Friday, 28 August 2009

Breast Cancer and Schizophrenia

A systematic review covering studies published between 1986 and 2008 has found schizophrenic women seem to have a higher chance of getting breast cancer than those who do not suffer from psychosis. However there was no indication of what the risk factor or factors might be that leads to the higher prevalence. The study is an online ahead of print publication the journal Schizophrenia Research.

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Thursday, 27 August 2009

Seven year review of family CBT for childhood OCD

Thirty eight children who received cognitive behavioural family-based therapy (CBFT) seven years ago have been reassessed to measure the long term effectiveness of their treatment. The Australian study published in the Jounal of Anxiety Disorders concluded that CBFT was still effective for childhood Obsessive Compulsive Disorders after seven years.

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Wednesday, 26 August 2009

More cocaine statistics

Statistics released yesterday give further information on cocaine addiction. Previous research had indicted a rise in hospital admissions due to cocaine abuse; now the newest data indicates a rise by 20% in deaths attributable to cocaine. This figure is the highest for eight years.

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Tuesday, 25 August 2009

Alzheimer's and Sunscreen

A new study is investigating whether suncreen lotions and oils play any part in the development of Alzheimer's Disease. The European Union has funded researchers at The University of Ulster to investigate whether human engineered nanoparticles found in sunscreens can induce dementias and Parkinsons. The research project has been awarded £350,000 and is likely to run for three years.

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Monday, 24 August 2009

Depression and Pregnancy

A new report published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association has recommended new guidelines for treating pregnant women who are suffering from depression. The report based on research findings will be published in both the September issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology and the September issue of General Hospital Psychiatry.

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Friday, 21 August 2009

CBT on your computer

A new study on depression and the delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been published in The Lancet. Researchers from the University of Bristol studied 297 depression sufferers, of whom half received conventional CBT and half received online CBT. Their findings showed that the online therapy was more beneficial than the face-to-face option.

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Thursday, 20 August 2009

Mental Health and well being of NHS staff

The interim report of the The Boorman review into the health and wellbeing of NHS staff has just been published. It has warned that staff are being bullied and harrassed in the workplace which is resulting in high levels of distress.

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Wednesday, 19 August 2009

Emotional awareness in schizophrenia

A study published in the journal Psychiatry Research has found that schizophrenics have problems dealing with fearful emotions. Researchers studied and compared results from sixty people, half who were suffering from schizophrenia.

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Monday, 17 August 2009

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

A study published in Science magazine observed the behaviour of Capuchin monkeys and consequently how social bonds are formed. Researchers found that the monkeys prefered the company of the scientists who, when interacting with them, mimicked their own actions.

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Friday, 14 August 2009

Eye tests for Down's Syndrome

The European Council for Optometry and Optics has advised that Down's Syndrome patients should have regular eye tests. New research published in Optometry and Vision Science has found that the structure of the eyes of people with Down's Syndrome differs significantly from people who do not have the syndrome.

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