such events as a small promotion at work, a backyard landscaping project, or a new milestone met by a great-grandchild may warrant a phone call to an elderly family member. Though these occasions may not call for a party or even a greeting card, new research shows that keeping current on family events may help an elderly family member keep depression from encroaching on their retirement.
Researchers at the University of Michigan and Kyungpook National University studied the effects of stress and depression on participants over the age of 85. Changes in positive life events, such as the ones described above, were associated with changes in levels of depression.
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Are Rats Risk-Averse?
Rats are often studied to determine how humans might behave in a similar situation or react to a medication. Though rats have been known to understand simple reward and punishment responses, it has not been explored whether rats could understand the concept of “playing the odds.” A recent study by Zeeb, Robbins, & Winstanley in 2009 examined whether rats are capable of such behavior and whether altering their brain chemistry to imitate the brain chemistry of human gamblers would change the rats’ decisions.
Culture Can Play an Effective Role in Treatment for Depression
Research and doctors tell us there are a number of things that can lead to depression. One of the most obvious links is genetics as where we come from can play a large part in where we are going. According to a new Northwestern University study, this genetic tendency is much less likely to be realized in a culture centered on collectivistic rather than individualistic values.
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Component of Common Plastics Linked to ADHD
A new report by Korean scientists has found that phthalates—important components of many consumer products, including toys, cleaning materials, plastics, and personal care items—are associated with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Studies to date on phthalates have been inconsistent, with some linking exposure to these chemicals to hormone disruptions, birth defects, asthma, and reproductive problems, while others have found no significant association between exposure and adverse effects.
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Exposure to Lead and Tobacco Smoke Raises Risk of ADHD
Children exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally or exposed to lead during childhood are at a particularly high risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new research from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
The study estimates that up to 35 percent of ADHD cases in children between the ages of 8 and 15 could be reduced by eliminating both of these environmental exposures. This could translate to 800,000 children.
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Turn the Lights Out!
Those whose chosen method of relaxation is late-night TV may want to turn in their remotes. Recent research shows that too much light at night can lead to symptoms of depression.
The research was presented October 21 at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago and will appear in the December 28 edition of the journal of Behavioural Brain Research.
The researchers found that mice exposed to light 24 hours a day showed more depressive symptoms than mice with a normal light-dark cycle. Mice that lived in constant light but that had the ability to escape to a dark opaque tube showed less evidence of depressive symptoms.
Study Finds Use of Antidepressants with ECT Reduces Memory Loss
Severe depression is an issue that affects millions of people, whether they have the disease or love someone who is suffering from it. As a result, scientists continue to dedicate time to studying the impact that depression has on its victims and how best to treat it.
According to a recent Science Daily report the combination of antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) produces better results in trying to reduce symptoms of severe depression than using ECT alone. At the same time, this method also causes less memory loss.
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Eating Licorice While Pregnant May Affect Child’s IQ and Behavior
A study has shown that expectant mothers who eat excessive quantities of licorice during pregnancy could adversely affect their child’s intelligence and behavior.
The study of eight-year-old children whose mothers ate large amounts of licorice when pregnant found that they did not perform as well as other youngsters on cognitive tests.
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Researchers Identify Violent Behavior Cues
The effective prediction of violent behavior can prevent future situations that can involve illegal acts or even death. Violent behavior can be the result of childhood conditions, alcohol intake and personality disorders.
New research from the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Central Hospital Psychiatry Centre show that diagnosing severe personality disorders, evaluating the childhood environment, assessing alcohol consumption and the analysis of the MAOA genotype could provide more accurate methods for assess risk among violent offenders.
Studies Examine Genetic Roots in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be debilitating for the individual suffering, as well as family and friends. Medications can deliver some relief, but the most effective treatments will be developed as a result of intense research into the makeup of such psychological impairments.
Three genome-wide studies have identified an array of genetic variation that could be responsible for a minimum of one third of the genetic risk for schizophrenia. One study in particular traced both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to the same area of chromosomes.
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