Distinguishing FTD from Depression
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
A specific neuropsychological assessment shows promise.
By Jonathan Silver, MD
March 26, 2012
Covering:
Bertoux M et al., J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2012 Apr; 83:411
Lower BDNF Expression in Bipolar-II Patients
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
The effect is associated with DNA methylation increases, which are aggravated by antidepressants and reversed by two mood stabilizers.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
March 26, 2012
Covering:
D'Addario C et al., Neuropsychopharmacology 2012 Feb 22
Is Connectivity in the Brain a Biomarker Signature for Depression?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
On quantitative electroencephalography, measures of resting-state functional connectivity between diverse brain nodes differentiate depressed from normal brains.
By Joel Yager, MD
March 19, 2012
Covering:
Leuchter AF et al., PLoS ONE 2012 Feb 24; 7:e32508
Antidepressants Work, and Depression Severity Does Not Matter
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Effects are greatest in children, but are significant for all, in a study examining patient-level data from 41 studies focusing on two antidepressants.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
March 12, 2012
Covering:
Gibbons RD et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012 March 5
SSRIs During Pregnancy Slow Fetal Head Growth
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Preterm birth was also associated with prenatal SSRI exposure.
By Deborah Cowley, MD
March 12, 2012
Covering:
El Marroun H et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012 Mar 5
Nature and Nurture in Suicide Attempts
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In adoptees, the risk for suicidality was increased with the combination of suicidality in the biological parent and psychiatric hospitalization in the adoptive mother.
By Joel Yager, MD
March 12, 2012
Covering:
Wilcox HC et al., Am J Psychiatry 2012 Feb 7
Which Comes First: Depression or Risk Behaviors?
Depressive symptoms precede increases in adolescent use of tobacco, marijuana, and hard drugs but not alcohol.
High-Risk Opioid Use More Likely with PTSD Diagnoses in Veterans
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Such prescriptions may be trying to address physical and emotional pain, but may result in adverse outcomes, worsened mental health, and impaired functioning.
Broad Mental Health Service Changes Can Prevent Suicide
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
Better organization and delivery of mental health services can improve rates of suicide, especially in the most impoverished patients.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
March 5, 2012
Covering:
While D et al., Lancet 2012 Feb 2
Conwell Y and Farley-Toombs C., Lancet 2012 Feb 2
Mothers' Nurturing Makes a Difference
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
A longitudinal study of children starting at preschool age examines associations between nurturance, depression, and hippocampal volumes.
By Barbara Geller, MD
March 5, 2012
Covering:
Luby JL et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012 Feb 21; 109:2854
How Early Stress Permanently Changes Reactions to Later Stress
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Overexpression of the glucocorticoid receptor in early life may have effects throughout the lifespan.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
March 5, 2012
Covering:
Wei Q et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Feb 1; 71:224
van Zuiden M et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Feb 15; 71:309
Russo SJ., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Feb 1; 71:182
Some Adults with OCD Have Anti–Basal Ganglia Antibodies
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
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Twenty percent of adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder were found to have these antibodies, compared with 4% of patients with other psychiatric disorders.
By Barbara Geller, MD
February 27, 2012
Covering:
Nicholson TRJ et al., Br J Psychiatry 2012 Jan 26
Short-Term Depression Treatments: Everybody Wins and Gets a Prize
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In a 16-week study, two supposedly effective treatments (dynamic psychotherapy and medication) show no significant overall effect, although specific treatments seem to work better for certain patients.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
February 27, 2012
Covering:
Barber JP et al., J Clin Psychiatry 2012 Jan; 73:66
Kocsis JH., J Clin Psychiatry 2012 Jan; 73:64
DBS Still Looks Like an Option for Refractory Depression
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
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Both bipolar and unipolar patients benefited, with 11 of 12 patients in remission after 2.5 years.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Holtzheimer PE et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012 Feb; 69:150
Diagnosis and Treatment of Teen Depression Since the FDA Warnings
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Five years after the FDA warnings about antidepressant-associated suicidality, diagnosing and prescribing practices continue to change.
By Barbara Geller, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Clarke G et al., J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2012 Jan 17
Caring for Relatives or Friends with Treatment-Resistant Depression Takes Its Toll
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Caregiving is associated with psychiatric symptoms and post-awakening hypocortisolism.
DNA Repair in Depression and Antidepressant Response
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Patients have higher than normal DNA-repair enzyme activity, and those with the highest activity respond less well to antidepressants.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Wolkowitz OM et al., Mol Psychiatry 2012 Feb; 17:164
Brain Changes with Lithium and Haloperidol: An Animal Study
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Lithium's neuroprotective qualities contrast with the decreases in gray matter associated with haloperidol.
By Barbara Geller, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Vernon AC et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Jan 13
A Genetic Endophenotype for Bipolar I Disorder?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Patients and their first-degree relatives had differences in activation of neural systems associated with motivation, compared with controls.
By Joel Yager, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Linke J et al., Am J Psychiatry 2012 Jan 19
Dermatomyositis Skin Disease Affects Quality of Life
Dermatology Summary and Comment
. . . and activity of the skin disease is directly correlated with QoL scores.
By Jeffrey P Callen, MD
February 3, 2012
Covering:
Goreshi R et al., J Am Acad Dermatol 2011 Dec; 65:1107
Is Preventing Transmission of Mental Illness from Parent to Child Possible?
Interventions for parents decreased risk for childhood psychiatric diagnosis by 40%.
By Martin T. Stein, MD
February 1, 2012
Covering:
Siegenthaler E et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012 Jan; 51:8
Emergency Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior: Are We Doing Our Best?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
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Many patients with self-injury, including those with the greatest risks, never receive a psychiatric evaluation.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
January 30, 2012
Covering:
Olfson M et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012 Jan; 69:80
A Clinically Relevant Way to Assess Antidepressant Effectiveness
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Looking at response trajectories instead of endpoints reveals that early response to antidepressants likely means continued improvement.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
January 30, 2012
Covering:
Gueorguieva R et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011 Dec; 68:1227
Make the Brain Younger to Treat Anxiety: An Animal Study
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may change the brain to an immature state where behavior therapy may be more effective.
By Jonathan Silver, MD
January 30, 2012
Covering:
Karpova NN et al., Science 2011 Dec 23; 334:1731
Antiepileptics May Not Elevate Suicide Risk in Patients with Bipolar Disorder
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
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A 30-year observational study showed no rise in risk for suicidal behaviors when antiepileptic medications were used.
By Joel Yager, MD
January 23, 2012
Covering:
Leon AC et al., Am J Psychiatry 2011 Dec 15
