Depression and Anxiety Outcomes Are Poor in Patients with Severe Alcoholism
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Alcohol-dependent patients with depressive or anxiety disorders have worse 2-year outcomes than patients without alcoholism diagnoses, in an analysis controlling for treatment received.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
June 25, 2012
Covering:
Boschloo L et al., Br J Psychiatry 2012 Jun; 200:476
Legal Medical Marijuana Poses Risks to Teens
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
A remarkable 74% of teens in two Colorado substance treatment programs admit to use of diverted marijuana.
By Barbara Geller, MD
June 18, 2012
Covering:
Salomonsen-Sautel S et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012 May 28
Enough About You, Let's Talk About Me
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Talking about oneself stimulates the brain's reward system.
By Jonathan Silver, MD
June 4, 2012
Covering:
Tamir DI and Mitchell JP., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012 May 22; 109:8038
Why Alcohol-Related Driving Fatalities Haven't Decreased
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Alcohol levels below legal limits are associated with elevated rates of fatal crashes.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
May 25, 2012
Covering:
Voas RB et al., J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2012 May; 73:341
Cardiovascular Risk Doesn't Increase During Varenicline Use for Tobacco Cessation
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Meta-analysis results conflict with those of an earlier controversial analysis.
Alcohol Sensitivity and Mood Disorder
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Young adults with bipolar features expect more pleasant effects from alcohol intake but have lower "highs" than controls.
By Barbara Geller, MD
May 14, 2012
Covering:
Yip SW et al., Neuropsychopharmacology 2012 Apr 11
Cannabis: Cognitive and Neuroanatomical Effects and Risks
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
THC's effects on working memory are similar to schizophrenia, and prefrontal brain volume may predict cannabis use.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
May 14, 2012
Covering:
Bossong MG et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Apr 15; 71:693
Cheetham A et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Apr 15; 71:684
Churchwell JC et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Apr 15; 71:664
Skosnik PD et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012 Apr 15; 71:662
Deaths from Unintentional Injury Are Declining Among U.S. Children
But certain types of injury-related mortality are on the rise.
By Peggy Sue Weintrub, MD
May 2, 2012
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2012 Apr 20; 61:270
Youth with Chronic Pain and Mental Health Disorders Are at Risk for Long-Term Opioid Use
Knowledge of a preexisting mental health diagnosis calls for judicious prescribing of opioids and careful monitoring of refills.
Exposure to Alcohol Use by Parents and in Movies Correlates with Onset of Adolescent Drinking
But only exposure in movies predicts transition to binge drinking.
Naltrexone Implants for Polydrug Dependence
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In a randomized, controlled trial, naltrexone implants decreased both heroin and amphetamine use.
By Joel Yager, MD
April 2, 2012
Covering:
Tiihonen J et al., Am J Psychiatry 2012 Feb 17
Long-Term Opioid Analgesic Use After Low-Risk Surgery May Be Common
General Medicine Summary and Comment
The likelihood of receiving an opioid prescription 1 year later was almost 50% greater if opioids had been prescribed postoperatively.
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
March 27, 2012
Covering:
Alam A et al., Arch Intern Med 2012 Mar 12; 172:425
Sullivan MD and Ballantyne JC., Arch Intern Med 2012 Mar 12; 172:433
A Snapshot of HIV Infection Among Injection-Drug Users in the U.S.
Despite ongoing high-risk behavior, the prevalence of HIV infection among injection-drug users is about half of what it was a decade ago.
By Carlos del Rio, MD
March 26, 2012
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2012 Mar 2; 61:133
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.
Abnormal Brain Structure in Addicts: Cause, Not Effect
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Stimulant addiction may result from inherited abnormalities in brain structure that encourage impulsive behavior and impair behavioral control.
By Anthony L. Komaroff, MD
March 6, 2012
Covering:
Ersche KD et al., Science 2012 Feb 3; 335:601
Volkow ND and Baler RD., Science 2012 Feb 3; 335:546
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis — A Case Series
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Consider this syndrome if a long-term marijuana user presents with otherwise unexplained recurrent vomiting.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
March 6, 2012
Covering:
Simonetto DA et al., Mayo Clin Proc 2012 Feb; 87:114
Mechoulam R., Mayo Clin Proc 2012 Feb; 87:107
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
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
Synergistic Effect of Maternal Smoking and Obesity on Birth Defects
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Offspring of obese women who smoke during pregnancy face particularly high risk for congenital heart anomalies.
Making Smoking Cessation Stick: Nicotine-Replacement Patches in Pregnancy
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
A randomized trial failed to show long-term benefit.
By Allison Bryant, MD, MPH
February 29, 2012
Covering:
Coleman T et al., N Engl J Med 2012 Mar 1; 366:808
Oncken C., N Engl J Med 2012 Mar 1; 366:846
What Arouses Cocaine-Dependent Women and Men?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Brain activations with different cues suggest somewhat different treatment strategies for men and women.
By Joel Yager, MD
February 27, 2012
Covering:
Potenza MN et al., Am J Psychiatry 2012 Jan 31
A Possible New Treatment for Alcoholism
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
An active ingredient in a Chinese herbal remedy for hangovers shows many promising effects in a series of animal experiments.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Shen Y et al., J Neurosci 2012 Jan 4; 32:390
Alcohol Releases Endogenous Opioids in the Brain
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Heavy and light drinkers show differences in release of endogenous opioids.
By Joel Yager, MD
February 17, 2012
Covering:
Mitchell JM et al., Sci Transl Med 2012 Jan 11
