Monday, September 08, 2003

Mental illnesses share gene flaw
Story at the BBC web site - "Schizophrenia and manic depression could have similar genetic causes, researchers suggest. The flaw appears to lie in genes which affect how the central nervous system develops. Researchers from the University of Cambridge say the findings are surprising because the conditions are so different."  
  

People Keep Their Distinctive Patterns of Cognitive Ability as They Age, Contrary to Prior Speculation
APA press release - "New research reveals that, contrary to prior thinking, even the very old retain their distinctive patterns of cognitive strengths and weakness. The findings are published in the September issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, which is published by the American Psychological Association. The results of a large-scale, longitudinal study did not confirm popular but unproven theories of “dedifferentiation” -– that for any given person, varied cognitive skill levels start to merge late in life, perhaps due to brain changes." The full text of the study, Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Patterns of Dedifferentiation in Late-Life Cognitive and Sensory Function: The Effects of Age, Ability, Attrition, and Occasion of Measurement, is also available (in Adobe Acrobat format).  
  

22 Million In U.S. Suffer From Substance Dependence Or Abuse
HHS press release - "In 2002, an estimated 22 million Americans suffered from substance dependence or abuse due to drugs, alcohol or both, according to the newest results of the Household Survey released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). There were 19.5 million Americans, 8.3 percent of the population ages 12 or older, who currently used illicit drugs, 54 million who participated in binge drinking in the previous 30 days, and 15.9 million who were heavy drinkers. The report highlights that 7.7 million people, 3.3 percent of the total population ages 12 and older, needed treatment for a diagnosable drug problem and 18.6 million, 7.9 per cent of the population, needed treatment for a serious alcohol problem. Only 1.4 million received specialized substance abuse treatment for an illicit drug problem and 1.5 million received treatment for alcohol problems. Over 94 percent of people with substance use disorders who did not receive treatment did not believe they needed treatment."  
  

Policy would affect release of patients guilty of violence (Maine)
Kennebec Journal story on proposed new policies that are "...aimed at ensuring notification to victims of crimes committed by Augusta Mental Health Institute patients acquitted by reason of insanity. It also lays out notification requirements to police departments in communities where released forensic patients are likely to be seen and the steps required of mental health officials leading to a recommendation to a court for release or partial release of a forensic patient."  
  

Editorial: Control costs, meet needs for mental care (Montana)
Editorial in the Billings Gazette - "With Montana looking to contract for both outpatient care of seriously mentally ill low-income residents and for private hospitalization of some court-ordered psychiatric patients, it’s time to take stock of the state of our public mental-health system...." See also the related story Patients overflow at state hospital - "An overflow of psychiatric patients at Montana State Hospital pushed the facility past capacity and into a health-care crisis this past week, prompting the opening of an emergency unit on campus, according to hospital administrator Ed Amberg. Some 200 patients are shoe-horned into the state facility that's designed for 135 beds, Amberg said."  
  

First-ever survey of military's mental health shows higher rates of depression (Canada)
CBC News story - "The Canadian military says it still has work to do to protect the mental health of its soldiers. The comment came after the release of the first-ever survey of the mental health of Canada's military. The survey shows both men and women in the military suffer higher rates of depression and panic attacks than the general population. And it suggests almost three per cent of soldiers have suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the past year."  
  

Gay Mental Health Bias (UK)
Story at Gay.com - "Two thirds of British gays, lesbians and bisexuals suffer from mental health problems, twice the rate for heterosexuals according to a new study. The report mirrors similar research in the US and Canada which also found gays have a higher suicide rate, mostly as a result of coping with homophobia. But, the British study found something even more disturbing; anti-gay prejudice is rife among doctors and psychiatrists. Nearly a third of gay men and more than 40 per cent of lesbians, who are open about their sexuality, reported prejudice from mental health workers."  
  

Report: Louisiana stricken with poorly run mental-health groups
AP story at Nola.com - "Many of Louisiana's indigent mental-health patients receive incompetent care from private companies that commit fraud and are poorly monitored by state health officials, according to a new report by a nonprofit advocacy group. The Advocacy Center's report follows an investigation into the state's $39 million-a-year Mental Health Rehabilitation Service program, which provides treatment to about 6,000 Medicaid patients with severe mental illness. The report is based on court documents, monitoring records from the state health department and interviews with clients."