Teens who misuse prescription or illicit opioids might benefit from opioid treatment medications, according to a new study led by a Yale researcher. An estimated 900 adolescents started to misuse opioid painkillers every day in 2017, and some of them turned to cheaper and more potent illegal opioids like heroin….
Depression, anxiety linked to opioid use and reduced survival in women with breast cancer
Elderly women battling breast cancer who have anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions are more likely to use opioids and more likely to die, a new study led by the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests. The findings should encourage doctors to better manage mental health in patients…
‘Stressors’ in middle age linked to cognitive decline in older women
A new analysis of data on more than 900 Baltimore adults by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers has linked stressful life experiences among middle-aged women — but not men — to greater memory decline in later life. The researchers say their findings add to evidence that stress hormones play an uneven…
Disturbed sleep linked to mental health problems in natural disaster survivors: Study is the first to describe sleep health consequences of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti
Preliminary results from a new study suggest that sleep disturbances are associated with mental health problems among survivors of a natural disaster even two years after the event. The researchers surveyed survivors two years after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Results show that 94% reported experiencing subsequent insomnia symptoms after…
How stress leads to Facebook addiction
Friends on social media such as Facebook can be a great source of comfort during periods of stress. However, if they don’t receive any support offline, stressed users are at risk of developing a pathological dependence on the social networking site — the so-called Facebook addiction. This is the result…
Short-term use of opioids increases subjective pleasure: Risk of addiction
The human opioid system contributes to the regulation of emotions, pleasure and pain. Opioids are strong analgesics. In addition to effectively relieving pain, external opioids may improve mood and reduce negative emotions. However, not much has been known about the effect of opioids on emotional responses caused by external stimuli….
Did Leonardo da Vinci have ADHD?
Leonardo da Vinci produced some of the world’s most iconic art, but historical accounts show that he struggled to complete his works. 500 years after his death, King’s College London researcher Professor Marco Catani suggests the best explanation for Leonardo’s inability to finish projects is that the great artist may…
Anxiety might be alleviated by regulating gut bacteria: Review of studies suggests a potentially useful link between gut bacteria and mental disorders
People who experience anxiety symptoms might be helped by taking steps to regulate the microorganisms in their gut using probiotic and non-probiotic food and supplements, suggests a review of studies published today in the journal General Psychiatry. Anxiety symptoms are common in people with mental diseases and a variety of…
Integrating infant mental health into the neonatal intensive care unit
Bringing a baby into the world involves many firsts — mothers and fathers are discovering their new roles, babies are learning what it means to live outside the womb, and the family is forging a relationship and bonding. What happens when this time of uncertainty is complicated by medical issues?…
Daily intake of nutritional supplements cannot prevent depression
MooDFOOD, the largest randomized clinical trial to study the effects of nutritional strategies on the prevention of major depressive disorder concludes that daily intake of nutritional supplements cannot prevent depression. Over 1000 participants who were overweight or had obesity and were identified as being at elevated risk for depression but…
Insomnia has many faces: Breakthrough in our understanding of insomnia
Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience revealed that there are five types of insomnia. This finding was published on Monday January 7 by The Lancet Psychiatry. A commentary in the journal stated that the finding could be a new page in the history of insomnia, promoting discoveries on mechanisms…