Would You Rather Be Depressed or Physically Ill?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Worldwide, depression is more disabling than four common chronic medical illnesses.
By Deborah Cowley, MD
November 5, 2007
Covering:
Moussavi S et al., Lancet 2007 Sep 8; 370:851
Patients Describe Their ECT Experience 4 Years Later
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Patients who report continuing adverse effects after ECT might suffer from persistent depression.
Obsessive and Compulsive Mice?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
This animal study may point the way to a new understanding of a sometimes difficult-to-treat illness.
By Barbara Geller, MD
October 15, 2007
Covering:
Welch JM et al., Nature 2007 Aug 23; 448:894
Hyman SE., Nature 2007 Aug 23; 448:871
Structured Depression Care and Workplace Benefits
General Medicine Summary and Comment
A depression-outreach treatment program improved work productivity outcomes as well as clinical outcomes.
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
October 9, 2007
Covering:
Wang PS et al., JAMA 2007 Sep 26; 298:1401
Wells KB and Miranda J., JAMA 2007 Sep 26; 298:1451
Depression Reduces Health Status More Than Common Physical Chronic Diseases
General Medicine Summary and Comment
A worldwide study finds that health scores drop when a chronic disease is accompanied by depression.
By Bruce Soloway, MD
October 9, 2007
Covering:
Moussavi S et al., Lancet 2007 Sep 8; 370:851
Reduced Hippocampal Volumes in Primary Insomnia
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Chronic sleep loss may affect brain structure.
A Molecular Target for PTSD?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
A hippocampal pathway seems to underlie the process of fear extinction.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
October 5, 2007
Covering:
Sananbenesi F et al., Nat Neurosci 2007 Aug; 10:1012
Psychiatric Medications, Psychiatric Disorders, and Pregnancy: New Data
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Pregnancy outcomes in psychiatric patients were related to medications — and to anxiety symptoms.
By Joel Yager, MD
October 1, 2007
Covering:
Suri R et al., Am J Psychiatry 2007 Aug; 164:1206
Newport DJ et al., Am J Psychiatry 2007 Aug; 164:1214
Orr ST et al., Psychosom Med 2007 Jul/Aug; 69:566
Maintenance Treatment and Health-Related Quality of Life in Depressed Elders
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Antidepressants were better than psychotherapy.
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
September 25, 2007
Covering:
Dombrovski AY et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2007 Sep; 55:1325
Treating Depressed Workers Improves Work Productivity
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Optimizing depression treatments could be seen as an investment, not a cost.
A New Treatment Approach for Bipolar Depression
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Could adjunctive modafinil help?
By Joel Yager, MD
September 24, 2007
Covering:
Frye MA et al., Am J Psychiatry 2007 Aug; 164:1242
Following Practice Guidelines Leads to Better Depression Outcomes
General Medicine Summary and Comment
But guideline adherence is generally low in primary care settings.
Spinal Cord Injury Improves Mental Health?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Perceived quality of life was better than normal among men with spinal cord injuries.
By Jonathan Silver, MD
September 17, 2007
Covering:
Abrantes-Pais F de N et al., Neurology 2007 Jul 17; 69:261
Parenting’s Challenges Predict Mental Health of Moms
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Parenting stressors were associated with poor maternal mental health.
Molecular Mechanisms of Resilience
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Animal studies of learned helplessness suggest a novel pharmacologic approach to depression.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
September 10, 2007
Covering:
Berton O et al., Neuron 2007 Jul 19; 55:289-300
Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonists for PTSD?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In an animal study, researchers targeted memory reactivation, an element of the stress response.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
September 10, 2007
Covering:
Tronel S and Alberini CM., Biol Psychiatry 2007 Jul 1; 62:33-9
How Sick Are Patients in Clinical Trials? What Does That Mean for the Clinician?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Stricter depression criteria for study entry did not result in higher scores in enrolled patients.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
September 10, 2007
Covering:
Khan A et al., Biol Psychiatry 2007 Jul 1; 62:65-71
Suicide and Epilepsy
Neurology Summary and Comment
Free
The risk for suicide is greatest during the first 6 months after epilepsy diagnosis and in those with coexisting psychiatric illness.
By Orrin Devinsky, MD
August 21, 2007
Covering:
Christensen J et al., Lancet Neurol 2007 Aug; 6:693-8
Lithium Helps Your Brain as Well as Your Mood
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In bipolar patients, lithium seems to increase gray matter in areas that regulate mood and cognition.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
August 13, 2007
Covering:
Bearden CE et al., Biol Psychiatry 2007 Jul 1; 62:7-16
Aripiprazole Augmentation in Treatment-Resistant Depression
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
This atypical antipsychotic shows some efficacy.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
August 6, 2007
Covering:
Berman RM et al., J Clin Psychiatry 2007 Jun; 68:843-53
Vulnerability to Depressive Symptoms After Adverse Life Events
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Dopamine receptor polymorphisms get some attention.
By Joel Yager, MD
August 6, 2007
Covering:
Elovainio M et al., Psychosom Med 2007 Jun; 69:391-5
Suicide in Psychiatric Inpatients
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Some risk factors may be modifiable.
Combined Therapy for Adolescents with Depression?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
A British study found no additional benefit when CBT was added to a regimen of SSRI plus comprehensive supportive care.
By Barbara Geller, MD
July 20, 2007
Covering:
Goodyer I et al., BMJ 2007 Jun 7
Emerging Perspectives: Look Again — SSRIs and Fewer Suicide Attempts
In particular patients, SSRIs might increase suicidality, but overall they are associated with significant decreases in suicide attempts.
By Joel Yager, MD
July 13, 2007
Long-Term Impact of Childhood Trauma
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Even if they lack current psychopathology, adults who had experienced trauma during childhood evidence greater reactivity.
By M. Katherine Shear, MD
July 9, 2007
Covering:
Pole N et al., J Abnorm Psychol 2007 May; 116:352-61
