September 29, 2005
Depression heightens osteoporosis risk for anorexia patients
From Psychiatry Source
norexic girls with depression are at greater risk of osteoporosis than those without the mood disorder, research reveals, suggesting a role for antidepressant treatment in the alleviation of bone fragility.
Both anorexia and depression have previously been associated with osteoporosis. This led Jerzy Konstantynowicz (Medical University of Bialystok, Poland) and colleagues to hypothesize that more severe deficits in bone mineral density (BMD) may be seen in adolescent girls who have anorexia and depression than in those with anorexia alone.
The researchers examined BMD, weight, height, calcium uptake, and duration of anorexia in 45 Caucasian girls with anorexia who were aged between 13 and 23 years. Of these, 14 girls had comorbid depression, based on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores of 13 points or above and 20 points or above, respectively.
Posted by Pixie at 03:38 PM in | Depression | Eating Disorders | General Health| Comments (0)
August 22, 2005
American Psychiatric Association (APA) Launches College Mental Health Initiative
From Medical News Today
Across the USA, students are preparing to start or return to college. This is an exciting time, though for some it's overwhelming and stressful. Depression, substance use and eating disorders are increasingly common mental health issues on college campuses.
According to a recent survey, nearly half of all college students report feeling so depressed that they had trouble functioning, and 15 percent meet the criteria for clinical depression. Untreated depression can lead to suicide, which is the second leading cause of death of college students.
“Many young people are coming to college with an existing diagnosis and treatment history,” said David Fassler, M.D., APA Trustee-at-large and a child and adolescent psychiatrist. “Some of those students might not have made it beyond high school in previous generations, but this means that more young people need access to comprehensive mental health care.”
In January 2005, a Presidential Task Force on Mental Health on College Campuses was formed by APA past President Michelle B. Riba, M.D. M.S. The Task Force will lead APA's effort to enhance awareness about college mental health issues and to support psychiatrists working in college health settings.
“Treatment works. It is important for college-age students to seek care so they can have a healthy mind and lead a healthy life,” said APA past President Michelle B. Riba, M.D. M.S.
During August and September 2005, the APA will conduct a public awareness campaign on college mental health issues and treatment options. This initiative is the next step in APA's nationwide public awareness campaign, “Healthy Minds. Healthy Lives.,” which launched in May 2005 during Mental Health Month and continues with this project. The goal of the campaign is to improve public understanding on mental health and mental disorders.
Posted by Pixie at 11:41 AM in | Depression | Eating Disorders | Stress | Suicide| Comments (0)
FDA Alert Covers Cymbalta
From Psychiatry Online
In conjunction with its release of the public health advisory regarding increased risk of suicide in adults taking antidepressants, the FDA issued a separate FDA Alert involving duloxetine (Cymbalta) and suicidality in pediatric and adult patients.
The alert largely echoes the language of the advisory, noting that the FDA is "highlighting that adults being treated with any type of antidepressant medication, particularly those being treated for depression, should be watched closely for worsening of depression and for increased suicidal thinking or behavior."
However, the alert goes on to say that "a higher than expected rate of suicide attempts was observed in the open-label extensions of controlled studies of Cymbalta for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. An increased rate of suicidality was not seen in controlled trials of Cymbalta for treatment of depression or diabetic neuropathic pain (the approved indications for Cymbalta)."
Finally, the FDA Alert notes, "The FDA is evaluating additional data to determine the relationship, if any, between suicidality and Cymbalta use."
Posted by Pixie at 11:39 AM in | Medication| Comments (0)
July 27, 2005
Quetiapine Seen Safe, Well Tolerated for Bipolar Depression
From Medscape
By Michelle Rizzo
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 26 - Monotherapy with the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine is safe and effective for bipolar depression, according to a report in the July issue the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Dr. Joseph R. Calabrese, of University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case University School of Medicine, and colleagues randomly assigned a total of 542 subjects with bipolar I (n = 360) or II (n = 182) disorder experiencing a major depressive episode to receive 8 weeks of 600 or 300 mg/day quetiapine or placebo.
The mean change from baseline to week 8 in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score was the primary efficacy measure. Compared with placebo, either dose of quetiapine demonstrated significantly greater mean improvement in total scores from week 1 onward (p < 0.001).
Specifically, the mean change in total scores from baseline to the last assessment was -10.26 in the placebo group and -16.39 and -16.73 in the 300 mg/d and 600 mg/d groups, respectively (p < 0.001).
Approximately 58% of patients who received either dose of quetiapine met response criteria at the final assessment, compared to 36.1% of those who received placebo (p < 0.001). The median time to response was 22 days for both quetiapine groups, compared with 36 days for the placebo group.
Nearly 53% of patients treated with either dose of quetiapine met remission criteria at the final assessment, compared with 28.4% of placebo patients (p < 0.001). The median times to remission were 27 days in the 600-mg/d group, 29 days in the 300-mg/d group, and 65 days in the placebo group.
"In an unexpected post hoc analysis, quetiapine was found to be twice as effective as placebo in reducing suicidal thinking, and this improvement was evident as early as the first time point, the end of the first week, and at each and every time point thereafter," Dr. Calabrese told Reuters Health. "To my knowledge this is the first time any drug has been shown to have an ability to reduce suicidal thinking in a short-term study of bipolar depression."
Another "important finding" concerns the efficacy of quetiapine "in the acute treatment of patients with rapid cycling," Dr. Calabrese said.
"Whereas rapid cycling is generally viewed as being a predictor of non-response in the acute treatment of bipolar depression, this did not appear to be the case in this study," he noted. "Patients who exhibited this pattern of presentation -- four mood episodes in the last year -- were just as likely to do well as those who did not present with a recent history of rapid cycling."
Common adverse events occurred in greater than 10% of patients. The overall rate of study discontinuation due to adverse events was 8.8% in the placebo group and 26.1% and 16.0% in the 600 mg/d and 300 mg/d groups, respectively. No serious treatment-related adverse events were observed.
There was a low incidence of treatment-emergent mania, which did not significantly differ between the groups.
Am J Psychiatry 2005;162:1351-1360.
Posted by Pixie at 12:35 PM in | Bipolar Disorder| Comments (0)
New FDA-Approved Device Offers Hope to Depressed Patient
From Medical News Today
The Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center medical team involved in the research and development of an innovative therapy for depression - vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) - is starting a new clinic for patients who have treatment-resistant depression.
The vagal nerve stimulator was approved Friday by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment-resistant depression following clinical trials around the United States, including Saint Louis University.
“This important service could dramatically improve the quality of life for some of the sickest patients, patients who had been on seven to 10 medications and continued to be depressed for years,” says Dr. Charles Conway, who researched vagal nerve stimulation and now will lead the Saint Louis University Vagal Nerve Stimulation Clinic.
The small device is implanted in front of the armpit and has leads that run under the skin to the vagal nerve in the neck. It has been used for and is FDA-approved to treat epilepsy as well.
Charles Donovan, who had participated in the clinical research at Saint Louis University and written a book about his experience, says vagal nerve stimulation changed his life.
“I feel giddy that I've gone from the depths of despair to a normal life,” he says. “For over 20 years I had tried every available treatment to give me some relief from the unbearable suffering I experienced from chronic depression.
Posted by Pixie at 12:32 PM in | Depression | Informational| Comments (0)
July 11, 2005
Specific Regions Of Brain Implicated In Anorexia Nervosa
From Science Daily
PITTSBURGH, July 7 -- Just why those with anorexia nervosa are driven to be excessively thin and seem unaware of the seriousness of their condition could be due to over-activity of a chemical system found in a region deep inside the brain, a University of Pittsburgh study suggests. Reporting in the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers found an over-activity of dopamine receptors in the brain's basal ganglia, an area known to play a role in how people learn from experience and make choices.
Results of the study, led by Walter Kaye, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Guido Frank, M.D., now of the University of California at San Diego, contribute to the understanding of what may cause anorexia. The disorder affects about 1 percent of American women, some of whom die from complications of the disease. The research may point to a molecular target for development of more effective treatments than those currently available.
Posted by Pixie at 11:34 AM in | Eating Disorders| Comments (0)
July 06, 2005
FDA warns anew about antidepressants and suicide
From Psycport
WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration issued a second public warning Friday that adults who use antidepressants should be closely monitored for warning signs of suicide, especially when they first start the pills or change a dose.
Much of the concern over suicide and antidepressants has centered on children who use the drugs. The FDA last fall determined there is a real, but small, increase in risk of suicidal behavior for children and ordered the labels of all antidepressants to say so.
A year ago, the FDA issued a warning that adults, too, may be at increased risk. The agency began reanalyzing hundreds of studies of the drugs to try to determine if that's the case, and told makers to add or strengthen suicide-related warnings on their labels in the meantime.
Since then, several new studies have been published in medical journals about a possible connection. Citing them, FDA issued a new public health advisory reminding doctors and patients to watch closely for suicidal thinking or worsening depression and seek medical care if it happens.
It's a difficult issue to sort out because depression itself can lead to suicide and studies show that antidepressants have helped many people recover.
Posted by Pixie at 12:22 PM in | Depression | Medication | Suicide| Comments (0)
Researchers Closer to Matching Best Treatments to Depressed Teens
From Psychiatry Online
im Rosack
Some surprising data from TADS lead NIMH scientists to search for factors that specifically influence the development of a treatment plan for adolescents with depression.
Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) are seeing some intriguing patterns as they continue to analyze data from the NIMH-funded Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS).
Although the analyses are preliminary, NIMH scientists are hopeful that the data may give clinicians evidence-based indications of which types of treatments will most benefit specific patients.
Some of the preliminary analyses were presented in May at APA's annual meeting in Atlanta by Benedetto Vitiello, M.D., chief of NIMH's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Branch.
"We have been conducting secondary analyses of the [initial 12 weeks of data from the] TADS database, looking at two research questions," explained Vitiello. "The aims of the subanalyses were to identify a subgroup of patients who are more likely to improve during treatment for depression, regardless of which type of treatment they receive, and a subgroup or groups of patients who tend to respond to a specific type of treatment, compared with other available treatments."
Posted by Pixie at 12:17 PM in | Children | Teens | Medication | Therapy| Comments (0)
June 14, 2005
Patients fear Florida's new policies on prescribing psychiatric medication
This is so unbelievably outrageous.
from Sun Sentinel
Peggy Symons tried 34 psychiatric drugs until she found two that worked for her.
She was hospitalized 16 times in 30 years, had frequent bouts of depression, psychotic breakdowns and severe mood changes until a psychiatrist found the right combination of medications.
Now, the 54-year-old woman, who lives near Orlando, says her schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are no longer the "most defining thing in her life." But she remains convinced that her illnesses are why she's never had a romantic relationship, never owned a home or had a good job.
Posted by Pixie at 11:04 AM in | General Mental Health | Law | Medication | News| Comments (0)
June 07, 2005
Mental health tests for kids spark debate
From Chicago Tribune
Opponents fear labeling of students
By Bonnie Miller Rubin, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune staff reporter Meg McSherry Breslin contributed to this report
Published June 5, 2005
Suzanne Cahalan knew there was a problem when her 4-year-old daughter started stealing from friends and relatives. But it took eight years before the Wheaton mother of four finally found out that the girl suffered from bipolar disorder.
Such delays in diagnosis make a powerful case that youngsters should be monitored closely for mental health problems, according to children's advocates who are drafting a plan to increase awareness in Illinois schools about depression, anxiety and other disorders, as well as the need to screen children when warning signs occur.
"Our daughter lost some crucial growing-up time," said Cahalan, an attorney. "If we had known earlier, we could have sought appropriate treatment to alleviate some of her symptoms. We could have saved not only her, but our entire family from some very terrifying days."
Posted by Pixie at 12:14 PM in | Children | Teens | General Mental Health | Screening | Testing| Comments (0)
Atypical Antipsychotics May Offer Benefits for AD
From Medscape
June 2, 2005 (Atlanta) — In a federally funded trial of atypical antipsychotic drugs to treat psychosis, agitation, and aggressiveness in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), researchers have found three leading drugs were associated with greater effectiveness, reduced burden for the caregiver, and improved neuropsychiatric symptoms compared with placebo, according to findings presented here at the 2005 American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting.
However, at preliminary analysis of the first of three phases of the trial, researchers were not able to find dramatic differences between the drugs — olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal), and quetiapine (Seroquel). Still, each drug had a somewhat different adverse effect.
Posted by Pixie at 12:08 PM in | General Health | General Mental Health | Medication| Comments (0)
Study links teens' body image to suicide
From CNN
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Suicidal impulses and attempts are much more common in teenagers who think they are too fat or too thin, regardless of how much they actually weigh, a study found.
Using actual body size based on teens' reports of their height and weight, the researchers found that overall, overweight or underweight teens were only slightly more likely than normal-weight teens to have suicidal tendencies.
Posted by Pixie at 11:36 AM in | Children | Teens | Eating Disorders | Suicide| Comments (0)
June 02, 2005
Telling Anorexics About Bone Harm May Spur Change
Reuters Health
By Charnicia E. Huggins
Monday, May 30, 2005
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Informing young women with anorexia about their future risk of developing the brittle bone disease osteoporosis may lead some to make healthy changes, such as increasing their calcium intake, new study findings suggest.
"Having a bone density measurement and the discussion around the results may lead to positive changes if approached in a sensitive and caring manner by a health provider," Dr. Catherine M. Gordon, of Children's Hospital Boston told Reuters Health.
In her study, "many participants expressed that they recalled discussions about healthy steps to good bone health and were able to engage in some of these behaviors later when they got better psychologically."
Much of a person's bone density is determined by genetics and research shows that people gain at least half of their bone density and peak bone mass during the adolescent years. Teen girls and young women with anorexia nervosa, however, are known to experience early bone loss and to have a higher risk of bone fracture than their peers.
In fact, findings from 2001 report indicated that more than half of the non-recovered anorexic women involved in a 4-year study had significant bone loss in the spine, and more than 20 percent had osteoporosis--at an average age of about 25.
Some health care professionals conduct bone mineral density tests on their anorexic patients to alert them to the effects of disordered eating on their bone health. Gordon and her team investigated the extent to which the results of such bone tests impact the eating behaviors of anorexic patients.
They studied 19 women, ages 16 to 24, who had exhibited symptoms of anorexia nervosa for up to 10 years. The women either participated in focus groups or in individual hour-long interviews, answering questions similar to those posed to the focus groups.
Overall, 14 women reported receiving abnormal results from their bone mineral density test, the report indicates.
The experience of having their bones tested elicited a variety of reactions from the study participants. Some said they were frightened, one said she was intimidated, and another said that the need for the test was a "wake-up call," Gordon and colleagues report in the journal, Clinics in Sports Medicine.
Ten women took action upon receiving the results of their bone test. Several of these women increased their intake of calcium or calcium supplements while others said they had gained weight, started taking birth control pills to resume their menstrual cycle, or had become more compliant with their estrogen replacement therapy.
"Our results demonstrate that performing bone density measurements could be an important tool in the ongoing management of patients with anorexia nervosa," Gordon and her team write.
Based on the findings, some parents may do well to ask doctors to test their anorexic daughter's bone mineral density. "If a thoughtful discussion between a health provider and a patient stems from the experience of having a bone density measurement, the experience may 'wake up' a young woman as to the irreversible health consequences of the eating disorder," Gordon explained.
SOURCE: Clinics in Sports Medicine, May 24,2005.
Posted by Pixie at 02:33 PM in | Eating Disorders| Comments (0)
Lesson from the Saga of Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors
From Medscape
Jew, Pharm.D.
The FDA statement on paroxetine use in the pediatric population in June 2003[1] and Wyeth's communication on venlafaxine use in children and adolescents[2] issued to health care providers a couple of months later launched a debate on the pediatric use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Since then, FDA has held joint meetings of its advisory committees for psychopharmacologic and pediatric drugs and requested additional data on other SSRIs to evaluate their potential to induce suicidal behavior. Twenty-four placebo-controlled studies of nine antidepressants in more than 4400 patients were analyzed. The suicidality rate (i.e., suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and successful suicide) among pediatric patients receiving antidepressants was twice that among the placebo group.[3,4] In October 2004, FDA announced a "multipronged strategy to strengthen the safeguards for children treated with antidepressant medications."[4] All antidepressants will be required to bear a black-box warning describing the suicide risk and emphasizing the need for close monitoring. A patient medication guide has also been developed.
Posted by Pixie at 02:24 PM in | Medication| Comments (0)
Teen girls with ADHD at higher risk of mental illness
From USA Today
By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY
ATLANTA — Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a serious problem for teenage girls, and those who have it appear to be at much higher risk for mental illness by age 17, a Harvard Medical School researcher reported Tuesday.
The largest, most thorough study so far comparing girls with ADHD with peers who don't have it underscores the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, says study leader Joseph Biederman, a child psychiatrist. He spoke at the American Psychiatric Association meeting here.
Biederman's study tracked 140 girls with ADHD from ages 12 to 17 and compared them with 122 girls without the disorder. By 17, the ADHD girls were far more likely to be clinically depressed, to have anxiety disorders and to have conduct disorder.
Posted by Pixie at 02:19 PM in | ADD | ADHD | Children | Teens| Comments (0)
New study has surprise findings on childhood depression
From Eurekalert
A child's social environment may have only a modest effect on whether very young children become depressed, according to new Australian research.
"Our study found that even dysfunctional family relationships and poor communication styles have a limited impact on the observed mental health of a child," Professor Jake Najman said.
"This was contrary to our expectations."
Professor Najman, from UQ's Schools of Social Science and Population Health, is lead author on a new paper published in the latest edition of the international journal, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology on predictors of depression in very young children.
Professor Najman heads the Mater/University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), one of the world's major longitudinal health studies, jointly run by The University of Queensland and the Mater Hospital in Brisbane.
He said there had been only a few previous population-based studies of symptoms of depression in young children.
There were no previous population-based studies which examined factors which might cause depression in very young children.
Professor Najman said the researchers examined many factors associated with reports from mothers of symptoms of depression in five-year-olds.
These included marital partner changes, mother's health problems in pregnancy, child health during the first six months of life, maternal anxiety and marital satisfaction early in the child's development and the mother's attitude towards caregiving.
They developed a multiple risk factor model but most of the children perceived to be depressed appeared to lack any exposures to risks. On the other hand, the majority of children exposed to high risk did not appear to become depressed -- they appeared to be resilient.
Professor Najman said the study posed many questions.
Evidence of the early origins of depressive symptoms in children arguably suggested a biological basis for these symptoms, as did the evidence pointing to weak social and environmental effects.
The study also had implications for a population health strategy relating to the early onset of mental health problems in young children.
The Mater/University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy project started in 1981 as a three-year study of more than 8000 expectant mothers, looking at health inequalities.
It has since developed into a 24-year study providing invaluable insights into the health of children and young adults.
The study has followed the study group through prenatal, postnatal, childhood, and adolescent periods, with follow-ups taking place as study children reach 21 years of age.
Co-authors on the study were Dr Dorothy Hallam, Dr Bill Bor, Dr Michael O'Callaghan, Professor Gail Williams and research officer Greg Shuttlewood
For further information on the MUSP project visit: http://www.ansoc.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=15531
Media: For more information contact Professor Jake Najman (telephone 61-7-3365-3344 or 61-7-3365-5180) or Jan King at UQ Communications 61-7-3365-1120.
Posted by Pixie at 02:16 PM in | Children | Teens | Depression| Comments (0)
May 26, 2005
NMHA Provides Practical Tips for Parents; What Parents Need to Know: Treating Depression in Children and Teens
From US Newswire
Contact: Heather Cobb, 703-797-2588 or hcobb@nmha.org, Web: http://www.nmha.org
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- During a National Mental Health Association telephone media briefing this week, a teen with depression, her mother and two mental health experts discussed what families can do if they think their child needs mental health treatment. The briefing went beyond current controversies -- such as rumors and myths concerning specific treatments and mental health screenings in schools -- to address What Parents Need to Know: Treating Depression in Children and Teens.
"Recent controversies about depression in children and teens have left many parents with unanswered questions about what to do if their child has a mental health problem" said Michael Faenza, MSSW, NMHA president and CEO. "From the safety of antidepressants to the political debate about school-based mental health screenings, parents face confusing and contradictory messages."
Posted by Pixie at 03:24 PM in | Children | Teens| Comments (0)
May 25, 2005
Little change in suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts in US
Technorati Tags:suicide, depression
From Medical News Today
Despite a substantial increase in treatment for suicide attempts, no significant decrease occurred in the number of persons reporting suicide-related behaviors in the U.S. in the 1990s, according to a study in the May 25 issue of JAMA.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, according to background information in the article. As a result, the World Health Organization and the U.S. surgeon general have highlighted the need for more comprehensive data on the occurrence of suicidal thoughts and attempts, with the assumption that such data would be useful for planning national health care policy, as well as for evaluating efforts to reduce suicide and suicide-related behaviors.
Posted by Pixie at 09:56 AM in | Depression | Suicide| Comments (0)
New Seroquel data support benefits in bipolar disorder
Technorati Tags: bipolar, Medication
From Medical News Today
New data presented today at the American Psychiatry Association (APA) meeting in Atlanta, USA, demonstrate that the atypical antipsychotic SEROQUEL (Quetiapine) is effective in reducing suicidal thinking in patients suffering from bipolar depression, and also improves quality of life and adherence to treatment in patients with bipolar disorder.
"Unfortunately bipolar depression is associated with high suicide rates, with 25% to 50% of people with the illness attempting suicide " commented Professor Joseph Calabrese, Co-Director of the Bipolar Research Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "These data suggest a brighter future for patients with bipolar disorder as they illustrate that those treated with SEROQUEL benefit from a strong efficacy profile, combined with improved compliance and quality of life - three factors in antipsychotic treatment that are intrinsically linked. The fact that this strong efficacy profile includes an ability to reduce suicidal thinking is a significant benefit and is encouraging news for clinicians who are striving to deliver meaningful results for their patients."
Posted by Pixie at 08:57 AM in | Bipolar Disorder | Medication| Comments (0)
May 24, 2005
Psychiatrists May Push for Gay Marriage OK
From Psyc Central
By DOUG GROSS, Associated Press Writer Sun May 22, 5:57 PM ET
ATLANTA - Representatives of the nation's top psychiatric group approved a statement Sunday urging legal recognition of gay marriage. If approved by the association's directors in July, the measure would make the American Psychiatric Association the first major medical group to take such a stance.
The statement supports same-sex marriage "in the interest of maintaining and promoting mental health."
It follows a similar measure by the American Psychological Association last year, little more than three decades after that group removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.
Posted by Pixie at 08:51 AM in | Gay | Lesbian Issues| Comments (0)
May 23, 2005
F.D.A. Considers Implant Device for Depression
From The New York Times
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: May 21, 2005
The Food and Drug Administration may soon approve a medical device that would be the first new treatment option for severely depressed patients in a generation, despite the misgivings of many experts who say there is little evidence that it works.
The pacemaker-like device, called a vagus nerve stimulator, is surgically implanted in the upper chest, and its wires are threaded into the neck, where it stimulates a nerve leading to the brain. It has been approved since 1997 for the treatment of some epilepsy patients, and the drug agency has told the manufacturer that it is now "approvable" for severe depression that is resistant to other treatment.
But in the only rigorously controlled trial so far in depressed patients, the stimulator was no more effective than surgery in which it was implanted but not turned on.
Posted by Pixie at 12:20 PM in | Depression| Comments (0)
May 18, 2005
Yoga helps treat eating disorders
From Medical News Today
A study published in the latest issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly reports that mind-body exercise, such as yoga, is associated with greater body satisfaction and fewer symptoms of eating disorders than traditional aerobic exercise like jogging or using cardio machines. Yoga practitioners reported less self-objectification, greater satisfaction with physical appearance, and fewer disordered eating attitudes compared to non-yoga practitioners. In yoga class, a woman develops sensitivity to bodily sensations and practices listening to her body's feedback. "This heightened sensitivity and responsiveness to bodily sensations is associated with less preoccupation of physical appearance, more positive views of the body, and more healthy regulation of food intake," author Jennifer Daubenmier states. The greater the number of hours a woman practiced yoga in a week was associated with even less self-objectification and greater satisfaction with her body, while the more hours a woman spent performing aerobic activity was linked with greater disordered eating.
The article discusses two studies. Study 1 consisted of three types of women: those currently taking yoga classes, those partaking in aerobic classes, and those who had not participated in either for the past two years. Participants were asked to complete a survey on "women and exercise" that they completed at home and mailed back. Study one consisted of women who, on average, were thirty-seven years old. Study two consisted of undergraduates, a population known to be at greater risk for self-objectification and eating disorders. The results were consistent in both studies. "Through yoga, this study suggests that women may have intuitively discovered a way to buffer themselves against messages that tell them that only a thin and 'beautiful' body will lead to happiness and success," the author explains.
This study is published in the current issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article please contact journalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net
Psychology of Women Quarterly publishes primarily qualitative and quantitative research with substantive and theoretical merit, along with critical reviews, theoretical articles, and invited book reviews related to the psychology of women and gender. It is published on behalf of the Society for the Psychology of Women, Division 35 of the American Psychological Association.
Jennifer Daubenmier is postdoctoral scholar at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. She is the 2005 recipient of the Practice Relevant Abstract from the American Psychosomatic Society.
Dr. Daubenmier is available for questions and interviews.
Contact: Jill Yablonski
Journalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net
781-388-8448
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com
Posted by Pixie at 02:55 PM in | Eating Disorders| Comments (0)
May 17, 2005
Anti-depressant use linked to increased GI bleeding
from Medical News Today
According to new research presented today at Digestive Disease Week® 2005 (DDW), use of a common type of antidepressant may increase gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. In fact, the study suggests that the increase is similar to that associated with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, known as pain relievers). DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians, academics and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
Previous research has shown that use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) may be associated with an increased risk of bleeding disorders and hemorrhages. Researchers from Northwestern University examined the use of these and other medications with similar risks in patients admitted to several hospitals with acute GI bleeding. They found that ongoing SSRI use was associated with a risk of GI bleeding similar to that found in regular NSAID use (1.5-fold versus 1.4-fold increase, respectively).
In the retrospective study, the team reviewed the records of hospital inpatients admitted with acute GI bleeding between June and December 2003 (549 patients) and compared them to similar patients admitted at the same time period with a non-bleeding diagnosis (939 patients). Patients were excluded if they had a history of liver disease, hypertension, primary hematologic or coagulation disorders.
In a further analysis of the relationship, researchers tracked the combined use of SSRIs, NSAIDs, aspirin, Plavix, Coumadin and Lovenox (blood thinning medications used to prevent heart attacks and strokes). The team found that patients admitted with bleeding were significantly more likely to be using more than one medication associated with an increased risk of GI bleeding than control patients. "While more research needs to be conducted to examine the link between SSRIs and gastrointestinal bleeding, physicians must closely monitor for this serious adverse event, especially in patients who are currently taking both SSRIs and NSAIDs," said Michael Jones, M.D., lead author from Northwestern University Medical School. "This is a potent example of the need for doctors to be particularly conscientious about potential side effects when prescribing multiple medications for their patients."
Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 14-19, 2005 in Chicago, IL. The meeting showcases approximately 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology.
Contact: Kellie Hanzak
khanzak@spectrumscience.com
202-955-6222
Digestive Disease Week
http://www.ddw.org
Posted by Pixie at 04:34 PM in | Medication| Comments (0)
I could have told them that
ST. JOHN’S WORT ONLY MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE IN RELIEVING MAJOR DEPRESSION, REVIEW CONFIRMS
article from here
St. John’s Wort, the herbal medicinal long thought to relieve symptoms of depression, provides only minor benefits in patients with the most acute depression and perhaps no benefit for those with chronic depression.
The updated review of 37 trials, involving 4,925 patients, reaffirms earlier findings that St. John’s Wort:
--Reduces symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression among adults in a manner similar to antidepressant drugs;
--Causes fewer side effects than some of the older antidepressants on the market; and
--Causes slightly fewer side effects compared with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, the class of antidepressants most recently developed.
The review was led by Professor Klaus Linde of the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research at Technical University in Munich, Germany. The reviewers caution that “uncontrolled use of [St. John’s Wort] is problematic because serious interactions can occur” with a number of frequently used antidepressants and that physicians should regularly ask their patients about their use of St. John’s Wort.
Posted by Pixie at 04:28 PM in | Depression | Medication| Comments (0)
The Choice of Life
From the Washington Post
In the Aftermath of a Son's Suicide Attempt, a Family Wonders What Went Wrong -- and How the Warning Signs Escaped Notice
By Gail Griffith
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, May 17, 2005; Page HE01
On Saturday evening, March 10, 2001, my 17-year-old son, Will, returned from an evening of bowling with friends. He sat at the kitchen table and told me he'd had a great night: He bowled over 100 twice in a row, he said, and then he, his girlfriend and cousin went to a pizza joint afterward. He appeared cheerful and light.
"You seem to be feeling a lot better, Will," I told him. It wasn't a casual remark; Will had been diagnosed with major depression in the fall of 2000, and after an agonizing and worrisome few months, he appeared to be shaking it off. I thought the latest medications were finally beginning to take effect. Or maybe it was just the passage of time, but by all markers, he looked as though he was genuinely on the mend.
"Yeah, Mom, I think I am better. No, really, I think I'm okay."
I kissed him on the forehead and went to bed buoyed by our exchange. For the first time in months I felt confident that we, that he, had turned the corner.
Will watched the basketball playoffs with his stepsister and her friends for an hour or so. He then went to his bedroom, wrote out four suicide notes and at 3 a.m. ingested 100 times the normal dose of the sedative antidepressant Remeron, washed down with a bottle of Snapple Iced Tea.
I discovered Will late the next morning in his bed, semi-conscious, gagging and incoherent, his heart racing and skin covered in sweat. We rushed him to the emergency room at George Washington University Hospital. After a day-long battle by a medical team to stabilize his vital signs, we came face to face with the devastating realization that our son had attempted to take his own life. It was the worst moment of my life.
Thankfully, Will survived.
How do you explain the suicidal impulses of a child? We give our children life; we think we know everything about them. And why shouldn't we? We tell them what to think and do from the moment they are born. So it comes as a terrible shock to learn that your child is harboring such a deadly secret.
Posted by Pixie at 03:41 PM in | Children | Teens | Depression | Suicide| Comments (0)
May 09, 2005
Depression gene may weaken mood-regulating circuit
From Medical News Today
A brain scan study suggests that a suspect gene may increase susceptibility to anxiety and depression* by weakening a circuit for processing negative emotion. People with the depression-linked gene variant showed less gray matter and weaker connections in the mood-regulating circuit. How well the circuit was connected accounted for nearly 30 percent of their anxious temperament, researchers at the National Institute of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found. Dr. Daniel Weinberger and colleagues report on their brain imaging genetics study in the May 8, 2005 online edition of Nature Neuroscience.
Posted by Pixie at 10:31 AM in | Genetics| Comments (0)
May 06, 2005
Eating Disorder Blog
Kelly, over at Spell Bound invited me to join a community eating disorder blog that she's staring. You can find it Here if you are interested. There aren't any posts up yet, we are just starting it but I wanted to mention it before I forgot.
Posted by Pixie at 09:22 AM in | Blogs | Eating Disorders| Comments (0)
May 04, 2005
Medication or psychotherapy effective in treating depressed patients when the other is not
From Eurekalert.org
Contact: Michelle Brandt
650-723-0272
CHICAGO – Switching from an antidepressant medication to psychotherapy or vice versa may improve symptoms in chronically depressed patients who prove unresponsive to their initial treatment, according to an article in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
"A substantial proportion of patients treated for depression do not respond to the initial trial of either an antidepressant medication or depression-targeted psychotherapy," according to background information in the article. For those resistant to treatment there are several options available, including switching medication, enhancing or combining medications, and switching to or enhancing treatment with psychotherapy.
Alan F. Schatzberg, M.D., from Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif., and colleagues studied chronically depressed patients who were treated with either nefazodone (an antidepressant medication) or cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) for 12 weeks. Participants in the nefazodone group received an initial does of 200 mg per day (100 mg twice daily), which increased to a maximum of 600 mg per day. Those in the CBASP group attended sessions twice weekly during the first four weeks and then once weekly until week 12. If unresponsive to either the nefazodone or CBASP, patients were switched to the other treatment.
Of the 156 nonresponders, 140 (89.7 percent) agreed to the crossover therapy. Both the switch from nefazodone to CBASP, and CBASP to nefazodone resulted in an improvement of depression symptoms. The response rates were 57 percent for those who crossed over from nefazodone to CBASP, and 42 percent for those who switched from CBASP to nefazodone. Remission rates were not significantly different in the two groups.
"Among chronically depressed individuals, CBASP appears to be efficacious for nonresponders to nefazodone, and nefazodone appears to be effective for CBASP nonresponders," the authors write. "For patients with chronic depression, the present results provide a strong basis for switching to CBASP after a medication does not produce a response and, conversely, for switching to medication after patients do not respond to an adequate trial of psychotherapy."
Posted by Pixie at 02:43 PM in | Medication| Comments (0)
Physical depression ails ignored
From BBC News
Although most people with depression have physical symptoms, few discuss them with their doctor, a survey shows.
More than eight out of 10 will experience fatigue and nearly the same number will have difficulty sleeping, the Depression Alliance found.
Yet only two-thirds will raise these issues with their doctor.
Doctors urged any person who thought they might be depressed to seek help, and said treatments were available that were extremely effective.
Posted by Pixie at 02:40 PM in | Depression | General Health| Comments (0)
May 02, 2005
National Eating Disorders Association Urges Congress and State Legislatures to Provide Insurance Coverage for Eating Disorders
From Psyc Port
Market Wire - April 30, 2005
SEATTLE, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- Mar 25, 2005 -- In light of the Terri Schiavo case, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) urges Congress and state legislatures to move forward on approving legislation that requires insurance policies to cover the treatment of eating disorders. While members of Congress scrambled this past week to intervene in the tragic case of Terri Schiavo, millions have asked why Congress and state legislatures have ignored individuals with eating disorders, long before their health is as seriously compromised as Schiavo's. It has been reported that the potassium deficiency which triggered Schiavo's cardiac arrest and resulted in her present state was the result of an eating disorder.
Posted by Pixie at 12:23 PM in | Eating Disorders| Comments (0)
