More evidence for antipsychotic risk in older people

Despite growing evidence of side effects antipsychotic drugs (originally developed to deal with the symptoms of schizophrenia, psychois and bipolar disorder) are still prescribed to older people without these conditions. The American company Prescription Solutions studied 78,450 elderly people. None of them had schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or diabetes at the start of the study. The participants were followed for a five-year period over which time 13,075 developed diabetes. The study showed that the participants who had received at least one prescription for an antipsychotic drug had a 32% greater chance of developing diabetes.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/188824.php

Helping the weakest where money is scarce

Being brought up in a harsh environment can lead to delays in the development of children's motor skills, social skills and cognition. To intervene effectively health workers in developing countries, where resources are scarce, need straightforward ways of assessing which children are at risk of delayed development. Amina Abubakar from Tilburg University in the Netherlands studied 85 children in Kilifi, a poor rural area on the Kenyan coast. The children were between 2 and 10 months at the start of the study and were monitored over the next 10 months. Five factors were found to be associated with developmental delay: stunted growth, being underweight, ill health, little maternal education and mothers having been pregnant more often.

Abubakar, Amina ... [et al] - Children at risk for developmental delay can be recognised by stunting, being underweight, ill health, little maternal schooling or high gravidity Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry June 2010, 51(6), 652-659

Bristol study suggests autism still going undiagnosed

Previous research has found that lots of children with psychological problems remain undiagnosed by health services. However, there has been little research into how many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) fail to receive a diagnosis. A team of researchers led by Ginny Russell from the University of Exeter looked at information from a long-term study of 14,536 children in the Bristol area. By using information from the study they were able to see which of the children showed symptoms of autism. They found that 55% of children with autistic traits at the same levels as those who had an autism diagnosis had not been identified as needing extra support from education or specialist health services. Of those who were identified as having special needs only 37.5% had been formally diagnosed with an ASD. For children with impairment at the same level as that associated with an Asperger's syndrome 57% had no special provision at school and were not accessing specialised health services. 26% of the children in this group had an ASD diagnosis.

Russell, Ginny ... [et al] - Identification of children with the same level of impairment as children on the autistic spectrum, and analysis of their service use Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry June 2010, 51(6), 643-651

Duration of psychosis and negative symptoms

Early interventions for people with psychosis is increasingly recognised as important. Psychologists call the time between people first developing symptoms of psychosis and the start of their treatment duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). The evidence about the links between longer DUP and the negative symptoms of psychosis - flat emotions, poverty of speech, inability to experience pleasure, lack of desire to form relationships and lack of motivation - is inconsistent so a team of researchers from Helsinki University studied 41 people going through their first episode of psychosis. The study found that a longer DUP was associated with more negative symptoms.

Grano, Niklas ... [et al] - Duration of untreated psychosis is associated with more negative schizophrenia symptoms after acute treatment for first-episode psychosis Clinical Psychologist March 2010, 14(1), 10-13

What makes stalkers keep on stalking?

One of the most important factors in dealing with stalkers and protecting their victims is the likelihood of stalkers persisting in their behaviour. A team of researchers led by David V. James from the North London Forensic Service studied 275 people who had come to the police's attention for stalking members of the royal family and 211 people who had been referred to a community forensic mental health clinic as a result of their stalking. They found that the most important factors associated with persistence were psychotic illness, intimacy-seeking motivation and using multiple or intrusive forms of communication.

James, David V. ... [et al] - Persistence in stalking: a comparison of association in general forensic and public figure samples Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology April 2010, 21(2), 283-305

STAIR helps patients climb out of reoffending

The Service for Treatment and Abatement of Interpersonal Risk (STAIR) is a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) programme originally designed for prisoners and adapted for offenders with chronic mental illness. A team of researchers led by Kathy F. Yates from the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in New York studied 145 patients who had completed the programme and who were followed for between six months and five years after being discharged. The team found that significantly fewer arrests, hospitalisations and days institutionalised occurred after people had been through the STAIR programme. Whether people continued to take their medication was the single most important factor associated with people staying well and the prevention of criminal behaviour.

Yates, Kathy F. ... [et al] - Psychiatric patients with histories of aggression and crime five years after discharge from a cognitive-behavioral program Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology April 2010, 21(2), 167-188

Mozart effect? There isn't one.

Mozart might sound divine but unfortunately it does little to raise people's cognitive performance. In 1993 the journal Nature reported findings of enhanced performance among college students after listening to Mozart piano sonatas. However, researchers have been unable to reproduce these results since and a team of researchers from the University of Vienna have been conducting a review of research into the 'Mozart effect.' After reviewing around 40 studies covering more than 3,000 people they concluded that there was 'no support for gains in spatial ability specifically due to listening to Mozart music.' But, as Keats reminds us 'a thing of beauty is a joy for ever'!

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/11/mozart-blues-classical-music-does-not-aid-performance/13715.html

Sickle-cell disease and brain function

Sickle-cell disease is a blood condition that affects people's red blood cells. The cells are less able to carry oxygen, become stiff and sticky and can clump together blocking blood flow, causing severe pain and potential organ damage. A new study of 196 people by researchers at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in the U.S. suggests that even people with few or mild complications of the disease could have worse cognitive function than unaffected people. The study compared 149 adult sickle-cell patients aged between 19 and 55 with 47 healthy participants. On average the scores for the sickle-cell patients were in the normal range but twice as many of the sickle-cell patients scored below normal levels in tests of intellectual ability, short-term memory, processing speed and attention. Those sickle-cell patients who scored lower were more likely to be older and have lower haemoglobin levels but none of the differences in brain function could be explained by the influence of other diseases (as the sickle-cell patients were otherwise relatively healthy) or changes to brain structure.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511173825.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Telephones, hugs and stressed little girls

Psychologists often do strange things in the name of research and researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been making little girls stressed to see what happens when their mothers comfort them. Nobody was hurt but 61 girls aged between 7 and 12 were asked to give a speech and solve a maths problem in front of a panel of strangers. Their heart rates and stress were monitored and these began to climb. Some of the girls were then given a hug from their mums, others were allowed to telephone them while a third group watched an 'emotionally neutral' video. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol fell and levels of the social-bonding hormone oxytocin rose by the same amount in the girls who had had a cuddle and those who had spoken on the telephone suggesting - that in this situation at least - a telephone call can be just as good as a hug.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7710508/Mothers-voice-as-comforting-as-a-hug.html

Want to get cracking at work? Start with a coffee break

A coffee break really does keep you going at work. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine reviewed 13 separate studies from around the world involving shift workers in simulated working conditions. Participants in the studies were given tests of their memory, concentration, use of words and reasoning and also of how prone they were to making simple errors. Some were given a placebo while others were given caffeine. Whatever form the caffeine was given in - a cup of coffee, an energy drink or a pill - those who had been given the caffeine scored moderately better than those given a placebo. Taking caffeine had a similar effect to taking a "power nap."

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7710780/How-office-coffee-breaks-make-staff-work-harder.html

Dozy drinkers less likely to be drunkards

People who feel sleepy after a few drinks might be less likely to develop an alcohol problem. A gene called ADH1B*3 is associated with a lower risk of alcoholism and is found almost exclusively in people with African ancestry. Researchers from the University of Missouri studied 91 African Americans between 21 and 26. Some of them had the ADH1B*3 gene while others didn't. The participants were given a moderate amount of alcohol and those with the ADH1B*3 gene were more likely to have higher levels of sedation and a raised pulse rate. The researchers though that people with the gene might be less likely to drink if it made them feel sleepy rather than stimulated or disinhibited, or, if they are like me they might just fall asleep before they drink too much!

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100504162805.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

New gene added to schizophrenia risk factors

Although there is no single 'gene for schizophrenia' some genes are known to raise people's risk. Researchers from the Universite de Montreal have carried out a detailed analysis of a large database of patients and added another gene to the list - SHANK3. The gene has previously been linked to autism and is involved in maintaining the physical structure of nerve cells. Mutations in the gene result in abnormalities in cell shapes - abnormalities that have been observed in some schizophrenia patients.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100412151825.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Dementia spouses have increased risk

People married to someone with dementia are six times more likely than other people to develop the condition themselves. Researchers from Utah State University studied elderly couples where one of the partners had dementia. They took into account environmental factors and suggested that it was the stress of looking after someone with dementia that raised the risk in the spouses. Carers often report that looking after someone with dementia is more demanding than caring for someone with physical disabilities.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7676967/Spouse-of-dementia-sufferer-six-times-more-likely-to-develop-same-condition.html

New research shows psychosis is not just for the grown ups

Schizophrenia is usually thought of as something that develops during adolescence when the first symptoms such as antisocial behaviour, self-harm and delusions begin to show up in an obvious way. However, a new study of 2,232 British 12-year-olds suggests that nearly 6% of them may be showing at least one definite symptom of psychosis. The children who showed psychosis symptoms had many of the risk factors for adult schizophrenia including genetic, social, neurodevelopmental, family and behavioural risks. A previous study of children in New Zealand found that half of those who showed psychosis symptoms in childhood went on to develop the condition in adulthood. 6% of children is more than the estimated 1% of adults who suffer from psychosis but other studies have shown that many adults hear voices or have hallucinations without developing mental-health problems.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/03/children-can-display-symptoms-of-psychosis/13430.html

More research on genes and autism

A study co-authored by Ning Lei from Princeton University has shed a little more light on the genetics of autism. The study compared 943 families who had children diagnosed with autism with 6,317 unaffected people and looked at the prevalence of 25 gene mutations. It identified two additional genes that could be linked to autism, one of which, NCAM2, affects the hippocampus, a brain region previously associated with the condition. A lot of the genes implicated in autism are known to affect the synapse - the link between brain cells.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/03/new-evidence-on-autism/13423.html

Childhood cancer and PTSD

People who survived having cancer as a child could still end up suffering psychological trauma years later. Dr Margaret Stuber from the Jonsson Cancer Center studied 6,542 people who had, as children, undergone cancer treatment between 1970 and 1986. Some of the subjects reported extreme anxiety, feeling on edge, becoming easily startled, developing phobias and avoiding things that might trigger memories of having cancer - all symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the study pointed out that treatments for cancer are much less traumatic these days so that these problems should not occur as much in future.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/03/cancer-survivors-likely-to-develop-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/13452.html

Magnets make a difference for depression

Magnets could be used to help people suffering from depression. Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina studied the technique of transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy which applies magnets to people's heads to stimulate certain parts of their brain. The study divided 190 people, who were depressed and had not responded to medication, into two groups. One group received the genuine treatment while another group received a sham 'placebo' treatment. 14% of the group receiving the genuine treatment showed an improvement compared to only 5% of the group receiving the sham treatment. However, 12 people would need to be treated using the new technique for one to be cured of their depression.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7672876/Magnets-could-be-new-drug-free-treatment-for-depression-research.html

Why a walk, a park and a pond could be the perfect recipe for good mental health

Green exercise is defined as physical activity in the presence of nature and can include walking in the countryside, exercising in a park, gardening or doing conservation work. There is lots of scientific evidence to show that green exercise is beneficial for people's mental health and wellbeing but no-one knows how much you need to do to get the benefits of it. Jules Pretty and Jo Barton from the University of Essex studied 1,252 people using information from ten existing studies including activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming and found that just five minutes of green exercise can benefit mental health. The greatest health changes occured in the young and the mentally ill but people of all ages and social groups benefited. All natural environments were beneficial including parks in cities but green spaces with water were particularly therapeutic.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187390.php

Schizophrenia: negative symptoms and poorer outcomes

As well as the so-called 'positive' symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations, delusions and unusual thoughts there are also a number of 'negative' symptoms which are marked by the absence of things rather than their presence. These negative symptoms can include things such as a reduction in the ability to express emotion, experience pleasure, initiate activities and follow through with a course of action and are now seen as just as damaging as 'positive' symptoms. Previous research has shown that people with high levels of negative symptoms and poor attention can suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of 'internalised stigma.' A team of researchers from Indiana University studied 77 people with schizophrenia to see how they got on over a period of five months. They found that those who had high levels of negative symptoms and poor attention were significantly more likely to have poorer social functioning, lower self-esteem, higher anxiety and a higher preference for ignoring problems rather than tackling them.

Tsai, Jack, Lysaker, Paul H. and Vohs, Jenifer L. - Negative symptoms and concomitant attention deficits in schizophrenia: associations with prospective assessments of anxiety, social dysfunction and avoidant coping Journal of Mental Health April 2010, 19(2), 184-192

Early intervention for bipolar disorder - reviewing the evidence

Treating people early, as soon as they start to show signs of distress, is now seen as the best way of dealing with mental-health problems. A team of researchers, led by Michael Berk from the University of Melbourne in Australia, has been reviewing the evidence supporting such early intervention for treatment with bipolar disorder. They found that in the early stages of bipolar disorder there are few changes to people's brain structure and that it is only with repeated incidences that there is a loss of brain volume. The review found that both drug and talking therapies were more effective when given earlier in the course of the condition and that the longer people are ill the less well they respond to treatment. Overall the review backed early intervention for bipolar disorder and suggested that it is particularly important to start treatment before people's brains suffer irreparable changes.

Berk, Michael ... [et al] - Evidence and implications for early intervention in bipolar disorder Journal of Mental Health April 2010, 19(2), 113-126