October 2009 - Mental Health Update

Bullying over time

Girls who are bullied between the ages of six and nine are much more likely to be still being bullied in Year 6. Researchers from Warwick University studied 432 children from 17 primary schools in Hertfordshire and North London. Researchers asked the...

Published Thu, Oct 22 2009 4:07 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Bullying, Child Psychology

Is licorice the next thing for pregnant women to avoid?

Pregnant women are already told to avoid smoking, alcohol and soft cheese and now it appears that there might be another substance for them to worry about - licorice. Licorice consumption is common among young women in Finland and a team of researchers...

Published Wed, Oct 07 2009 5:45 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Child Development

Hold the latte: coffee not a magic bullet for dementia

There has been mixed evidence as to whether coffee can help to stave off dementia. Researchers from the University of Helsinki studied 2,606 twins asking them about their coffee-drinking habits and other health and lifestyle factors when they were around...

Published Wed, Oct 07 2009 5:18 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Alzheimer's Disease

Healthy diet cuts depression risk

Previous research has shown that a Mediterranean diet - high in fruit, vegetables and fish and low in meat and dairy products - has been linked to a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from University College London studied 3,486...

Published Fri, Oct 30 2009 3:08 AM by Mental Health Update

Depression and the menopause

Women who have gone - or who are going through - the menopause are twice as likely to develop depression. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh followed 221 women - who were premenopausal when they started the study - over a nine-year period....

Published Mon, Oct 05 2009 7:18 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Depression

More U.S. children thought to have autism

Nearly 1 in 90 children in the U.S. could have an autism-spectrum disorder - a figure 50% higher than the current estimate of 1 in 150. The Department of Health and Human Services National Survey of Children's Health gathered information from the...

Published Tue, Oct 06 2009 6:29 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Autism

Antidepressants in pregnancy

More than one in ten pregnant women are thought to suffer from depression. Pregnant women are often prescribed a kind of antidepressant called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) but new research indicates that there may be risks to this....

Published Wed, Oct 07 2009 6:40 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Antidepressants

Young, free and anxious

A YouGov poll of 2,000 adults has found that two-thirds of them feel stressed or anxious at least once a week. One in three young women suffered from frequent anxiety (most days or every day) compared to one in ten young men. Money worries were given...

Published Mon, Oct 05 2009 6:22 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Anxiety Disorders

Depression and child abuse

A new study of 5,500 families by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health has found a link between mothers' depression and their acts of aggression towards their children. The study used data from a national survey of 5,500 families who...

Published Tue, Oct 06 2009 8:31 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Depression, Child Abuse

Mediterranean diet cuts depression risk

People who follow a Mediterranean diet high in vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains and fish could be less likely to develop depression. Over the course of their lives people in Mediterranean countries are less likely to develop mental-health problems...

Published Tue, Oct 06 2009 7:36 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Depression - causes

Mental disorders and Internet addiction in children

Internet addiction is a controversial phenomenon although it is clear that some children (and adults) spend too much time online at the expense of their school or work performance, family relationships and emotional state. Researchers from Kaohsiung Medical...

Published Tue, Oct 06 2009 7:10 AM by Mental Health Update

New vaccine shows promise for cocaine addiction

Researchers at Yale University have been testing a vaccine against cocaine addiction. The vaccine works by binding onto cocaine in the bloodstream and preventing it from reaching the brain cells where it produces its pleasurable effect. A total of 115...

Published Tue, Oct 06 2009 6:45 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Substance Abuse

Depression, inflammation and heart disease

Depression and inflammation (which can be a risk factor for heart disease) are known to be linked but scientists don't really know which comes first. Researchers from Indiana University in Indianapolis studied 263 people aged between 50 and 70 in...

Published Wed, Oct 07 2009 3:58 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Service Users' Health, Depression

The psychology of penalty shoot outs - what are they thinking about?

Fans of the England football team are used to their side being on the wrong end of a penalty shoot-out. Researchers at Purdue University in the U.S. have been looking into the psychology of kicking field goals - the equivalent in American football - and...

Published Wed, Oct 07 2009 3:40 AM by Mental Health Update

'Chemical cosh' still being used for Alzheimer's patients

The use of antipsychotic drugs as a 'chemical cosh' for people with Alzheimer's disease has proved very controversial and a new survey by the Alzheimer's Society suggests that it is still a problem. The survey - of over 650 nurses and...

Published Wed, Oct 07 2009 3:23 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Alzheimer's Disease, Antipsychotics - side effects