Alcoholism and other substance use conditions appear to be linked to a gene mutation, according to a new study. Researchers examined variants of a gene (called cannabinoid receptor 1) in blood samples of 298 males with alcoholism and 155 people without addiction. They found a combination of variants in the normal gene sequence that appears [...]
Profile of Risk Emerging for Trauma-triggered Molecular Scars College students exposed to a mass shooting were 20-30 percent more likely to later develop post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms if they harbored a risk version of a gene, NIMH-funded researchers have discovered. This boost in risk, traced to common variants of the gene that controls [...]
NIMH-funded researchers found two variants of HIV in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infected study participants that were genetically distinct from the viral variants found in the participants’ blood. The study, published October 6, 2011, in the journal PLoS Pathogens, suggests these CSF variants may help to inform research on the development and treatment of [...]
NIH-funded Study Finds Engaging Peers in Social Skills Intervention May Be More Helpful than Training Children with ASD Directly Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who attend regular education classes may be more likely to improve their social skills if their typically developing peers are taught how to interact with them than if only the [...]
ARLINGTON, Va. (Nov. 28, 2011) — Restricted, repetitive behavior, such as compulsive arranging and rigid adherence to routines, is a defining symptom of autism spectrum disorders. A 12-week study showed that the antidepressant fluoxetine produced a greater decrease in repetitive behaviors and more overall improvement than placebo in adults with autism spectrum disorders. The study [...]
Children with autism have more brain cells and heavier brains compared to typically developing children, according to researchers partly funded by the National Institutes of Health. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Nov. 9, 2011, the small, preliminary study provides direct evidence for possible prenatal causes of autism. “Earlier studies of [...]
A chemical used in consumer products could be linked to behavioral and emotional problems in young girls, according to a new study. After tracking 244 Cincinnati-area mothers and their 3-year-olds, the study concluded that mothers with high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in their urine were more likely to report that their children were hyperactive, [...]
Miswired brain circuitry traced to early exposure – NIH-funded study Rats exposed to an antidepressant just before and after birth showed substantial brain abnormalities and behaviors, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. After receiving citalopram, a serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), during this critical period, long-distance connections between the two hemispheres of [...]
Approximately 40 percent of cancer survivors have symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) more than a decade after recovery, according to a new study. Researchers enlisted 566 patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a relatively common type of cancer. More than decade after being told they had the disease, nearly four out of 10 cancer survivors said [...]
Children who grow up in families where other mental disorders are present may be at greater risk of developing bipolar disorder later in life, new research asserts. Researchers, whose finding are reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, examined the lifetime prevalence and early clinical predictors for psychiatric disorders in 141 high-risk children and adolescents [...]
A new study indicates that suicide may have a genetic cause, which could eventually help with prevention efforts. Canadian researchers uncovered evidence that a methionine variation of the gene BDNF, which is involved in the development of the nervous system, was associated with a higher risk of suicidal behavior among people who had a psychiatric [...]
Normal human shyness is not being confused with the psychiatric anxiety disorder known as social phobia, according to an NIMH survey comparing the prevalence rates of the two among U.S. youth. The study was published online ahead of print October 17, 2011, in the journal Pediatrics. Background Social phobia is a disabling anxiety disorder characterized [...]
ARLINGTON, Va. (Oct. 3, 2011) — People with frequent mental distress are markedly more likely that than those with frequent physical distress to lack health insurance, according to research appearing the October issue of Psychiatric Services, a journal of the American Psychiatric Association. Uninsured adults have less access to recommended care, receive poorer quality care, [...]
Gender differences arise in different social contexts, according to meta-analysis WASHINGTON—Stereotypes suggest women are more cooperative than men, but an analysis of 50 years of research shows that men are equally cooperative, particularly in situations involving a dilemma that pits the interests of an individual against the interests of a group. Additionally, men cooperate better [...]
Youth with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) who are already taking antidepressant medication benefit by adding a type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), according to an NIMH-funded study published September 21, 2011, in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Background Several studies have shown that, among adults with OCD, a form of CBT [...]
An increase in outdoor activity may reduce the severity of a child’s symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study asserts. Researchers, whose findings are reported in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, studied more than 400 children diagnosed with ADHD. They discovered those who regularly play in outdoor settings with abundant [...]
Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are twice as likely to be injured badly enough to need medical attention as other children are, a new study finds. For the study, researchers analyzed data from questionnaires filled out by the parents of 4,745 fifth graders in Houston, Los Angeles and Birmingham, Alabama, that assessed ADHD symptoms. [...]
People suffering from depression may not bring it up with their doctor for a number of reasons, a study finds. One of the most common reasons is that they are afraid of getting a recommendation for antidepressants. The study, reported in the journal Annals of Family Medicine, surveyed 1,054 adults about why they wouldn’t tell [...]
Few suicidal teens receive the treatment and care they need, a new study reports. The researchers found only 13 percent of teenagers with suicidal thoughts visited a mental health professional through their health care network, and only 16 percent received treatment during the year, even though they were eligible for mental health visits without a [...]