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RENEWAL: Christian Treatment & Recovery is a Brookhaven Hospital program. For more information, contact us at:
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April 30, 20108:19 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Depressed individuals are more likely to consume chocolate
Chocolate has long been associated with altered mood. In fact, a Google search on the keywords “chocolate” and “mood” retrieved almost six million results. The question then is “could people with depression eat chocolate in an effort to self-medicate?” While that question is not yet answered, findings published in the April 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that depressed individuals are likely to consume more chocolate. In fact, individuals who tested positive for depression consumed about 60% more chocolate than those with lower scores. Individuals with major depression more than doubled chocolate consumption. Natalie Rose, MD, of the University of California Davis, and colleagues wrote in conclusion, “Whether there is a causal connection, and if so in which direction, is a matter for future prospective study.” Click here to read an article from CNN AC360 that discusses this study more.
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April 28, 20108:14 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Infants whose mothers used methadone in utero more prone to visual problems
According to findings reported online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, infants whose mothers used methadone in utero are more prone to visual problems. Ruth Hamilton, PhD, of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow, and colleagues, found that, out of the cohort of 20 children exposed to methadone in utero, all but one had reduced visual acuity; 70% of these children also had nystagmus. Although all the participants’ mothers had used methadone while they (the participants) were in utero, the cohort was also exposed to a number of other factors specific to their socioeconomic setting that could have contributed to visual loss. For example, many of the mothers associated with the cohort had used a number of other illicit drugs or possessed physical or mental impairments.Click here to read an article from Modern Medicine that discusses this study more.
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April 26, 20108:11 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Marijuana use increases the risk of testicular germ-cell cancer
According to findings from a study revealed at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, frequent and long-term marijuana use increased the risk of testicular germ-cell cancer up to threefold. Marijuana use for more than ten years nearly doubled the already threefold risk from daily use. According to Britton Trabert, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, “The results are consistent with those from an earlier study… we can only speculate about the nature of this association, but one possibility is that exposure to marijuana during puberty might play a role in the development of nonseminoma, which occurs about a decade earlier than seminoma.” Click here to read an article from the BBC that discusses this study more.
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April 23, 20108:30 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Computer use and moderate exercise slow mild cognitive impairment
At the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Yonas Geda, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., reported that computer use and moderate physical exercise later in life are associated with a decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Both elements, physical exercise and computer use, were separately associated with a lower risk of MCI in a cross-sectional analysis of participants in an aging study. However, there was also evidence of a significant benefit theorized to be a synergistic effect of incorporating both activities. Geda was quick to admit, however, that it is difficult to assign cause and effect in a cross-sectional study; “…maybe a person who can use a computer does not have cognitive issues (while) a person with cognitive issues may shy away from computers,” he said. Click here to read an article from Medscape that discusses this study more.
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April 21, 20107:56 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Is tanning addictive?
According to a study published in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, 39.3% of 229 college students completing a survey met DSM-IV criteria for addiction. Catherine E. Mosher, PhD, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and Sharon Danoff-Burg, PhD, of the State University of New York at Albany, explained that those who were considered to be “problem tanners” admitted to behaviors such as feeling annoyed when they were told they were tanning too much, skipping work in order to use tanning beds, and trying unsuccessfully to cut down. “Tanning may be conceptualized as an addictive behavior for a subgroup of individuals who tan indoors,” Mosher and Danoff-Burg wrote. The researchers found that tanning addicts had an increased association with alcohol use, marijuana use, moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, and, of course, higher than average tanning bed use =0). Click here to read an article from New York Daily News that discusses this study more.
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April 19, 20108:26 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Inhalant use just as common in young people with lung disease
Findings from a recent government survey found that huffing is just as common among adolescents with a history of lung disease as it is in general adolescent populations. According to the data, about one out of every 20 adolescents with a history of lung disease used inhalants to get high; in other words, 143,000 adolescents with a lung disease used inhalants. SAMHSA administrator Pamela S. Hyde, JD, said, “No one should engage in huffing; the consequences can be deadly… the fact that adolescents with respiratory problems are just as likely to engage in huffing as adolescents in general underscores the continued need to educate parents, teachers, service providers, and young people about what they can do to prevent the misuse of common, everyday products.” Click here to read an article from Medpage Today that discusses this study more.
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April 16, 20108:15 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Smoking ban lowers hospital admissions
Findings from a Toronto based study found an association between smoking bans in restaurants and hospital admissions; specifically, admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions declined by 30 to 40% in a community in Toronto where the ban was in place. There was not a decline in hospital admissions in areas observed where smoking bans were not in place; additionally, other areas that did enforce the ban saw no decrease in related hospital admissions. Commenting, Alisa Naiman, MD, of the University of Toronto, and colleagues, wrote “Our results serve to expand the list of health outcomes that may be ameliorated by smoking bans… further research is needed to establish the types of settings in which smoking bans are most effective. Our results lend legitimacy to efforts to further reduce public exposure to tobacco smoke.” Click here to read an article from Business Week that discusses this study more.
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April 15, 20105:15 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Breast disease linked to regular drinking in young women
Findings related to breast disease were released from the American Academy of Pediatrics in a statement that warned against adolescent drinking. According to the data, with every drink consumed per day among girls ages 15 to 22 there is a 50% increased risk of biopsy-confirmed benign breast disease. Girls who drank daily were at a 5.5-fold risk (95% CI 1.23 to 24.53), compared to those who never drank or drank less than once a week. “If future work confirms our findings, clinician efforts to delay the onset of alcohol consumption and to reduce amounts consumed may prevent some cases of benign breast disease and breast cancer,” they wrote in Pediatrics. Click here to read an article from Medpage Today that discusses this study more.
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April 14, 20107:26 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
A Mediterranean diet may help to stave off Alzheimer’s disease
A Mediterranean diet has long been associated with good heart health; a growing amount of studies support this notion. However, what is good for the heart may also be good for the brain; that is, a Mediterranean diet may help to stave off Alzheimer’s disease. According to findings published online in Archives of Neurology, 2000 dementia free individuals 65 and older who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, leafy greens and omega-3 fatty acids were 38% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s during a four year follow-up. “Our findings provide support for further exploration of food combination-based dietary behavior for the prevention of this important public health problem,” wrote Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, of Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues. While more research is warranted no harm can come from a Mediterranean-style diet. “In any event, the diets do no harm and may have some benefits, hence their frequent recommendation by physicians,” Samuel Gandy, MD, PhD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, wrote. Click here to read an article from ABC News that discusses this study more.
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April 8, 20109:21 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Institutional settings or foster care?
According to findings from a study published in the June issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, moving young children from institutional settings to foster care greatly improves their physical and mental development. Dana E. Johnson, MD, PhD, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues, reported that within 12 months of involvement in a foster care setting children in Romania reached normal ranges for height in 100% and weight in 90%; additionally, each increase in height was associated with a 12.6 rise in verbal IQ and a 8.14 rise in developmental quotient. Dr. Johnson expressed that, no matter the country, a shift from institutionalized care to foster care improves overall child development. “Psychosocial deprivation within any care-giving environment during early life is as detrimental as malnutrition and must be viewed with as much concern as any severely debilitating childhood disease,” the researchers wrote. Click here to read an article from Medpage Today that discusses this study more.
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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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