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RENEWAL: Christian Treatment & Recovery is a Brookhaven Hospital program. For more information, contact us at:
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201 S. Garnett Rd.
Tulsa, OK 74128
888-298-HOPE
Fax: 918-438-8016
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April 30, 20098:50 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Quick pulse before workout… deadly?
A study recently published online in the European Heart Journal found a link between heart rate increase in anticipation of exercise and cardiac risk. The study found that individuals who experience mild mental stress in anticipation of a work out resulting in a quickened heart rate have twice the risk for sudden cardiac related death. Researchers commenting about the phenomenon stated, “Few measurements in medicine are as inexpensive and as easy to obtain in large general populations as to measure the heart rate difference between resting and being ready to perform an exercise test…” The researchers theorized that increased heart rate possibly serves as a modifier for risk causing ventricular fibrillation resulting in sudden death. Click here to read an article from CBC News that discusses the findings more.
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April 28, 20094:03 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Binge Drinking Affects White Matter in Teenage Brains
It is well known that abnormalities occur in the white matter of adult alcoholics, those that have drank heavily for sustained periods of time; however, little is known about whether or not changes in white matter occur only over an extended period of time. A study recently published online in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has revealed that teens who participate in binge drinking may be compromising the integrity of white matter in their brains, suggesting that white matter abnormalities can occur over a relatively short period of time. The cross-sectional study of 28 teens found that participants who reported binge drinking had lower measures of fiber coherence in white matter structure than those that did not binge drink. Abnormalities in white matter slow brain function; white matter is essential for the relaying of information and abnormalities in this area of the brain inhibit one’s ability to process multiple sources of information at the same time. The study’s authors commenting on the findings stated, “there has been concern that it [white matter] may be more vulnerable to the effects of neurotoxins such as high doses of alcohol…these relationships suggest that high-dose alcohol consumption may index adverse influences on white matter caliber.” Click here to read an article from Modern Medicine that links to the study’s abstract and discusses the findings more.
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April 23, 200912:35 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
The Effects of Music on Heart Patients Uncertain
The stress reducing effects of music on medical and general populations is well documented. However, it is uncertain whether soothing music has any notable effect on patients with coronary heart disease; a therapeutic affect may be present but currently results are unclear. Researchers commenting on the potential for stress reducing effects of music on coronary heart disease patients said, “The quality of the evidence is not strong and the clinical significance unclear.”
Coronary heart disease patients could definately benefit from stress reduction as this populace encounters stress from diagnosis, treatment procedures, and from fear of an uncertain future that causes the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which increase heart rate, respiration, oxygen demand, blood pressure and anxiety levels in general.
It was clear to the researchers that more study should be conducted to measure the relationship between soothing music and stress relief in coronary heart disease patients after a systematic review of 23 randomized clinical trials covering the content area yielded uncertain results. Click here to read an article from Medpage Today that discusses the findings more.
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April 22, 20098:17 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Relief oriented use of marijuana by teens
Almost a third of teenagers in a small Canada based study reported using cannabis for the relief of health problems. The study examined results from 63 in-depth interviews with teenagers ages 13-18 who reported smoking cannabis regularly, rather than socially or recreationally. The study, published online in Substance Abuse, Treatment, Prevention and Policy, found that 20 of the 63 teenagers interviewed use the drug to manage issues of anxiety, stress, depression, and difficulty sleeping. Researchers commented on the findings relaying that teens may believe that cannabis is “…the only available alternative for those experiencing difficult health problems when legitimate medical treatments have failed or when they lack access to appropriate healthcare.” The therapeutic users were “…adamant and confident that marijuana provided relief from their health problems,” the researchers said. Click here to read an article from the UK Telegraph that discusses the findings more.
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April 21, 20094:43 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Poor Health Linked to PTSD Risk Among Vets
Many studies have focused on combat exposure as the central source of risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fewer studies have focused on other factors such as general deployment, family history of mental illness, community supports, and health status. The tragedy of this trend is that assuming PTSD risk is essentially derived from combat exposure could cause healthcare practitioners to overlook individuals that may be prone to PTSD and other stress related disorders pre-engagement. A study recently published online in BMJ drives this point home. According to the study’s findings, military personnel who had significant mental or physical problems before deployment possessed risk for PTSD two to three times greater than those that did not. More than half of the military personnel involved in the study diagnosed with PTSD ranked below the 15th percentile in physical or mental health at baseline. Data for the study was gathered from the Millennium Cohort Study, which collected health information on military personnel from 2001; the study’s authors procured data from the cohort between the dates of June 2004 and February 2006, sampling information from 5,410 combat veterans. The authors of the study commenting on the findings said, “We have identified an at-risk population whose functional health seems to predict vulnerability to PTSD after combat deployment… in theory, such a population could be targeted for PTSD prevention programs, early intervention after exposures to stress, or even protection from stressful exposures, when possible.” Click here to read an article from Modern Medicine that discusses this study more.
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April 17, 20097:32 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Effects of meth use during pregnancy
Prenatal methamphetamine exposure harms brain development, particularly in white matter, according to findings from a study recently published online in Neurology. According to the findings, prenatal meth use accounts for up to a 4% reduction in specific white matter areas of the brain and a lower diffusion of molecules throughout all regions of the brain. The increases in fractional anisotropy that are expected in normal brain development were not seen in children who were exposed to meth prenatal. Researchers commenting on the study’s findings stated, “such abnormal brain development may account for the slower maturation of behavioral measures observed in neonates with prenatal methamphetamine exposure… methamphetamine is one of the drugs that’s very difficult for pregnant moms to quit as compared to many of the other drugs like cocaine.” Click here to read an article from Reuters UK that discusses this issue more.
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April 16, 200912:36 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Where You Live May Affect Your State Of Mind
In recent years reports of mental distress are increasing. A study published online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reported that 10.2% of adults in America possessed frequent mental distress from 2003 to 2006. These numbers have increased from reports of frequent mental distress at 9% from 1993 to 2001. According to Matthew M. Zack, M.D., M.P.H, of the division of adult and community health at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues, the lowest frequency of mental distress was found among Hawaii residents at 6.6%; the highest frequency of mental distress was found in Kentucky at 14.4%. The researchers commenting on the findings said that states with large urban populations “…tend to reflect the prevalence in those areas due to their sheer numbers, potentially obscuring the detection of high or low prevalence in less-populated areas of the state.” The study examined results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System analysis, which surveyed 2.4 million adults.
I can only image what effects our current economic crisis will have on this analysis as more data becomes available. Click here to read an article from CNN.com that discusses the findings more.
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April 15, 20094:15 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Pot and tobacco smoking are a bad combination
Recent findings published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal have found that individuals who smoke both marijuana and tobacco have a significantly increased risk for COPD. The study, authored by Wan Cheng Tan, M.D., of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and colleagues, found that smoking marijuana alone did not significantly increase risk in their sample population; the authors of the study did mention that this does not rule out marijuana as a risk for COPD as their observational study was too small to rule out this association. Individuals who used marijuana and tobacco concurrently were shown to have a risk ratio of 2.39, and a 95% confidence interval from 1.58 to 3.62. The authors did comment on the limitations of the study stating, “we lacked data on possible variations in the potency of marijuana smoked over a participant’s lifetime, on individual differences in method of inhalation used by smokers of only tobacco and by smokers of both tobacco and marijuana, on the proportion of smokers who combine marijuana and tobacco in the same cigarette, and on the concomitant use of other illegal drugs.” Click here to read an article from InsiderMedicine.com that discusses the study’s findings more.
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April 14, 20094:27 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Cognitive Therapy May Ease Seniors’ Anxiety
Sometimes more of the same is not the most beneficial route to change. Clinical models for change are most effective when tailored to the needs of specific client populations; a study observing the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in older patients with generalized anxiety demonstrates my point. A randomized trail found that cognitive behavioral therapy may be a superior method for elevating symptoms of anxiety in senior patients. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, observed older patients with generalized anxiety disorder in a primary care setting. Outcomes from three months of cognitive behavioral therapy were compared to an enhanced version of usual care that was similarly administered for three months. According to Melinda A. Stanley, Ph.D., of Baylor College of Medicine, older patients who received CBT during the trail showed greater improvement in general mental health, worry severity, and depressive symptoms. The improvements in patient health were maintained upon a one year follow-up. Researchers commenting on the findings concluded that “…cognitive behavior therapy is useful for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder in primary care.” Click here to read an article from WebMD that discusses the study more.
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April 10, 20094:21 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Early Psychiatric Problems in Boys Predict Suicidality
According to findings from a study recently published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, boys who have psychiatric problems are more likely to attempt suicide than those that do not. According to Andre Sourander, M.D., of Turku University Hospital in Turku, Finland, and colleagues, 78% of males in the study that attempted suicide were found to have emotional and conduct problems at age 8; the same was not found to be true of girls in this age range. Due to the fact that males have a higher success rate than females when attempting suicide early detection of psychiatric problems is essential for adolescent males. The researchers commenting on the findings stated, “This focus is particularly important among males with severe conduct problems because, during adolescence, they usually do not seek mental health services.” Click here to view an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study’s findings.
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"I knew if I didn't get help, I was in for trouble. The Renewal program gave me the tools I needed to get my life back in order and also helped me restore my relationship with God."
--Lori H
Rolf B. Gainer, Ph.D., Diplomate ABDA, is the Chief Executive Office at Brookhaven Hospital and the Vice President of Rehabilitation Institutes of America. Dr. Gainer has been involved in the design and operation of treatment programs since 1977.
Aric Thorpe, MHR, is Brookhaven Hospital's Pastoral Liaison Representative. He conducts the quarterly Minister's Lifeline series and provides mental health information to pastors and clergy.
Sarah McGee, BA, serves as the Community Education Provider for Brookhaven Hospital. She provides information on mental health and drug and alcohol treatment to healthcare professionals in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
Michael Mason- A versatile and prolific writer, Michael is the author of the book, "Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath," and regularly delivers engaging talks and readings to audiences nationwide. Michael serves at Brookhaven Hospital as an advocate for individuals with brain injury.
Penny Rott, MS, is a brain injury case manager for the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute at Brookhaven Hospital..
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