Monday, March 14, 2005

Medical and psychiatric disorders commonly coexist Psychiatry Matters story - "Researchers have found that both medical and psychiatric comorbidity is common in children with psychiatric disorders, particularly in girls. 'Data in this study emphasize the fact that associations do exist between psychiatric disorders and medical disorders and knowledge of such associations could be useful in planning health services for children... and in providing appropriate therapy,' say Donald Spady (University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada) and colleagues..."  
  

Data Lacking on Link Between Drugs, Behavior  Psychiatric News story - "CNS drugs may produce behavioral toxicity in children, but not all such side effects can be explained by these medications. Drugs designed to treat psychiatric illnesses may sometimes produce side effects expressed as behavioral changes, yet they are less common than often believed. ... Although SSRI antidepressants have received most attention recently, Carlson pointed out at a conference sponsored by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry that alcohol and barbiturates can cause aggression, excitement, or irritability, while tricyclics can do the same and induce hallucinations, as well. "  
  

Workers Focus on Positives of Genetic Research  Psychiatric News story - "Researchers were surprised to find that American employees at two work sites were generally open to the idea of having people participate in research exploring the genetics of mental and physical illnesses. How do Americans view participation in research having to do with the genetics of mental and physical illnesses? Quite favorably, a pilot study suggests. It was headed by Laura Roberts, M.D., chair of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a bioethics professor for the college's Health Policy Institute. Results appeared in the January-February Comprehensive Psychiatry."