Mental Health Update

Cigarettes and the blues

Over the years a number of studies have linked cigarette smoking with depression. It could be that a common factor lies behind both, that people smoke to cheer themselves up or that cigarettes themselves cause depression. Researchers from the University...

Published Thu, Jun 03 2010 2:14 AM by Mental Health Update

Newer antipsychotics no more effective

Atypical, or second-generation, antipsychotics have been used more and more over the last decade to treat schizophrenia in preference to older 'typical' drugs. But are they really any better? Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, King's...

Published Thu, Jun 03 2010 2:06 AM by Mental Health Update

Wake up - but there's no need to smell the coffee

A cup of coffee in the morning is no more effective than a placebo at sharpening up people's thought processes. Researchers from the University of Bristol studied 379 people who were deprived of caffeine for 16 hours before being given either caffeine...

Published Thu, Jun 03 2010 3:11 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Caffeine

Cannabis and schizophrenia - new evidence to add to the debate

Much ink has been spilt and many trees sacrificed debating the links between smoking cannabis and schizophrenia. Researchers from Stony Brook University in New York have added to the debate with a long-term study following 229 patients for ten years after...

Published Thu, Jun 03 2010 3:37 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Cannabis, Schizophrenia

Urine test could lead to quicker autism diagnosis

A simple urine test could be used to diagnose autism earlier and far more cheaply than current methods. People with autism often have gastrointestinal problems as well and they have a different range of bacteria in their guts from unaffected people. These...

Published Fri, Jun 04 2010 6:03 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Autism

IQ and suicide risk

Having a low IQ in early adulthood is linked to a higher risk of suicide - at least in men. Researchers from the Wellcome Trust studied 1.1 million men in Sweden who all took IQ tests when they did their national service. Over the next 24 years at least...

Published Fri, Jun 04 2010 5:44 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Suicide, IQ

Moving kids and mental troubles

Having a nomadic childhood can have negative long-term consequences for people's health and happiness. Researchers from the University of Virginia studied 7,108 American adults who were followed for ten years. The participants, who were between the...

Published Fri, Jun 04 2010 6:27 AM by Mental Health Update

Want to know the truth? Give someone a pencil.

An old-fashioned pencil might be a better way to work out whether people are telling the truth than a high-tech lie detector. Aldert Vrij from the University of Portsmouth got 31 people from the police and military to go on a mock mission to pick up a...

Published Mon, Jun 07 2010 3:21 AM by Mental Health Update

Early to bed, early to rise ...

Children who have enough sleep and go to bed at regular times do better at school. Researchers from SRI International, an independent American research institute studied 8,000 four-year-old children. They asked their parents about their children's...

Published Mon, Jun 07 2010 3:44 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Child Development, Sleep Disorders

Fighting self stigma

People with mental-health problems often suffer from stigma from the rest of society which can take a negative view of mental illness. In some cases people internalize this stigma - so-called 'self-stigma' - and lose their self-esteem and self...

Published Mon, Jun 07 2010 7:36 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Stigma

Social support and senior centres

Despite the negative aspects of old age - declining health and loss of loved ones - research has shown that forming and maintaining a good network of friends can have a positive effect on people's physical and emotional health. S.A. Fulbright from...

Published Tue, Jun 08 2010 2:12 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Depression, Social Support, Older People

Survey shows true toll of Iraq

Not surprisingly soldiers who have fought in Afghanistan and Iraq often come back with mental health problems. But the true extent of the problem is difficult to measure and there has been little research into what other problems soldiers might have....

Published Tue, Jun 08 2010 3:31 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: PTSD

Adolescence and attachment in Asia Minor

In recent years attachment theory has become one of the main ways in which psychologists think about people and their development through childhood and adolescence into adulthood, their problems and their relationships with other people. Attachment theory...

Published Tue, Jun 08 2010 2:58 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Child Development, Attachment

Smoking and mental health

Second-hand smoking has been associated with a range of physical health problems and new research now suggests that it might be linked to an increased risk of psychological problems too. Researchers from University College London studied 8,155 people...

Published Tue, Jun 08 2010 3:55 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Smoking

Not-so-early babies and special needs

Babies born just a week prematurely could be at a slightly greater risk of autism and learning disabilities. Researchers from Glasgow University analysed the birth history of more than 400,000 school children and found that those born between 37 and 39...

Published Wed, Jun 09 2010 2:29 AM by Mental Health Update

Filed under: Child Development

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