Faulty body clock genes could cause bipolar disorder in kidsNovember 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Genes behind malfunctioning circadian clock could be responsible for bipolar disorder in children, according to a study. In a collaborative study, researchers found four versions of the regulatory gene RORB that were associated with paediatric bipolar disorder.
Gene linked to abnormalities in learning, behaviour identifiedNovember 9th, 2009 LONDON - Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine have identified a new gene linked to significant abnormalities in learning and behaviour. They said that the loss of CHRNA7 gene through deletion of genetic material on chromosome 15 is associated with abnormalities.
Non-invasive treatment for major depressionNovember 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Patients suffering from major depression now have a safe, effective, non-drug treatment, thanks to the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Clinic opened by Rush University Medical Center. TMS therapy is the first FDA-approved, non-invasive antidepressant device-based treatment clinically proven for treatment of depression.
Rare brain disorder which causes dementia is geneticNovember 5th, 2009 LONDON - New research shows that a rare brain disorder that causes early dementia is highly hereditary. The brain disorder called frontotemporal dementia destroys parts of the brain, leading to dementia, including problems with language or changes in behaviour and personality.
Kids can gain an alarming amount of weight on psychiatric drugs, new research detailsOctober 27th, 2009 more images
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Alarming weight gain seen in kids on psych drugs
CHICAGO — Children on widely used psychiatric drugs can quickly gain an alarming amount of weight; many pack on nearly 20 pounds and become obese within just 11 weeks, a study found. "Sometimes this stuff just happens like an explosion.
Rare mutation that dramatically increases schizophrenia risk identifiedOctober 26th, 2009 LONDON - An international team of scientists has identified a mutation on human chromosome 16 that dramatically raises risk for schizophrenia. The mutation in question is what scientists call a copy number variant (CNV).
Epilepsy drug could raise schizophrenia riskOctober 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have found that antiepilectic drug treatments administered when the brain is developing could trigger schizophrenia-like behaviour. A history of seizures during infancy leaves a person at significantly higher risk of developing schizophrenia later in life, but researchers aren't sure whether the seizures themselves or the drugs used to treat them are to blame.
Gene linked to human kidney aging identifiedOctober 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a novel study, researchers claim to have identified a gene linked to human kidney aging. Kidneys age at different rates, such that some people show little or no effects of kidney aging whereas others show rapid functional decline.
New links between chronic rhinosinusitis, depression establishedOctober 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Depression can be a common result of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), according to a new research. The study has been presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting and OTO EXPO, in San Diego, CA.
Depression leads to increased inflammatory protein linked to heart diseaseOctober 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Depression leads to elevated inflammatory proteins in the human body, according to researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Led by Dr.
Gene that controls number of brain cells identifiedOctober 5th, 2009 LONDON - Scientists from University of North Carolina have identified a gene that controls the number of cells composing brain. Called GSK-3, the gene has been found to strike a balance between two key processes - proliferation, in which the cells multiply to provide plenty of starting materials, and differentiation, in which those materials evolve into functioning neurons.
Young adults likely to outgrow bipolar disorder in later lifeSeptember 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study from University of Missouri has shown that nearly half of the people diagnosed with bipolar disorder between the ages of 18 and 25 are likely to outgrow the disorder by the time they reach 30. With the symptoms often starting in early adulthood, bipolar disorder has been thought of traditionally as a lifelong disorder.
Genetic link between psychosis and creativity revealedSeptember 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study seems to have established a link between psychosis and creativity. Szabolcs Keri, a psychiatrist at Semmelweis University in Hungary, focused his research on neuregulin 1, a gene that normally plays a role in a variety of brain processes, including development and strengthening communication between neurons.
Adolescent depression, anxiety disorders are two distinct problemsSeptember 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Adolescent depression and anxiety disorders are actually two distinct psychiatric disorders, says an expert at Utrecht University. Dr. William W. Hale III and his colleagues conducted a five-year, longitudinal study of secondary school adolescents.
Depressed teens 'at higher risk of mental health problems in later life'September 1st, 2009 LONDON - Teenagers who suffer from minor depression are at a higher risk of suffering from mental health problems in their adult life, says a new study. Psychiatrists at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute surveyed 750 fourteen to 16-year-old teenagers and then interviewed them as adults, to come up with the findings.
