Depressed Jane

Male veterans are three times more likely than female veterans to commit suicide. Also, whites have a much higher rate of suicide compared with patients of other races. Researchers examined associations between demographic and clinical characteristics and risk of suicide among veterans treated for depression in the Veteran’s Health Administration (VA) system. Out of 807,694 veterans included in the study, 1,683 – or 0.21 percent – committed suicide during the study period. [click link for full article]

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The largest and most up-to-date study of suicides among depressed veterans provides important new data that may help guide screening and treatment for all veterans.Published online yesterday (Oct. 30), the study finds that the predictors of suicide among veterans in depression treatment differ from those seen in the general American population, with younger, white, non-Hispanic men having the highest risk among the veterans. [click link for full article]

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Targacept, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRGT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of drugs known as NNR Therapeutics (TM), announced plans to advance TC-5214, one of two enantiomers of mecamylamine hydrochloride, into clinical development as an augmentation therapy for patients who are inadequate responders to first-line antidepressant treatments. [click link for full article]

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A neural network that may generate the human tendency to be optimistic has been identified by researchers at New York University. As humans, we expect to live longer and be more successful than average, and we underestimate our likelihood of getting a divorce or having cancer. The results, reported in the most recent issue of Nature, link the optimism bias to the same brain regions that show irregularities in depression. [click link for full article]

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Treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram significantly improves quality of life in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), according to a meta-analysis reported this week at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress (13-17 October, Vienna, Austria). [click link for full article]

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A new neurobiological study has found that a synthetic form of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, is an effective anti-depressant at low doses. However, at higher doses, the effect reverses itself and can actually worsen depression and other psychiatric conditions like psychosis.The study, published in the October 24 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, was led by Dr. Gabriella Gobbi of McGill University and Le Centre de Recherche Fernand Seguin of Hôpital Louis-H. [click link for full article]

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The Health Department announced the launch of a new awareness campaign to help de-stigmatize mental health problems and promote positive coping strategies among young Latinas, who suffer from depression at higher rates than other groups. This fall the Health Department began distributing posters, palm cards and compact mirrors with the tag line, “Don’t keep it in – talk to us” in both English and Spanish. [click link for full article]

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The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots organization representing individuals and families with mental illnesses, is pleased to offer its strong support for House passage of the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act (HR 20). This important legislation addresses the national priority of post-partum depression (PPD) and post-partum psychosis. [click link for full article]

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Responding to Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson’s statement announcing extra money for ‘talking treatments’ for depression and anxiety, King’s Fund’s Senior Fellow in Mental Health Simon Lawton-Smith said: ‘The recognition of the need for greater access to psychological therapies is very welcome. Recruiting more therapists will mean that GPs will be able to refer patients for talking therapies more frequently. [click link for full article]

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As many as 1 in 4 people diagnosed in primary care with major depressive disorder have been found to screen positive for a previous manic episode, suggesting that they may actually have bipolar disorder rather than depression. Bipolar disorder is a serious and chronic psychiatric illness, associated with high risk of suicide and other disorders. It is characterised by both manic and depressive episodes. [click link for full article]

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