Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Stopping Antidepressants for Bipolar Illness to Avoid Inducing Mania May Cause Depression Relapse
Medscape Medical News article - "After successful treatment of bipolar depression, guidelines recommend discontinuing antidepressant therapy to prevent inducing mania. However, results of a prospective comparison trial reported in the July issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry suggest that patients who discontinue treatment are no less likely to develop mania, but much more likely to relapse into depression, than those who continue antidepressant therapy." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Study identifies factors increasing risk of psychosocial problems among disabled children
Massachusetts General Hospital press release - "Whether or not children with disabilities experience psychosocial problems is associated with the type of disability and the impact of the disability on the child's family, a new study finds. The report from a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researcher and her colleagues found that children whose disabilities involve learning or communication impairments were significantly more likely to experience poor psychosocial adjustment. In addition, family stressors – such as poverty and the impact of the disability on the family – increased the risk of poor psychosocial adjustment. The study appears in the July 2003 issue of Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine." Please note that the journal makes an abstract available free of charge, but that full text is only available for a fee (from the same page).  
  

Problem Drinking Is Rarely Discussed During Medical Visits, More So During Psychiatric Visits
Story at InteliHealth based on research published in the July issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research which found that "despite heavy use of medical and mental-health services by problem and dependent drinkers, doctors and mental-health professionals often do not address alcohol consumption during visits."