Abused women more likely to spank their own children

Mothers who suffered physical abuse or other violent experiences in childhood are much more likely to spank their own children than mothers who did not suffer these experiences. Researchers from Jefferson Pediatrics and the duPont Children's Health Program in Philadelphia studied 1,265 mostly black, single, low-income mothers of children up to 11 months old. They found that 19% said they valued corporal punishment as a means of discipline and 14% reported spanking their children. Even among mothers who were not physically abused in childhood 1 in 10 reported spanking their children. Spanking can lead to an increased risk of behaviour problems, low self-esteem, depression and drug abuse.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56J5GD20090720?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

Receptors, transmitters and Alzheimer's

Neurotransmitters are chemicals involved in signalling in the brain and are 'picked up' by receptors on brain cells. Scientists at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona have found a new receptor in the brain and believe it may play a part in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The receptor is in a part of the brain called the basal forebrain that plays a critical role in memory and learning and is one of the first parts of the brain to degenerate when people get Alzheimer's. The receptors - called nicotinic receptors - 'pick up' a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine and are much more sensitive than other receptors to being blocked by a protein called beta-amyloid peptide (AB) which is closely linked to Alzheimer's disease. The researchers now plan to start searching for drugs that can keep these receptors active even when there is AB around or block the effects of AB on the receptors.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090716141223.htm

Alzheimer's gene takes effect early

A variation in a gene called ApoE4 raises the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by more than 50%. People with the gene can show age-related memory decline before they reach 60, even if they have no clinical symptoms of dementia. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona studied 815 healthy people aged 21-97 and found that people with the ApoE4 gene variation showed signs of memory trouble at an earlier age than people without it. The declines in people's memories were worse in people who inherited the variation from both parents.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56E7BD20090716?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10482&sp=true

Mortality, heart disease and mental illness

People with severe mental-health problems have a particularly high death rate from heart disease. The reasons put forward to explain this include the side effects of drugs, unhealthy diets, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, high rates of smoking and the stigma of having a mental-health problem. Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark studied 4.6 million people between 1994 and 2007 looking into people's contacts with the health service with cardiovascular problems, their death's from heart disease and any operations they might have had for heart problems. They found that people with severe mental illness (defined in the study as people with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and schizoaffective disorder) only had a slightly-higher rate of heart disease - 11% higher - than other people. However, they were nearly three times more likely to die of heart disease. Five years after people's first contact with the medical profession with heart disease 8.26% of people with a serious mental illness had died compared to only 2.86% of people without a mental illness. Only 7.04% of people with a severe mental illness had a heart operation 5 years after being diagnosed compared to 12.27% of the rest of the population. The researchers concluded that the treatment offered to people with a severe mental illness for their heart disease was neither sufficiently efficient nor sufficiently intensive and that "this undertreatment may explain part of their excess mortality."

Laursen, Thomas Munk ... [et al] - Somatic hospital contacts, invasive cardiac procedures, and mortality from heart disease in patients with severe mental disorder Archives of General Psychiatry July 2009, 66(7), 713-720

Internet CBT for insomnia

One third of people report symptoms of insomnia and around one in ten actually meet the clinical criteria for the condition. Cognitive behaviour therapy is one of the most effective treatments for the condition but its availability is limited by a shortage of clinicians, poor geographical distribution of knowledgeable professionals, expense and inaccessability to treatment and clinicians. One way round this could be by using Internet CBT. Researchers at the University of Virginia in the U.S. and the University of Laval in Quebec studied 45 people with sleep problems comparing 22 people using an Internet CBT programme with 23 on a waiting list who formed a control group. The Internet programme was based on face-to-face CBT approaches and used the techniques of sleep restriction, stimulus control, sleep hygiene, cognitive restructuring and relapse prevention. The participants who received the Internet intervention significantly improved their sleep leading the researchers to conclude that Internet CBT has 'considerable potential in delivering a structured behavioural programme for insomnia'

Ritterband, Lee M. ... [et al] - Efficacy of an Internet-based behavioural intervention for adults with insomnia Archives of General Psychiatry July 2009, 66(7), 692-698

Augmentation, inflammation and depression

Augmentation strategies are used when people fail to respond to conventional antidepressants. They involve the use of other drugs - which are not antidepressants - alongside people's primary medication. Over the last twenty years research has suggested that inflammation and interactions between the nervous system and the immune system could play a part in the origins of depression and anti-inflammatory drugs have been suggested as possible candidates for drugs that could be used as part of an augmentation strategy. Researchers in Tehran studied the effect of using the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib as a supplement to the antidepressant fluoxetine. They divided 40 participants into two groups. One group took fluoxetine and celecoxib while the other group took fluoxetine and a placebo. Both groups showed an improvement over the six weeks of the study but the group taking celecoxib did significantly better. There were no differences in side effects between the two groups.

Akhondzadeh, Shahin ... [et al] - Clinical trial of adjunctive celecoxib treatment in patients with major depression: a double-blind and placebo-controlled trial Depression and Anxiety July 2009, 26(7), 607-611

Mindfulness and anxiety

A lot of so-called 'third-wave' behaviour therapy uses techniques based on the concept of mindfulness - being aware of the moment in a non-judgemental way - including mindfulness-based stress reduction, dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MCBT). A team of researchers from South Korea looked at the effectiveness of MCBT in treating panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. They studied 46 people - some with panic disorder and others with genralized anxiety disorder - and divided them into tow groups. One group received MCBT and the other group received anxiety disorder education. After eight weeks the MCBT group demonstrated significantly more improvement as far as anxiety and depression were concerned. However in terms of somatization (mental-health problems masquerading as physical ones), interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid thoughts and psychoticism there was no difference between the two groups.

Kim, Yong Woo ... [et al] - Effectiveness of mindulness-based cognitive therapy as an adjuvant to pharmacotherapy in patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder Depression and Anxiety July 2009, 26(7), 601-606

Antipsychotics: new research deepens confusion

The drugs used to treat schizophrenia - known as antipsychotics - can have serious side effects. An older drug called clozapine can cause a condition called agranulocytosis - a decline in the body's number of white blood cells - which can be fatal. Partly because of this side effect clozapine has fallen out of fashion now and has been replaced by newer drugs such as quetiapine, resperidone and olanzapine. However, these drugs can be linked to an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A Finnish analysis of 10 years' worth of medical records covering 67,000 people by researchers at the University of Kuopio compared death rates in people taking different antipsychotic drugs. The study compared the drugs to an older 'first-generation' antipsychotic perphenazine. Clozapine was found to reduce mortality by 26% whereas quetiapine (41%), resperidone (34%) and olanzapine (13%) all increased deaths. There were no differences in death from heart disease between the different drugs but clozapine had a substantially lower risk of suicide whereas quetiapine increased the risk of people killing themselves. Clozapine is known to be more effective than other antipsychotic drugs and generic (i.e. cheaper) versions of it are now available leaving clinicians to weigh up the new research against the risk of agranulocytosis.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56C15Z20090713?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

PTSD linked to increased risk of dementia

Older servicemen who have had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have almost twice the risk of dementia compared to soldiers without PTSD. Dr Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco studied 181,098 veterans of whom 53,155 had PTSD. After taking into account other risk factors associated with dementia such as depression and traumatic brain injury the veterans with PTSD had double the risk of developing dementia. Over the course of the study 10% of the veterans with PTSD developed dementia compared to just over 6.6% of those without PTSD. It is not known why there should be this link but some studies have found a link between PTSD and a shrinking of part of the brain called the hippocampus which is involved in memory and in people's response to stress.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56C4FN20090713?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

A pint in time ... Alcohol use and dementia

Moderate drinking could help to prevent older people developing Alzheimer's disease but hasten the decline of people who already have cognitive problems. Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina studied 3,069 adults. Among those who were cognitively normal at the start of the study moderate drinkers (those who had 1 or 2 drinks a day) appeared to be protected against dementia. However, for those people who were already suffering from mild cognitive impairment at the start of the study heavy alcohol use (more than 14 drinks a week) nearly doubled the risk of dementia compared to not drinking at all.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56C5J820090713?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Poor sleep and postnatal depression

New mums have lots of sleepless nights but new research suggests that a lack of sleep could place them at greater risk of suffering from postnatal depression. Researchers from Stavanger University Hospital in Norway studied 2,830 women who had babies between October 2005 and September 2006. The women reported that they slept for an average of 6.5 hours per night. Even after adjusting for other risk factors for depression such as being a first time mum, bottle feeding, having a young infant or a male infant and stressful life events poor sleep was still associated with depression.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56D7HO20090714?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Alzheimer's Association news

The Alzheimer's Association has been meeting in Vienna. They have been looking into new ways of diagnosing the disease in its early stages and into the genetics of the condition. Researchers from Trinity College, Dublin studied 345 people with mild cognitive impairment which is often - but not always - a precursor to Alzheimer's. By combining three memory tests with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning they were able to achieve a 95% level of accuracy. In another study Susan Landau from the University of California studied 85 people and found that poor memory recall and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan measuring low levels of glucose in the brain were linked to a fifteenfold increase in the risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers from Duke University in North Carolina also found that a gene called TOMM40 raised the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56D11L20090714?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

Growing older with bipolar

Little is known about the effects of aging on the symptoms of bipolar disorder; whether episodes get more or less frequent, more or less severe and whether depression or mania tends to predominate. Researchers from the University of Iowa followed 148 people with bipolar disorder over a 20-year period. They found that those people who were under 44 at the start of the study had significantly more depressive symptoms as they aged. The earlier people's bipolar symptoms started the more problems they had with depression. The ratio between people's episodes of mania and depression remained fairly constant over the course of the study.

Coryell, W. ... [et al] - Age transitions in the course of bipolar 1 disorder Psychological Medicine August 2009, 39(8), 1247-1252

Lability and mental health

Mood lability refers to changes in mood that are notable for their size, frequency and speed so someone with labile mood is prone to sudden, frequent and major changes in mood. Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry in London studied the levels of mood lability in 5326 young people aged 8-19. They found that mood lability occured in 5% of the sample. It was strongly associated with a wide range of mental-health problems and was linked to significant impairment even in the absence of psychiatric disorders. Mood lability was found to be a risk factor for externalizing disorders (bad behaviour) and internalizing ones such as depression and anxiety.

Stringaris, A. and Goodman, R. - Mood lability and psychopathology in youth Psychological Medicine August 2009, 39(8), 1237-1245

Do's and dont's in diagnosing dementia

An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is critical for patients to plan for the future, get the best possible care and make the most of time with friends and relatives. However, current research suggests that less than 35% of people with Alzheimer's diseases or other dementias have a diagnosis of their condition in their medical records. Researchers from the University of Newcastle in Australia have been interviewing GPs (family doctors) to find out things that help and hinder them from making a diagnosis of Alzheimer's in their patients. They found helpful factors included:

• a doctor's positive attitude to the diagnosis and treatment of dementia
• having a trusting personal relationship with individuals who provide dementia support services
• support from relatives and caregivers
• a belief in the patient's right to know
• a desire by GPs to be honest and open with their patients

Barriers to a diagnosis included:

• differing health priorities among patients and GPs
• GPs being dependent on patients and relatives to tell them about the symptoms of memory loss
• GP's challenges with properly timing referral to support services
• Fear of damaging the doctor-patient relationship
• Caregivers with Alzheimer's downplaying their own needs

You can read more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090712145220.htm

Drinking and troubled teenagers

Teenagers who drink heavily are more likely to have behavioural problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim surveyed 8,983 13-19-year-olds. 80% of the sample said that they had tried drinking while 57% said that they had got drunk at least once. Among the children who said that they had attention problems at school 43% had been drunk more than ten times compared to only 25% of those with no concentration difficulties. 35% of the teenagers with conduct problems got drunk frequently compared to 27% of those without problems. Among girls more frequent drinking binges were linked to anxiety and depression. It was not clear from this research whether the drinking came before or after these problems.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5695TK20090710?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

Exercise and optimism

There is lots of evidence pointing to the positive effects of exercise on people's mental health and new research from Finland suggests that it may also stop people from feeling a sense of hopelessness. Researchers from Kuopio University Hospital studied 2,428 men between 42 and 60 and found that those who spent less than one hour a week taking moderate-vigorous exercise were 37% more likely to report feeling hopeless than men who did 2.5 hours or more. Vigorous physical activity was particularly effective and the link remained even after adjusting for age, socioeconomic status and other relevant factors. The men who reported the highest levels of hopelessness had "more pronounced features" of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of features such as a large waist and high cholesterol known to boost the risk of heart disease and diabetes. They were also less active and physically fit.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5695VZ20090710?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Asthma, sleep and bad behaviour

Children whose asthma stops them from sleeping may be at significantly more risk of developing behaviour problems. Researchers from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in New York studied 194 children with asthma aged between four and ten. They found that those children with sleep-disordered breathing had significantly worse behaviour than other children. They also had worse scores for depression and anxiety, antisocial behaviour, hyperactivity and peer conflict.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56969M20090710?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Omega-3 boosts memory but won't cure Alzheimer's

An Omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexenoic acid, or DHA for short, can help people with mild memory problems but not those with full-blown Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland carried out two studies of DHA. The first compared it to a placebo in 402 people with mild-moderate Alzheimer's and found no change in people's symptoms. The second study, of 485 healthy older adults with mild memory problems, looked at the effectiveness of a 900mg daily dose of DHA and found that it boosted learning and memory skills to the level of someone three years younger.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56B0BA20090712?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

New substance helps with Alzheimer's diagnosis

Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease early is something of a Holy Grail for scientists as it enables treatment to be provided to slow down the progress of the disease. Researchers from the Bayer pharmaceutical company in Germany have been using a substance called florbetaben. They inject it into people and it highlights the protein plaques in people's brains (which are associated with Alzheimer's disease) when they undergo a PET (positron emission tomography) scan. A study of 213 people found that it helped to detect the illness in eight out of ten cases and had a 90% accuracy rate in people free of the condition.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56B0YZ20090712?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews