Friday, November 12, 2004

Common antidepressant may affect youth bone development
Indiana University press release reprinted at EurekAlert - " common class of drugs prescribed to children with depression may have an adverse effect on bone growth, according to a study published online in the journal Endocrinology by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Researchers looked at the effect of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on bone accrual in growing mice. The findings showed a reduction in bone mass and size in the mice administered an SSRI...."  
  

Study shows inadequate psychiatric care in assisted living facilities
Blackwell Publishing press release at EurekAlert - "Research conducted among elderly persons residing in assisted living (AL) facilities in Maryland reveal high prevalence of dementia and other psychiatric disorders, but a lack of recognition and treatment by caregivers. According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, dementia is a mental disorder affecting an individual's ability to think, speak, reason, remember and move. Many types of this disorder exist, with the most common cause being Alzheimer's Disease. Of the 198 randomly selected AL residents surveyed in the study, 134 (67.7%) were diagnosed with dementia. While family or caregivers recognized 78 – 80% of the cases, only about half had been adequately evaluated and treated. The study also found that 26.3% of residents were suffering from other psychiatric disorders, most commonly depression and anxiety, with similarly low rates of treatment."