Thursday, October 14, 2004

Mental Illness in Tompkins County: Exhibit aims to smash stereotypes
Story at the NAMI web site on an exhibit of 20 black-and-white photographs of mentally ill people and their families on display at the library in Ithaca, New York - "There are several text panels that recount the personal stories of those who have directly or indirectly faced the stigma attached with mental illness. The idea behind the exhibit -'Nothing to Hide: Mental Illness in the Family' - is to challenge those stigmas."  
  

A new culprit in depression?
University of Michigan Health System press release - "The brains of people with severe depression have lower levels of several related molecules that are key to the development, organization, growth and repair of the brain than the brains of people without the disease, or those with the bipolar form of depression, a new study finds. The discovery, which surprised researchers in the multi-university consortium that made it, suggests a whole new direction for understanding depression and developing new depression treatments. It may even help scientists understand how some antidepressant medications work in the brain to ease symptoms, and why there is wide variation in how depressed people respond to different antidepressants. The finding was made in two specific areas of the brain known to be important to depression. The study relied on microarray analysis of 32 post-mortem brain samples -- the microarray method can simultaneously measure the level of activity of tens of thousands of genes that are functional in a given tissue."  
  

Emotion coaching can help children overcome impacts of family violence
University of Washington press release at EurekAlert - "When women engage in a technique called emotion coaching, even in families where there is domestic violence, their children are less aggressive, depressed and withdrawn, researchers have found. The new study also suggests that women who are victims of low levels of battering are just as likely as non-battered women to coach their children about their emotions, protecting youngsters from some of the behavior problems associated with being exposed to family violence. The role of fathers was less clear, although the study indicates that when fathers do emotion coaching their children are less withdrawn, according to Lynn Fansilber Katz, lead author of the study and a University of Washington research associate professor of psychology."  
  

Scientists find new clues underlying mood disorders
University of California, Davis - Medical Center press release at EurekAlert - "Researchers have found altered gene activity in people who suffer from major depression, a discovery that may one day help doctors better diagnose and treat the condition. The research, conducted by a consortium of four universities, appears this week in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS). Scientists found that the fibroblast growth factor system, which is a family of proteins involved in the growth, development and maintenance of nerve cells, had an overall decrease in levels in patients who had major depressive disorder. Proteins are the products of gene expression..."  
  

Call for shakeup of mental health services (New Zealand)
New Zealand Herald story - "A reluctance for people experiencing mental illness to get help could change the shape of the country's mental health services, a meeting in Rotorua was told. About 20 people attended the public consultation meeting this week to discuss Health Ministry draft plans for the future of mental health and addiction services. The plan, Improving Mental Health, aims to build on existing national mental health strategy by taking advantage of new opportunities provided by the development of Primary Health Organisations (PHOs)."  
  

Differences in health service use for depression across Ontario (Canada)
Report, in Adobe Acrobat format, from the Central East Health Information Partnership that " focuses on the geographic distribution of health services related to mental illness, particularly depression, in Ontario. Hospitalization data and physician billing records data were analyzed. Primary care physicians and hospital emergency rooms are often the entry point to the health care system for individuals suffering from depression, however, care is also provided by community mental health services. Therefore, data on community-based care and services were presented to help provide a more complete illustration of service utilization patterns.."  
  

Experts Urge Close Eye On Depression Drugs
AP story at InteliHealth - "Shauna Murphy thinks it's a smart idea to put warning labels on antidepressants. She has good reason. Nine years ago, at age 10, she was put on a particular brand of the medication and, shortly after, tried to kill herself. It's the kind of outcome that has prompted the Food and Drug Administration to begin work on writing "black box" warnings -- the strongest caution possible -- for young people who take antidepressants. Some parents have already taken their children off the drugs. But even with the troubles they've had, Murphy and her parents are not speaking out against antidepressants. Instead, they are among a number of families, doctors and mental health groups who -- worried the warning labels might stop some people from seeking treatment -- are taking the opportunity to encourage families to get help for young people with depression and other mental health issues..."  
  

New NAMI Leader Vows To Strengthen Liaisons
Psychiatric News story - "NAMI's new executive director plans to build upon alliances with other organizations, including APA, to improve the lives of people with mental illness. By strengthening ties with a number of organizations inside and outside of the mental health sector, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Executive Director Michael Fitzpatrick hopes to fulfill a number of goals, including expanding access to mental health services for those who need them and erasing the stigma associated with brain disorders."  
  

Drug Import Programs Defy Federal Warnings, Reap Benefits
Medscape Business of Medicine story - "Several cities and states have lost patience with national leaders who continue debating the relative benefits and dangers of importing less-expensive medicines from other countries. Some cities, in fact, already are saving millions of dollars through their own import programs, in defiance of federal government warnings..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Intramuscular Aripiprazole May Be Effective Against Acute Agitation in Psychosis
Medscape Medical News story - "The atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole (Abilify) is as effective as haloperidol and significantly more effective than placebo at treating acute agitation in psychotic patients, according to an international team of investigators who presented their findings here at the 17th congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

State To Build New Western Mental Health Institute Facility (Tennessee)
Story in The Chattanoogan - "Governor Phil Bredesen today announced that the State of Tennessee will construct a new $56 million facility to replace the aging Western Mental Health Institute in Bolivar. The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (TDMHDD) will build the new facility on existing property owned by the institute in Bolivar, which has served 21 counties in West Tennessee since 1889..."  
  

District of Columbia Mental Health Agency Is Making Progress
Washington Post letter to the editor from - "The article 'Report Faults Child Mental Health Care' ...misrepresents the focus and findings of a Government Accountability Office study, 'D.C. Child and Family Services Agency: More Focus Needed on Human Capital Management Issues for Caseworkers and Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention'... " [Viewing Washington Post stories requires registration, which is free.]