February 27, 20096:49 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Use it or lose it
Not engaging the mind in stimulating activities may contribute to memory loss in middle to older aged adults. According to findings from Yonas E. Geda, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues, middle-age and older adults that engage in mentally stimulating activities such as reading or social activities, as opposed to passive activities like watching TV, may reduce the odds of mild cognitive impairment by more than 40%. For adults over the age of 65, playing games, reading, using a computer, making crafts, and limiting TV, were associated with 30% to 50% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment. The following is an excerpt of a study from Medpage Today that reviews the findings in more depth:
In prior studies, stronger social ties have been linked to delayed cognitive decline and lower incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease while other mentally-stimulating activities like video games have been seen to improve cognitive performance in older age. (See: Socially Active Seniors Stay Sharp and Video Games May Improve Cognition in the Older Population)
To see what effect activities have on risk of mild cognitive impairment, Dr. Geda’s group conducted a case-control study within an ongoing population-based study in Olmsted County, Minn.
The analysis included a random sample of 1,321 patient’s ages 70 to 89 surveyed on cognitive activities within the prior year and, retrospectively, in mid-life at ages 50 to 65.
Among the participants, 197 had mild cognitive impairment, which Dr. Geda referred to as the “grey zone between normal cognitive aging and dementia.”
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
Pastoral Action Point: Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” This study adds validity to the argument that social interaction (i.e. fellowship) is necessary for personal and spiritual health.
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February 26, 200912:43 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Diabetes + Pregnancy= Twice the Risk of Prenatal Depression
According to findings from a recent study published in the February 25th edition of the American Medical Association, pregnant women with diabetes are at an increased risk for depression. According to Bernard L Harlow, of the University of Minnesota, and colleagues, women with diabetes who are pregnant are at almost twice the risk for prenatal depression. The authors of the study, commenting, said, “Pregnancy and the postpartum period represent a time of increased vulnerability to depression… treatable, prenatal depression is underdiagnosed and it is important to target detection and support efforts toward women at high risk.” The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study’s findings:
To assess the association during pregnancy and the postpartum period, they conducted a retrospective study of data from New Jersey’s Medicaid administrative claims database, looking at 11,024 women who gave birth between July 1, 2004, and Sept. 30, 2006.
They found that 15.2% of women with pre-pregnancy or gestational diabetes were diagnosed with depression or filled a prescription for an antidepressant during pregnancy or after delivery compared with only 8.5% of women who did not have diabetes.
In a multivariate analysis, women with diabetes had nearly double the odds of experiencing depression during the prenatal period (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.36).
Among women who had no indication of depression during the prenatal period, those with diabetes had higher odds of postpartum depression (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.23).
The researchers said this finding is “notable because women using state Medicaid services may be particularly vulnerable to postpartum depression due to higher rates of known risk factors.”
They said it suggests that Medicaid programs “may want to encourage healthcare providers to pay particular attention to managing the mental health concerns of women with diabetes during pregnancy and the postpartum period.”
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
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February 25, 20094:52 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Moderate drinking increases the risk for cancer among women
According to findings recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, a few drinks a day increases the risk for a variety of cancers in women. According to Naomi E. Allen, D. Phil., of the University of Oxford, and colleagues, “Although the magnitude of the excess absolute risk associated with one additional drink per day may appear small for some cancer sites, the high prevalence of moderate alcohol drinking among women in many populations means that the proportion of cancers attributable to alcohol is an important public health issue.” The study showed that even low or moderate use of alcohol among women increased the risk for half a dozen cancers. However, breast cancer posed the greatest risk for female drinkers. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study’s findings:
The weight of epidemiologic evidence persuaded the International Agency for Research on Cancer to conclude in 2007 that alcohol causes breast cancer in women and cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, colorectum, and liver in both sexes.
But most of the evidence has come from studies involving men who were heavy drinkers, the authors noted. Little information exists about the cancer risks associated with moderate alcohol intake, typical of most women.
To examine the impact of drinking on cancer risk in women, investigators analyzed data from the Million Women Study, which involved 1.3 million middle-aged women who attended breast cancer screening clinics in England from 1996 through 2001.
In surveys completed at enrollment and three years later, participants provided information about weekly alcohol consumption.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
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February 24, 200910:49 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Fast food is linked to higher rates of stroke…
According to findings from a study recently revealed at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference, fast food is linked to higher rates of stroke. According to the study, areas where there were more fast food restaurants had higher rates of stroke than areas with lower concentrations. In fact, the most dense fast food area in the study showed a 13% higher risk. Lewis B. Morgenstern, M.D., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, commenting, said, “Where we live and where our kids go to school has a profound effect on our health.” The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that discusses the issue more:
Although it’s tempting to blame fast food, Brian Silver, M.D., of Henry Ford Hospital in East Lansing, Mich., who was not involved in the study, agreed that fast food might be just another marker for community risk factors.
He also said it’s important to put the modest risk in perspective. “It’s not as important as blood pressure or atrial fibrillation, but if you’re trying to look for all potentially modifiable risk factors, this may be one more thing.”
The analysis was part of the larger ecological Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) study, which has looked at a wide range of correlates of stroke in Nueces County, Texas.
Active and passive surveillance identified 1,247 ischemic strokes in county residents from January 2000 through June 2003.
When each case was linked to the census tract of residence, the researchers found a significant association (P=0.02) with the number of nearby fast-food restaurants — defined as having two or more of the following characteristics: expedited service, limited wait staff, takeout business, and payment before being served.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
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February 20, 200912:26 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
FDA approval for the first implantable deep brain stimulator for severe OCD
The FDA has approved the first implantable deep brain stimulator used to treat severe OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). According to the FDA, data collected from the 26 patients that have used the device thus far indicates a 40% reduction in symptoms overall. David Schultz, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, warned that the device is not a cure for the disorder. “Individual results will vary and patients implanted with the device are likely to continue to have some mild to moderate impairment in functioning and continue to require medications,” he said.
The device, called reclaim, can be implanted near the collar bone or in the abdomen and is connected to four electrodes in the brain. Reclaim is expected to be available for consumer’s midyear 2009. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that discusses the device further:
The approval was made following a review of data from 26 patients who were treated with the device. After 12 months of therapy, there was an average reduction in symptoms of 40%, according to the FDA.
Most adverse events — including mood changes and anxiety — were diminished after adjusting the amount of electricity delivered.
The FDA said the device should not be used in patients who require electroconvulsive shock therapy or in those who will undergo magnetic resonance imaging or diathermy.
Medtronic said that patients are being enrolled into a multicenter, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Reclaim for treatment-resistant depression.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
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February 19, 20096:33 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Quality parenting may be able to neutralize genetic risk for substance abuse
According to a study recently conducted by the University of Georgia, quality parenting may be able to neutralize risks for substance abuse posed by a genetic factor (a gene known as 5HTT). The study, which was published in the February issue of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, suggests that high levels of involvement and supportive parenting effectively combat a genetic predisposition for substance abuse. Gene Brody, co-author of the study and Regents Professor in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences, commenting, said, “We found that involved and supportive parenting can completely override the effects of a genetic risk for substance abuse… It’s a very encouraging finding that shows the power of parenting.” The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that reviews the study in more depth:
Brody and his colleagues, which include UGA Institute for Behavioral Research director Steven Beach and University of Iowa Associate Professor of Psychiatry Robert Philibert, focused their attention on a gene known as 5HTT that’s involved in the transport of the brain chemical serotonin. Most people carry two copies of the long version of the gene, but those with one or two copies of the short version have been shown in several studies to have a greater likelihood of consuming alcohol and other substances and to have higher levels of impulsivity and risk taking.
The researchers interviewed 253 African-American families in rural Georgia over a four-year period. After obtaining informed consent from the parents and youth, they collected saliva samples for genetic testing.
The researchers found that nearly 60 percent of the youth had two copies of the long gene, while the remainder had one or two copies of the short gene that confers risk. As expected, the use of substances was low among 11 year-olds and increased as the youth aged. By age 14, 21 percent of the youth had smoked cigarettes, 42 percent had used alcohol, five percent had drank heavily and five percent had used marijuana.
Among youth with the genetic risk factor, those who received low levels of involved and supportive parenting increased their substance use at rate three times higher than youth with high levels of parental support. Among youth with high levels of involved and supportive parenting, the difference in substance abuse was negligible - regardless of genetic risk.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medical News Today
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February 18, 200912:20 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
New hope for early intervention in schizophrenia
A study recently published in the Medical Journal of Australia offers new hope for early intervention in schizophrenia. According to Professor Ian Hickie, Executive Director of the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Institute, and Professor Patrick McGorry, Executive Director of the University of Melbourne’s ORYGEN Research Centre, schizophrenia may not be accounted for by genetic factors alone; the environment may also have a role to play. Professor Hickie said, “…for the past 20 years, much of the research into schizophrenia has been based on the belief that the disorder results largely from genetically determined abnormalities in brain development.” This type of thinking has discounted the value of early intervention strategies, the researchers went on to explain. According to findings from the study, there are many potential environmental risks for schizophrenia as well. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that discusses the study’s findings more:
“Postpubescent use of cannabis has been shown to have a critical role, and amphetamine use is now being closely investigated. Other factors under the microscope include infection and other inflammatory risk factors as well as the impact of oestrogen exposure.”
Professor Hickie said a clinical staging model is also challenging the dogma that each of the major psychiatric disorders has a unique pathway.
“By contrast, the staging model suggests a ‘trunk and branch’ analogy with the early stages sharing common factors that branch out into more specific symptoms later on, typically when patients are in their early 20s.
“The exciting part of this is that it introduces the possibility that early intervention could help treat a broad range of disorders.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medical News Today
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February 16, 200912:24 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Binge drinking a problem among active military personnel…
According to a study recently published by the University of Minnesota and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), binge drinking is a common problem among active military personnel, which results in job performance issues as well as impaired driving. The study examined 16,037 active duty military personnel; 43 percent reported binge drinking within the past month. Binge drinking was defined as four or more drinks at one sitting for females and five or more drinks at one sitting for males. Around two-thirds of those that reported binge drinking were ages 17 to 25. “Our study clearly shows that binge drinking is a significant public health problem in the military, which is dangerous to both the drinkers and to those around them… It also underscores the importance of implementing effective strategies to prevent underage and binge drinking, such as maintaining and enforcing the age 21 minimum legal drinking age and increasing alcohol excise taxes,” said Mandy Stahre, M.P.H., author of the study. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that discusses the study:
The study analyzed data from 16,037 active-duty military personnel who participated in a 2005 Department of Defense Survey of Health-Related Behaviors among Military Personnel. Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks on one occasion for a woman or five or more drinks on one occasion for a man. It was reported by 43 percent of active-duty personnel during the past-month, resulting in a total of approximately 30 million episodes of binge drinking or roughly 30 episodes per person per year. About two-thirds of these episodes were reported by active-duty personnel who were 17 to 25 years of age at the time of the survey, including 5 million episodes that were reported by active-duty personnel who were under 21 years of age.
The researchers also found that alcohol-related problems were reported by more than half of all active-duty personnel who reported binge drinking, and that compared to non-binge drinkers, binge drinkers were more than six times more likely to report job performance problems and about five times more likely to report driving after having too much to drink.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medical News Today
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February 13, 20093:27 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Mounting evidence of adverse effects of antidepressants in bipolar patients…
According to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, patients with bipolar disorder may be at a higher risk for treatment-emergent mania when taking antidepressants. According to the study, even patients with lower scores for bipolar symptoms, such as racing thoughts and psychomotor agitation, were at a higher risk for rapid mood switches when taking antidepressants. This study provides the first prospective controlled data, adding to the already abundant evidence of adverse effects of antidepressants in bipolar patients. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that discusses the study further:
These findings are the first prospective, controlled data supporting heightened risk of mood cycling and add to mounting evidence against antidepressants in bipolar disorder, noted Christopher D. Schneck, M.D., of the University of Colorado, in an accompanying editorial.
By re-emphasizing the importance of evaluating these symptoms, he wrote, “clinicians may be able to better predict which patients have an underlying bipolar diathesis and thereby avoid giving them antidepressants.”
But finding effective strategies to treat mixed presentations in bipolar disorder is a challenge, Dr. Frye acknowledged. While there are treatments approved for the manic phase of bipolar disorder, no antidepressants are FDA approved for the depressive phase.
Because treatment-emergent mania events can be “volatile and very destructive for the patient as well as their family,” Dr. Frye said he is now much more alert to risk-associated symptoms and more likely to use alternative treatments, such as mood stabilizers or focused psychotherapy.
The researchers analyzed outcomes for 176 adult outpatients with bipolar disorder in a 10-week trial comparing bupropion (Wellbutrin), sertraline (Zoloft), and venlafaxine (Effexor) as adjunctive antidepressant treatment for depression.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
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February 12, 20093:26 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Suicide numbers among army personnel match those among civilians
According to figures released recently by the Pentagon, for the first time since the Vietnam War suicide numbers among army personnel match those among civilians. Additionally, the growing number of army suicides is the highest that it has been in decades; 20.2 per 100,000, 128 suicides in 2008, were committed by both active and reserve army personal. These numbers may actually increase for 2008 after the completion of 15 investigations surrounding deaths of army personnel. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that discusses the implications of these numbers:
And January figures suggest the rate is accelerating. The Army has confirmed seven suicides last month and is investigating 17 additional suspicious deaths.
The final count is expected to surpass the number of combat deaths in January, which reached 16 among all branches of the military.
Although officials said 15-month deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan play a role in the suicide increase, they do not appear to be the whole story. Only about a quarter of the suicides took place in the war zones.
The Army’s vice chief of staff has promised “to move quickly to do everything we can to reverse the very disturbing number of suicides we have.”
Last year, civilian mental health officials warned of a “gathering storm” of suicides among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today
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