U.K. researchers find that taste buds respond differently to depression therapies that target serotonin and noradrenaline, and this finding can be used to determin the appropriate antidepressant for depressive patients. The report is published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
This tip sheet provides summaries of the studies published in the November/December issue of Annals of Family Medicine and cover topics such as antibiotic use for rhinosinusitis and sore throat, the impact of the 2004 flu vaccine shortage and other clinical topics.
A panel of academic, industry and government representatives, presenting at the ACNP Annual Meeting, concluded that several factors have impeded the development of novel treatments for mental illness, including: incomplete understanding of the impact of mental illness on the brain; continued skepticism of results from animal models for certain disorders, and an outdated paradigm of treatment and the industry preference toward so-called “me-too” drugs.
The advisory committee of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists confirms that the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine) may cause fetal cardiac malformations. Obstetricians suggested to shun the antidepressants in pregnancy, if possible.
Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a protein interaction that may explain how the deadly Huntington’s disease affects the brain. The findings, published in and featured on the cover of the current issue of Human Molecular Genetics, show how the mutated Huntington’s protein interacts with another protein to cause dramatic accumulation of cholesterol in the brain.
Helping caregivers take care of themselves is key to enabling them to better deal with family members with dementia, a recent study by Thomas Jefferson University researchers shows. In fact, those caregivers who were provided extra, individualized support had less depression and were able to keep family members in adult day services — and out of nursing homes — much longer than those who did not get the extra attention.
The 2006 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology annual meeting will feature hundreds of new studies on brain and behavior from the world’s leading scientists. Presentations include innovative research on potential new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, autism, nicotine addiction and treatment resistant depression.
Novartis unveiled today new data on its promising pipeline amid plans for multiple new product approvals and launches over the next two years. Many of these anticipated approvals are for potentially best-in-class medicines that would advance treatment standards for patients with hypertension, diabetes, cancer and other diseases.
The Western Australian Government says a new mental health facility opened in Perth today is the first of many it plans to open to overcome years of neglect in the sector. But assurances from the Government that patients with a history of violence will not be housed in the new facility have failed to alleviate the concerns of local residents.
People who experience their first-ever bout of depression after having a heart attack are at greater risk for future heart problems than are patients who either don?t become clinically depressed after the medical emergency or who were depressed even before the incident, new research shows.