Posted on September 7 2010 Read more...

Visual pattern preference may be indicator of autism in toddlers

Using eye-tracking methods, researchers have shown that toddlers with autism spend significantly more time visually examining dynamic geometric patterns than they do looking at social images -- a viewing pattern not found in either typical or developmentally delayed toddlers.
Posted on September 7 2010 Read more...

Study examines association between urban living and psychotic disorders

The association between psychotic disorders and living in urban areas appears to be a reflection of increased social fragmentation present within cities, according to a new article.
Posted on September 7 2010 Read more...

Teenage Self-Injury Identified And Treated By Radiologists

Using ultrasound and a minimally-invasive procedure, radiologists can identify and treat patients who engage in a disturbing self-injury behavior known as self-embedding, according to a new study published in the online edition and October print issue of the journal Radiology. "This is a new way for radiologists to impact public and mental health," said the ...
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Fathers As Well As Mothers Have Higher Depression Risk During First Year Of Child Being Born

Approximately one-fifth of all fathers and over one third of all mothers experience an episode of depression within the first 12 years of their child being born, with the first year having the highest risk, says a British study of 86,957 families published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a JAMA/Archives publication...
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Non-invasive therapy significantly improves depression, researchers say

A unique new therapy that applies electrical stimulation to a major nerve emanating from the brain is showing promise for major depression. In a recently completed clinical trial, trigeminal nerve stimulation achieved an average of a 70 percent reduction in symptom severity over an 8-week study.
Posted on September 7 2010 Read more...

Magic Mushroom Ingredient Psilocybin Improves Late Stage Cancer Anxiety

The hallucinogen psilocybin appears to be safe and feasible to give to patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety - a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry reports it had a promising effect on mood. Psilocybin is the active ingredient in an illegal Class A drug in the UK called magic mushroom...
Posted on September 6 2010 Read more...

Cognitive effects of Parkinson’s disease: Automated tasks easier, but task switching difficult

Researchers have found that people with Parkinson's disease can perform automated tasks better than people without the disease, but have significant difficulty switching from easy to hard tasks.
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Acting selfish? Blame your mother!

The fact that our female ancestors dispersed more than our male ancestors can lead to conflicts within the brain that influence our social behavior, new research reveals.
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More Work Needed To Implement Evidence Base In Psychooncology In Cancer Care, Australia

An integrated approach to cancer care needs to be developed in Australia that incorporates psychosocial and biological interventions, according to an article published in a Medical Journal of Australia supplement. The Anxiety, Depression and Cancer supplement is the product of a partnership between beyondblue and the Cancer Council Australia...
Posted on September 6 2010 Read more...

State News: Ohio, Florida Take Advantage Of Federal Health Funds; Mass. Psychiatrists Win Court Case

The Columbus Dispatch: "Gov. Ted Strickland's administration announced today that nearly $200 million in recently freed up state funds will go to Ohio hospitals, community mental health services, and a program which provides medication to low-income residents with HIV/AIDS. ...