Behaviourists from ETH Zurich have demonstrated that the interplay between infection during pregnancy and stress in puberty may play a key in the development of schizophrenia in mouse models. The prevalence of schizophrenia is around one percent, and this disorder is usually not diagnosed until adulthood. Scientists have long suspected a role of adverse environmental […]
Category: Mental Health Correspondents
The largest genetic study of mental illness to date has found a common genetic risk in autism, ADHD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Previously thought to be quite distinct from one another, this study shows a bridging of the boundaries between these conditions. After genetic screening of 61,000 people across 19 countries (some with one of […]
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant and electroconvulsive therapy. These treatments are thought to relieve depression by activating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature into new neurons. The initial studies involved using electroconvulsive therapy in mice and observing consequent gene […]
A report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that American adults with mental illness have a smoking rate of about 70% higher than those without mental illness. Smoking-related illnesses are some of the leading causes of death in the […]
As you read this article take a moment to contemplate that every 40 seconds somebody in the world has committed suicide. On average the world suicide rate makes up 10.07 per 100,000 people (CASP Blueprint for a Canadian National Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2004). JAMA psychiatry journal published a recent study linking suicidal behavior to complex […]
New research shows that loneliness is associated with dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that it may have a negative effect on overall health. Specifically, researchers found that people who described themselves as lonely showed signs of elevated herpes simplex virus reactivation and produced more inflammatory proteins in response to acute stress. Continuous inflammation may have problematic […]
The U.K. saw a drastic rise in suicide rates in 2011, reaching an all time high since 2004, according to the Office for National Statistics. This increase is thought to correlate with times of financial hardship faced by many U.K. citizens. There were 6,045 suicides in 2011, a rise of 437 from the previous year. […]
Numerous research has proven in the past that a mother’s wellness and mental health during labor can have direct consequences on the health of the child. However, new research is showing that the mental health of an expectant father may also play a role. In this study, the fathers underwent an interview when the mothers […]
A recent study performed by the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina has shown that sweetened beverages, coffee and tea have important mental health consequences. In this study, consumption rates of sodas, tea, coffee and sweetened fruit drinks from 1995 to 1996 among 263,925 people aged between 50 and 71 was […]
Following reports of a series of student deaths in 2010 and 2011, Queen’s University has released a new report making 116 health-care professional-approved recommendations for improving students’ mental health in an effort to heighten mental health awareness at schools across the country. These strategies include reconsidering class and exam scheduling to reduce student stress, expanding […]