Mental Health & Social Care Bulletin No. 394

The previous week was National Dementia Awareness and the Government launched its NHS Innovation Challenge Prize for Dementia,  inviting entries and the Care Minister wants all hospitals to become more dementia aware. NICE have published two new guidances: one on social anxiety disorder and another on the termination of loxapine inhalation for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  All this and more in Bulletin No. 394

Bipolar disorder and cognitive decline

A study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders has found that older adults with bipolar disorder have a greater cognitive decline than their counterparts without mental health problems. A cohort of thirty three bipolar disorder sufferers was assessed with a comparison group of thirty six.

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Linking Schizophrenia and Manic Depression

Three new studies have opened up the possibilty of new treatments for bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic depression, and schizophrenia. The research, reported in the journal Nature, identified similar genetic causes for both illnesses. However the scientists involved have stated that the break through does not mean cures for either condition have been identified.

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CBT assessed and found wanting in three disorders

Research carried out by psychologists at the University of Hertfordshire calls into question the relevance of the revalidation of a NICE guideline on schizophrenia published in March 2009. The meta-analytical review of rigourous trials, published online in the journal Psychological Medicine, examined the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. The authors concluded that there was no evidence of the effectiveness of this sort of therapy, particularly in the case of schizophrenia.

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Psychological Medicine
doi:10.1017/S003329170900590X

ECT Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

A Belgian study in the journal Bipolar Disorders compared the treatment of Bipolar Disorder and Unipolar patients with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The researchers concluded after monitoring 64 patients that although, as previously known, there were no differences in treatment outcome, bipolar patients responded faster than unipolar.

To read this article in depth go to:
http://www.medwire-news.md/47/83101/Psychiatry/ECT_response_quicker_in_bipolar_versus_unipolar_depression.html

To view the abstract:
Bipolar Disorders. 2009; 11(4):418-24