MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'anxiety=disorders'. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:09:07 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718457&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F01%2Fpsychotherapy-in-your-doctors-office%2F One of the trends that isn’t likely to change significantly much is the fact that most people talk to their primary care doctor or family physician about a mental health problem first. Your family doctor is seen as the expert in all things, even when those things include mental health issues or concerns. So how effective are brief psychotherapy interventions conducted in a primary care setting? Researchers (Cape et al., 2010) looked at the results of 34 studies involving 3,962 patients and found the answer — therapy in a doctor’s office is surprisingly effective. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety had the most powerful effect size, meaning it’s likely the most effective brief intervention for anxiety disorders. General counseling and problem solving therapy w... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718457 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:18:14 +0100 3718457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3611938&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F30%2Fyou-do-make-a-difference-in-the-dsm-5%2F Good news — you can make a difference! According to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association last week, the 8,600 comments submitted in response to the draft of the new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (called the “DSM-5″ for short — the 5 stands for the 5th edition of the book) helped spur changes in the draft. To me, this kind of change demonstrates a fundamental shift in the ability to engage in a meaningful scientific/clinical dialogue. Twenty years ago, there was no easy feedback mechanism for a project of this scale. Back then, significant time and resources would be needed in order to get legitimate and critical feedback (e.g., setting up focus groups in multiple geographic locations, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3611938 Sun, 30 May 2010 12:55:55 +0100 3611938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3529840&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F03%2Fpsych-week-on-discovery-health%2F Approximately 1 in 3 Americans meet the criteria for having a mental illness — but we rarely see or hear about it. Discovery Health wants you to know more about it with their special “Psych Week” shows about mental illness. Discovery Health will open a meaningful dialogue on mental health with Psych Week, a weeklong programming event from Sunday, May 2, through Thursday, May 6. With premieres airing nightly at 9 PM (ET/PT), Psych Week will profile individuals dealing with a spectrum of afflictions and addictions, from anxiety disorders and schizophrenia to multiple personalities and bizarre compulsions. “Discovery Health is putting an unprecedented emphasis on mental wellness, presenting an unfiltered look at a variety of rare and common mental disorders through the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3529840 Mon, 03 May 2010 23:55:14 +0100 3529840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443760&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F06%2Fgood-ole-exercise-for-depression%2F Time and time again we hear about the importance of regular exercise for our bodies. But not only does such exercise help our bodies — it does wonders for our minds as well. The latest finding comes from two researchers who found that simple exercise can be helpful with some people’s depressive mood: [The researchers] based their finding on an analysis of dozens of population-based studies, clinical studies and meta-analytic reviews related to exercise and mental health, including the authors’ meta-analysis of exercise interventions for mental health and studies on reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise. The researchers’ review demonstrated the efficacy of exercise programs in reducing depression and anxiety. And this is good news, since not everyone can afford psychoth... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443760 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:32:27 +0100 3443760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3411132&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F27%2Fhealthy-minds-across-america-from-narsad%2F I’m happy to bring you the following news release from the organization formerly known as the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, but now it just goes by its acronym, NARSAD. They are hosting a number of educational discussions across the U.S. throughout April that may be of interest to you. Beginning Saturday, April 10th, thousands of families throughout the United States will have a rare opportunity to learn about new breakthroughs and emerging treatments in mental health by the nation’s best and brightest mental health researchers. “Healthy Minds Across America,” a series of free forums open to the public, will take place every weekend from April 10 – May 8, culminating with the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month in May. The events, org... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3411132 Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:07:34 +0100 3411132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366261&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F14%2Fwhat-works-for-you-in-bipolar%2F Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition, and while not as common as depression or anxiety disorders, it remains one of the most challenging to treat. That’s largely because it’s characterized by its wide mood swings. When a lot of people first hear about bipolar disorder, it doesn’t sound like it should be such a problem. For instance, mania can be characterized by intense creative spurts and periods of productivity. But those periods are often followed by a crash into depression. After having reached such “highs,” the lows may feel especially dark and lonely. Indeed, there are some who believe that bipolar disorder should be viewed in a different light, with an understanding and appreciation for the positive side. Bipolar Advantage is our blog t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366261 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:00:58 +0100 3366261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231597&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fjerilyn-ross-leader-in-raising-awareness-about-anxiety%2F Ms. Ross was the co-founder, President and CEO of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to raise public awareness about anxiety and its treatment. She passed away early last month. Below is an obituary for this remarkable woman, Jerilyn Ross, An Advocate for the Anxious, by Benedict Carey as it appeared in the New York Times: Jerilyn Ross, a therapist who helped hundreds of people overcome their worst anxieties and who became one of the country’s most visible and effective advocates for those with mental health problems, died on Jan. 7 in Washington. She was 63 and lived in Potomac, Md. The cause was cancer, said her husband, Ronald Cohen. Ms. Ross was a 25-year-old teacher on vacation in Salzburg, Austria, when she was struck by a ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231597 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:06:33 +0100 3231597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212377&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2Fpsychodynamic-psychotherapys-positive-impact%2F Yesterday, we reported on a new meta-analysis of psychodynamic psychotherapy that demonstrates the effectiveness of this type of therapy. Traditionally, psychodynamic therapy is thought to be “less scientific” than newer, modern psychotherapy treatments, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). We had previously noted how psychodynamic therapy fared just as well as CBT for anxiety disorders in another robust study. The new research analysis — which reviewed eight meta-analyses of 160 studies of psychodynamic therapy — was published in the American Psychologist and showed robust effect sizes: One major meta-analysis of psychodynamic therapy included 1,431 patients with a range of mental health problems and found an effect size of 0.97 for overall symptom improvement... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212377 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:38:44 +0100 3212377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185417&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F19%2Fmilitary-wives-more-likely-to-be-depressed-anxious%2F As we reported late last week, a recent study has confirmed that wives of active-duty soldiers are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and other mental health conditions. While much attention is focused on the mental health of soldiers themselves (especially with the recent rise in suicides in the military), a lot less attention is given to the families of those soldiers. This new study helps shed some much-needed light on the subject, and confirms what has long been suspected — the emotional toll for war-time deployments is much higher than anybody thought. The AP story on this issue had this quote: “Spouses tell me all the time that they want to get mental health assistance,” [wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] said. &#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185417 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:57:19 +0100 3185417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023197&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_diagnosis_of_multiple_anxiety_disorders_predicts_t.htm Conclusion: The results showed that the presence of multiple ADs strongly predicts comorbidity with MDD in an exponential manner, suggesting that we should pay attention to the fact that patients with multiple ADs are more likely to be comorbid with MDD. Source... Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023197 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:09:00 +0100 3023197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3003841&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_chlorpheniramine_exerts_anxiolyticlike_effects_an.htm Conclusion The anxiolytic-like effect of chlorpheniramine is produced, at least in part, by the facilitation of serotonergic neurotransmission in the PFC. Source...     © 2009 Springer Comment:  Chlorpheniramine is a prescription medicine, however, some over-the-counter (OTC) products contain this antihistamine. Seek advice from your physician or pharmacist before taking these OTC remedies if you have been prescribe any medication, especially other serotonergic medications including antidepressants and some migraine drugs. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3003841 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:39:00 +0100 3003841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999613&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flinkblog%2Fjump%2F%3Fi%3D513635 Dr. Pine describes the techniques that will help researchers better predict which children are most at risk for long-term anxiety. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999613 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:39:00 +0100 2999613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967354&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_association_study_between_gaba_receptor_genes_and_.htm Conclusions: These findings suggest that common variation in the GABRA2, GABRA3, GABRA6, and GABRG2 genes does not play a major role in liability to anxiety spectrum disorders. (Text has been reformatted for online visual clarity, links added; ed.) Source... Copyright © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967354 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:35:00 +0100 2967354 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2901673&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F17%2Fa-glimpse-inside-obsessed-an-interview-with-john-tsilimparis%2F I’m not one to stay up and watch TV. For one, I have to practice good sleep hygiene so I can preach that message to you guys. But A&E’s documentary series, “Obsessed” piqued my interest because it exposes viewers to the lives of every day folks battling OCD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, hoarding, and a healthy variety of phobias. The unscripted series educates the public on how one measly obsession can totally mess up a life if the biochemistry isn’t controlled (of course, I already know that). So I wanted to interview the show’s therapist, John Tsilimparis, about the series and about the experience of being watched by millions as he conducted therapy. Question: What is the primary message that you would like viewers to get from the thera... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2901673 Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:07:43 +0100 2901673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899012&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fliving_near_green_lowers_anxiety_depression_rates_study_fi.htm By Kristen Hallam Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) — People living near gardens, parks and other green spaces have lower rates of anxiety, depression and poor physical health than those living in urban areas, Dutch researchers found. More... ©2009 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899012 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:42:00 +0100 2899012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890712&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_pharmacotherapy_for_anxiety_disorders_in_children.htm Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jul 8;(3):CD005170 Pharmacotherapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents Ipser JC, Stein DJ, Hawkridge S, Hoppe L. MRC Research Unit for Anxiety and Stress Disorders, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa Background: Anxiety disorders are a potentially disabling group of disorders which are prevalent in childhood and adolescence. The recognition of the early onset of anxiety disorders, and their successful treatment with medication in adults, has led to the growing interest in using medication for paediatric anxiety disorders. Objectives: To assess the efficacy ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890712 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:35:00 +0100 2890712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871758&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_medication_dosing_in_anxiety_disorders_what_the_.htm This article reviews the state of the literature regarding the most common medications used to treat these anxiety disorders with specific attention to optimal dosing. For most of these medications there is sufficient data to suggest a minimum and average effective dose. More problematic, however-and with instructive data for only a few medications-is the question as to whether dosages higher than these levels can provide increased likelihood or degree of response. Source + Full text... © 2009 Primary Psychiatry a Publication of MBL Communications (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871758 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:16:00 +0100 2871758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862567&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Funderstanding_the_anxious_mind.htm By ROBIN MARANTZ HENIG Jerome Kagan's "Aha!" moment came with Baby 19. It was 1989, and Kagan, a professor of psychology at Harvard, had just begun a major longitudinal study of temperament and its effects. Temperament is a complex, multilayered thing, and for the sake of clarity, Kagan was tracking it along a single dimension: whether babies were easily upset when exposed to new things. He chose this characteristic both because it could be measured and because it seemed to explain much of normal human variation. He suspected, extrapolating from a study he had just completed on toddlers, that the most edgy infants were more likely to grow up to be inhibited, shy and anxious. Eager to take a peek at the early results, he grabbed the videotapes of the first babies in the study, looking for t... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862567 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:04:00 +0100 2862567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862570&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_patterns_of_postural_sway_in_high_anxious_childre.htm Conclusions: The pattern of postural sway suggests that balance is overall less stable and more attention demanding in children with anxiety than typically developing children. The findings provide further evidence for a neuro-behavioral link between psychopathology and the effectiveness of postural control. Source | Full text () Open access (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862570 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:55:00 +0100 2862570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858666&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F04%2Fwhat-is-anxiety%2F Have you ever wondered what anxiety felt like? Robin Marantz Henig, writing for The New York Times Magazine, has penned a great (but lengthy) piece about anxiety — that non-specific feeling of nervousness that, for some, can be completely debilitating. Anxiety differs from social phobia or other kinds of fears, because it isn’t specific to particular situation (like speaking in front of crowds or going to a party). It can attack at any time, for any reason or no reason whatsoever. So while you or I may get butterflies in our stomach the first time before a big exam or presentation, someone with anxiety may have them virtually all of the time. Anxiety is not fear, exactly, because fear is focused on something right in front of you, a real and objective danger. It is instead a ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858666 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:25:53 +0100 2858666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828267&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fadolescent_anxiety_depression_two_distinct_disorders.htm Wiley-Blackwell Adolescent depression and anxiety disorders are two distinct psychiatric disorders, according to Dr William W. Hale III (a researcher of the Langeveld Institute for the Study of Education and Development in Childhood and Adolescence at Utrecht University) in a recent publication in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Hale and his colleagues conducted a five-year, longitudinal study of secondary school adolescents. Every year their depressive and anxiety disorder symptoms were measured. Hale and his colleagues concluded that while adolescent anxiety and depression were strongly related to one another, adolescent depression and anxiety disorder symptoms are in fact best classified as two distinct disorders with parallel, but unique growth processes. These conclusi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828267 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:39:00 +0100 2828267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807670&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_one_factor_or_two_parallel_processes_comorbidity_.htm Conclusions: The results of this study established that the development of anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms of adolescents from the general community occurs as two distinct disorders with parallel growth processes, each with their own unique growth characteristics. Source... Journal Compilation © 2009 ACAMH (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807670 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:59:00 +0100 2807670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807671&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_the_developmental_course_of_anxiety_symptoms_durin.htm Conclusions: The current study shows that, in the general population, anxiety symptoms first decrease during early adolescence, and subsequently increase from middle to late adolescence. These findings extend our knowledge on the developmental course of anxiety symptoms during adolescence. This is the first study to separate the development of anxiety symptoms from that of symptoms of depression. Source... Journal Compilation © 2009 ACAMH (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807671 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:56:00 +0100 2807671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807672&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_depression_and_anxiety_symptoms_onset_developmen.htm Conclusions: DAS tend to increase in frequency over the first 5 years of life. Atypically high level can be predicted from mother and child characteristics present before 6 months of age. Preventive interventions should be experimented with at risk infants and parents. Source... Journal Compilation © 2009 ACAMH (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807672 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:53:00 +0100 2807672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2747979&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fup_to_15_of_preschoolers_affected_by_anxiety_depression.htm Jacques Desjardins Almost 15 percent of preschoolers have atypically high levels of depression and anxiety, according to a new study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. The five-year investigation also found that children with atypically high depression and anxiety levels are more likely to have mothers with a history of depression. The study was conducted in Canada by an international team of researchers from the Université de Montréal, the Université Laval and McGill University, as well as Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) in France, Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. and University College Dublin in Ireland. "As early as the first year of life, there are indications that some children have m... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2747979 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:37:00 +0100 2747979 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737780&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmanaging_childrens_anxiety_before_and_after_surgery.htm The prospect of surgery for a child is a frightening unknown for child and parent alike, and the pre-operative process that most children go through only heightens their anxiety. Research on how hospitals can minimize the anxiety and trauma children face both before and after surgery was recently published in the journal Anesthesiology. More... © 2009 MediLexicon International Ltd (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737780 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:51:00 +0100 2737780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712160&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Funcertainty_fuels_anxiety.htm by Susan Lampert Smith Anyone who has spent a sleepless night anguishing over a possible job loss has experienced the central finding of a new brain scan study: Uncertainty makes a bad event feel even worse. A new study by UW-Madison brain researcher Jack Nitschke shows that the emotional centers in the brain respond much more strongly to disturbing photos if the person didn't know what was coming. "These results have obvious relevance to our current economic times," says Nitschke, a professor of psychiatry in the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. "Expectations have a dramatic impact on many aspects of our lives, including performance at work and school, interpersonal relationships and health. Expectations can alter perceptions of negative events as well as neural and emotio... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712160 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:38:00 +0100 2712160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2699687&cid=t_141360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FxHCe8NeAyuM%2F OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder, is one of those weird and fascinating diseases that confuses medical professionals. If you’ve ever seen someone with the disease, you know why. Is it caused by anxiety? Is it something related to an addiction? About four million Americans have some form of OCD. Right now, the medical community has it classified with other anxiety disorders. Some experts believe it should remain in this category because “people with the disorder tend to engage in repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety.” In other words, it isn’t so much that they are obsessed about something (like checking locks or washing hands) but they go back to this behavior because they think it will help soothe them. It doesn’t however. Other medical folks say the d... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2699687 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:14:20 +0100 2699687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580254&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ffinding_fear_neuroscientists_locate_where_it_is_encoded_in_.htm Joel Schwarz Fear is a powerful emotion and neuroscientists have for the first time located the neurons responsible for fear conditioning in the mammalian brain. Fear conditioning is a form of Pavlovian, or associative, learning and is considered to be a model system for understanding human phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders. Using an imaging technique that enabled them to trace the process of neural activation in the brains of rats, University of Washington researchers have pinpointed the basolateral nucleus in the region of the amygdala as the place where fear conditioning is encoded. Neuroscientists previously suspected that both the amygdala and another brain region, the dorsal hippocampus, were where cues get associated when fear memories are formed. B... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580254 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:10:00 +0100 2580254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580257&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fand_the_orchestra_played_on_activation_of_distress_pathways.htm Psychiatric Times. Vol. 26 No. 7 Maletic V, Raison CL, Jain R, Draud JW. As we begin this brief review of the neurobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), we face these fundamental questions: Will the provided information be clinically relevant? Can current scientific research provide us with a coherent, comprehensive, and relatively accurate description of the underlying neurobiology of MDD? Major depression, bipolar disorder (BD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are all characterized by a significant genetic contribution to their etiopathogenesis. More... © 1996 - 2009 CMPMedica LLC, a United Business Media company (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580257 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:48:00 +0100 2580257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2572968&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ffellow_students_smell_your_exam_fear.htm STUDENTS facing exams this month, take heart: your companions can smell your fear, and they empathize. That's the implication of a study by Bettina Pause at the University of Dusseldorf, Germany, and colleagues. More... © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2572968 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:39:00 +0100 2572968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570585&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Foverweight_kids_more_lonely_anxious.htm Emily Smith As childhood obesity rates continue to increase, experts agree that more information is needed about the implications of being overweight as a step toward reversing current trends. Now, a new University of Missouri study, published in the journal Applied Developmental Science, has found that overweight children, especially girls, show signs of the negative consequences of being overweight as early as kindergarten. "We found that both boys and girls who were overweight from kindergarten through third grade displayed more depression, anxiety and loneliness than kids who were never overweight, and those negative feelings worsened over time," said Sara Gable, associate professor of human development and family studies in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences. "Overweight i... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570585 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100 2570585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561312&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxietyprone_people_find_distractions_hard_to_ignore.htm Trouble concentrating may add to stress levels, researcher says MONDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) — Anxious people have more difficulty tuning out distractions and require more time to shift their attention from one task to another, a new study from British researchers has found. More... Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561312 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:50:00 +0100 2561312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556163&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdepression_anxiety_bad_for_the_heart.htm Two new studies show effects on angina and mortality By Ed Edelson HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) — Two new studies show that problems with the mind can play a significant role in problems of the heart. One study found that anxiety and depression can increase the incidence of angina, the chest pain that sends many people to the doctor, said Dr Mark Sullivan, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington, and senior author of one of the reports in the June 29 online issue of Circulation. More... Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556163 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:24:00 +0100 2556163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2553080&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmolecule_stops_panic_as_quickly_as_benzodiazepines_without_t.htm Brandon Bryn - AAAS A  ligand, or binding molecule, of the translocator protein (18 kDa) seems to quickly counteract anxiety and panic attacks in mice as well as humans-and without the negative side effects associated with other current remedies, researchers say. This finding suggests that this ligand, XBD173, might be a good candidate for use as a safe and fast-acting anti-anxiety agent. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and can be very disabling, frequently turning into chronic clinical conditions. Current treatments like the benzodiazepines (eg: Valium®, Xanax®) often have unwanted side effects such as sedation, tolerance, or symptoms of withdrawal after chronic use. Antidepressant drugs are also sometimes administered to treat anxiety, but their beneficial effects onl... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2553080 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:10:00 +0100 2553080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517268&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Facademic_performance__anxietys_hidden_costs.htm Danielle Moore - ESRC The effect of anxiety on academic performance is not always obvious but new research suggests that there may be hidden costs. The research found that anxious individuals find it harder to avoid distractions and take more time to turn their attention from one task to the next than their less anxious peers. The researchers, Professor Michael Eysenck and Dr Nazanin Derkshan, designed several experiments to explore the effects of anxiety on our ability to perform tasks such as avoiding distractions on a computer screen, when reading a story, or solving a series of simple mathematics problems. According to Professor Eysenck, these findings have clear practical implications in the classroom. "A lot of the negative effects of anxiety appear to be caused by difficulties with ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517268 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:37:00 +0100 2517268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517273&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F25%2Ftransparency-kupfer-and-the-dsm-v%2F Why is the new revision of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the “DSM-V”) — the reference book used to diagnose mental disorders in the U.S. — being updated in secrecy? That’s a legitimate question, and one asked by the previous head of the other modern DSM revisions (III, III-R and IV), Dr. Allen Frances in an upcoming Psychiatric Times article: The secretiveness of the DSM-V process is extremely puzzling. In my entire experience working on DSM-III, DSM-III-R, and DSM-IV, nothing ever came up that even remotely had to be hidden from anyone. There is everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose from having a totally open process… You’d have to ask Dr. David Kupfer, the head of the DSM-V revision process, or the American Psy... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517273 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:05:02 +0100 2517273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511065&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_comorbid_anxiety_as_a_suicide_risk_factor_among_de.htm Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of comorbid anxiety disorders and symptoms in increasing suicide risk among depressed patients and may inform suicide prevention efforts among these patients. (Text has been reformatted for online visual clarity; ed.) Source... Copyright © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511065 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:36:00 +0100 2511065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511067&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdrug_quells_anxiety_in_early_trials.htm Angst-fighting compound lacks side effects of current treatments. Heidi Ledford A compound that stimulates the production of certain steroids in the brain may one day soothe the troubled nerves of people with anxiety disorders, according to results from a small clinical trial. The compound boosts the activity of a 'translocator' protein inside cells that helps transport cholesterol molecules and allows some to be turned into steroids that act in the brain. More... © 2009 Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511067 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:28:00 +0100 2511067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464178&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fnapping_hyperactivity_anxiety_and_depression_linked_in_pre.htm Kelly Wagner - American Academy of Sleep Medicine Napping may have a significant influence on young children's daytime functioning, according to a research abstract presented on Monday at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. Results indicate that children between the ages of 4 and 5 who did not take daytime naps were reported by their parents to exhibit higher levels of hyperactivity, anxiety and depression than children who continued to nap at this age. According to lead author Brian Crosby, PhD, postdoctoral fellow of psychology at Pennsylvania State University, previous studies have shown that poor or inadequate sleep is linked with symptoms of hyperactivity, anxiety and depression; researchers involved in this study were happy to demonstra... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464178 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:35:00 +0100 2464178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464179&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_napping_and_psychosocial_functioning_in_preschool_.htm Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that significant relationships exist between napping and indicators of psychosocial functioning; however, the correlational nature of these data do not allow for causal conclusions. Additional research is needed to understand the impact of napping on the individual child's developmental trajectory (e.g., development of psychopathology). Better understanding of the importance of napping would likely be of interest to parents, educators, and clinicians. Source...   (, 476 pages, 10MB) © 2009 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464179 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:26:00 +0100 2464179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452676&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fchildren_of_anxious_parents_often_need_help_too.htm Ekaterina Pesheva - Johns Hopkins In what is believed to be the first U.S. study designed to prevent anxiety disorders in the children of anxious parents, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center have found that a family-based program reduced symptoms and the risk of developing an anxiety disorder among these children. Despite its small size, the study suggests that as few as eight weekly family sessions of cognitive behavior therapy go a long way to prevent or minimize the psychological damage of childhood anxiety. Results of the study will appear in the June issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. "If psychiatrists or family doctors diagnose anxiety in adult patients, it's now clearly a good idea that they ask about the patients' children and, if appropriate... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452676 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:11:00 +0100 2452676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452679&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxiety_hitting_british_workers.htm British workers are experiencing panic attacks and insomnia because of stress associated with the economic downturn, a survey has suggested More... BBC © MMIX (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452679 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:33:00 +0100 2452679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389899&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_association_between_anxiety_disorders_and_heart_ra.htm Conclusion: This study shows that anxiety disorders are associated with significantly lower HR variability, but the association seems to be driven by the effects of antidepressants. (Text has been reformatted for online visual clarity; ed.) Source... Copyright © 2009 by the American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389899 Thu, 07 May 2009 08:33:00 +0100 2389899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381346&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxiety_its_a_natural_thing_but_it_can_reach_levels_that_.htm By Gloria Troyer, CBC News In today's world we are faced with a great deal of uncertainty, and it can lead to feelings of anxiety. Mild anxiety is unsettling and most people experience it at various points in their lives, but severe anxiety is something entirely different - it can be debilitating and require professional treatment. Anxiety itself is not necessarily bad. It's the body's natural warning system, which signals us when something is not right in the surrounding environment. It tells us to be cautious. More... Copyright © CBC 2009 (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381346 Fri, 01 May 2009 08:32:00 +0100 2381346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376192&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_dizziness_anxiety_health_care_utilization_and_he.htm Conclusion: Dizziness is a highly prevalent symptom in the general population. A subgroup with comorbid anxiety is characterized by an increased subjective impairment and health care utilization due to their dizziness. Because treatment options for distinct neurotologic disorders are also known to reduce psychological symptoms, and in order to avoid unnecessary medical treatment, early neurologic and psychiatric/psychotherapeutic referral may be indicated. Source... © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376192 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:49:00 +0100 2376192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365126&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F24%2Fbiofeedback-helps-military-personnel-cope-with-war%2F I’ve long been a believer of the benefits of biofeedback, a simple technique anybody can learn to help control their own physiological responses, such as your breathing or muscle tension. I know because I spent 3 years in graduate school heading up the biofeedback program at my graduate school, sitting in countless supervisions watching young therapists learn to effectively wield the technique to help hundreds of clients. So it was no great surprised to read about a new study in the journal Biofeedback that describes the successes achieved in North Carolina at the Wounded Warrior Barracks, the first rehabilitation facility of its kind. The purpose of this biofeedback program is to help US Marines and Navy Corpsmen adjust to their injuries and assist them in the development of skill... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365126 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:31 +0100 2365126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353870&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_depression_anxiety_and_their_relationship_with_ch.htm Conclusion: The evidence for the association of physical illness and depression and anxiety, and their effects on outcome, is very strong. Further research to establish the effectiveness of interventions is required. Despite the limits of current research, policy and practice still lags significantly behind best evidence-based practice. Models of integrated care need to be developed and trialled. Source... © The Medical Journal of Australia 2009 (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353870 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:24:00 +0100 2353870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348464&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxietyrelated_mental_health_disorders_on_the_rise_in_brita.htm Mental health experts have found levels of anxiety are on the rise in Britain and people feel significantly more frightened than they used to. More... Copyright © 2002-2009 Emap Ltd. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348464 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:51:00 +0100 2348464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313434&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsnoring_linked_to_anxietydepression_in_preschoolers.htm Preschool-aged children who snore have more symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as impairments in attention and language skills, reports a study in the April issue of the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. "The results of our study bring out snoring as a possible risk factor for mood problems and cognitive impairment in children," according to the researchers, led by Eeva T. Aronen, MD, PhD, of Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. The researchers studied 43 preschoolers who snored (at least once or twice a week, according to their parents) and 46 children who did not snore. The children, average age five years, were evaluated on standard tests of behavior problems, cognitive (intellectual) function, and development. The results showed a higher... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313434 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:21:00 +0100 2313434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287180&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Foverprotective_mothers_dont_produce_anxious_children.htm Mothers of anxious children are often concerned they are somehow contributing to their child's anxiety by being over-protective or over-involved. Now a new study published in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, suggests that over-protective behavior exhibited by mothers of anxious children is a natural response to the child's anxiety. The study was conducted at Macquarie University's Centre for Emotional Health. Lead researcher Associate Professor Jennifer Hudson, said that previous research from the Centre has shown that parents of anxious children can be over-involved and over-protective. "What the research has not been able to show up until now is whether it is the child's anxiety that brings out over protective behavior," she said. In the cur... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287180 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:21:00 +0100 2287180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2241368&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_anxiety_in_middle_adulthood_effects_of_age_and_ti.htm Conclusions: The present findings suggest that the severity of anxiety disorders declines over time, although this decline is modest and depends on the specific disorder being assessed. Older individuals with PD and GAD have a better prognosis than their younger counterparts, as their course is characterized by a steeper decline in severity. The present findings provide important information about the course of anxiety disorders in mid-life. Source... Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2241368 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:13:00 +0100 2241368 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216531&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F26%2Fintroducing-anxiety-ocd-exposed%2F You asked, we answered. Introducing our newest blog, Anxiety & OCD Exposed! Anxiety and OCD Exposed is written by the authors of a series of “Dummies” books on mental health concerns, including the one for anxiety disorders and the one for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). They’ll be blogging every week on these two (and related) topics with their insights, opinions and news about anxiety and OCD. Laura L. Smith, Ph.D is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the assessment and treatment of adults and children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as personality disorders, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and learning disorders. She is often asked to provide consultations to attorneys, school districts, and governmental agencies. She presents workshops on cogn... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216531 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:18:09 +0100 2216531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2173395&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_space_and_motion_discomfort_and_abnormal_balance_c.htm Conclusion: In patients with anxiety disorders, higher SMD is indicative of somatosensory dependence in the control of balance. The absence of both panic and fear of heights reduces the probability of having peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Future research should examine if vestibular rehabilitation can be of value for patients with anxiety disorders complicated by SMD. Source... Copyright © 2009 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2173395 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:26:00 +0100 2173395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2156869&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fcan_anticonvulsants_help_patients_with_anxiety_disorders.htm Marco Mula, MD, PhD Anxiety disorders are chronic conditions that follow a relapsing/remitting course.1 The evidence to support this view comes primarily from cross-sectional and retrospective assessments of duration of illness and, in part, from prospective studies. The waxing and waning nature of panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), for example, has been clearly demonstrated. Much less information is available about the course of illness of social phobia. However, both community studies and patient samples suggest an age of onset of social phobia in mid to late teens with a chronicity that is equal to or greater than that of panic disorder.2 Nevertheless, this recognition has not reshaped our basic treatment approach, which focuses almost entirely on the acute control o... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2156869 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:36:00 +0100 2156869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2141569&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Firon_serotonin_anxiety_and_depression.htm Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have found a surprising link between brain iron levels and serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in neuropsychiatric conditions ranging from autism to major depression. Appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, the study by Randy Blakely, PhD, and colleagues also demonstrates the utility of a powerful in silico (performed on computer or via computer simulation) approach for discovering novel traits linked to subtle genetic variation. The serotonin transporter protein (SERT) regulates serotonin availability in the brain and periphery, and variations in human SERT have been linked to many neurobehavioral disorders - including alcoholism, depression, autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. SERT is also a m... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2141569 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:49:00 +0100 2141569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2141570&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fuk_sharp_rise_in_depression_and_anxiety_as_quarter_of_midd.htm By Daniel Martin More middle-aged women than ever before have depression or anxiety, researchers say. A survey found that a quarter of those aged 45 to 54 experienced a 'common mental disorder' in 2007 - up a fifth from 1993. More... © 2009 Associated Newspapers Ltd (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2141570 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:43:00 +0100 2141570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2134875&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_depression_and_anxiety_as_major_determinants_of_n.htm Conclusions: The higher the neck pain level, the more attention should be paid to psychosocial distress as a related burden. Further research is needed to elucidate the causality and the direction of the association between psychosocial distress and neck pain and to determine the benefit of psychosocial interventions. Source...     Full text... () (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2134875 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:33:00 +0100 2134875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2125567&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fchildhood_balance_problems_linked_to_anxiety.htm Many of the 40 million American adults who suffer from anxiety disorders also have problems with balance. As increasing numbers of children are diagnosed with anxiety, Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered that the link between balance and anxiety can be assessed at an early age - and that something can be done about it before it becomes a problem. Dr Orit Bart at Tel Aviv University's School of Health Professions, and her colleagues, have found that a simple course of physical treatment for balance problems can also resolve anxiety issues in children. Her work offers new hope for normal social and emotional development for children with both disorders. Anxiety has a significant impact on children's personal and academic well-being. While not all kids with anxiety have balance pr... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2125567 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:51:00 +0100 2125567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2125576&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flinkblog%2Fjump%2F%3Fi%3D508165 British newspaper The Guardian has updated its extensive library of anxiety disorders articles. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2125576 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:22:00 +0100 2125576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2116123&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_pain_interference_impacts_response_to_treatment_fo.htm Conclusions: Pain that interferes with daily activities is prevalent among primary care patients with PD/GAD and associated with more severe anxiety, worse daily functioning, higher health services use, and a lower likelihood of responding to treatment for PD/GAD. Source... © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2116123 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:59:00 +0100 2116123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2065507&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fchildhood_anxiety_disorders_can_and_should_be_treated.htm LaKisha Ladson Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents should be recognized and treated to prevent educational underachievement and adult substance abuse, anxiety disorders and depression, says a nationally recognized child psychiatrist. In an editorial appearing in the Dec. 25 issue of New England Journal of Medicine, Dr Graham Emslie, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at UT Southwestern and chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Children's Medical Center Dallas, urges awareness that children need to be treated for anxiety disorders and recommends that related empirical evidence be integrated into treatment guidelines. "Anxiety disorders may cause children to avoid social situations and age-appropriate developmental milestones," said Dr Emslie. "Further, the avoidance cycl... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2065507 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:22:00 +0100 2065507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2053106&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__selfmedication_of_anxiety_disorders_with_alcohol.htm J Affect Disord. 2008;doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.03.013 Self-medication of anxiety disorders with alcohol and drugs: Results from a nationally representative sample Bolton JM, Robinson J, Sareen J. Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Self-medication - the use of alcohol or drugs in an attempt to reduce anxiety - has often been invoked as an explanatory mechanism for the high co-occurrence of anxiety and substance use disorders (for reviews, see Allan, C. A. (1995). Alcohol problems and anxiety disorders-A critical review. Alcohol & Alcoholism, 30(2), 145-151; Kushner, M. G., Ab... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2053106 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:59:00 +0100 2053106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033537&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fepigenetics_may_explain_susceptibility_to_anxiety_depressio.htm Research conducted by a Swiss research team suggests that a family of genes involved in regulating the expression of other genes in the brain is responsible for helping us deal with external inputs such as stress. Their results may give a clue to why some people are more susceptible to anxiety or depression than others. The researchers from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and the National Competence Center "Frontiers in Genetics" studied the role of a family of genes known as KRAB-ZFP, which acts as genetic censors, selectively silencing the expression of other genes. These repressors make up about 2% of our genetic material, but little is known about how this "epigenetic" silencing process works, what the long-term consequences are, and even which genes are targeted... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033537 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:38:00 +0100 2033537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011494&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fone_in_20_american_suffer_chronic_anxiety_or_depression.htm Study finds that few receive appropriate treatment for disorders By Enrique Rivero Though effective treatments are available for individuals suffering from chronic anxiety and depression, very little is known about how often these treatments are used or how prevalent these conditions are among the nation's general population. But in a first-of-its-kind study, UCLA researchers have developed estimates for both the prevalence of chronic psychiatric illness in the general population and how often individuals suffering from such illnesses receive appropriate treatment. In the study, published in the December issue of the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatric Services and currently available online, researchers found that approximately 4.7 percent of the nation's population suffers from persistent ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011494 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:04:00 +0100 2011494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1999291&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fvideo_childhood_phobias_and_anxieties.htm Child Mental Health: Childhood Phobias And AnxietiesRuntime: 7m 45sCharles Sophy (Private Practice in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) gives expert video advice on: How prevalent are anxieties and phobias in children? When do children begin to develop anxieties or phobias? What are common, age-appropriate childhood fears? Are age-inappropriate fears considered phobias? What are the most common symptoms of anxieties and phobias in children? How can I help my child cope with his phobia or anxiety? What is the professional treatment for a child with phobias and anxieties? What can I do to prevent my child from developing an anxiety? and more...Child mental health disorders series (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1999291 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:57:00 +0100 1999291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991446&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__persistent_depression_and_anxiety_in_the_united_s.htm CONCLUSIONS: Strategies are needed to increase treatment use and intensity for people with persistent depressive and anxiety disorders. This may require improved access to mental health specialists. Source... © 2008 American Psychiatric Association (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991446 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:28:00 +0100 1991446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1981229&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flinkblog%2Fjump%2F%3Fi%3D507149 The link between depression and physical illness has been well explored, and now researchers are turning their attention to the role of anxiety disorders in prompting medical problems. Johns Hopkins sheds light on this intriguing connection. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1981229 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:10:00 +0100 1981229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1961157&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxiety_patients_perceive_greater_physical_effects_than_actu.htm Research conducted at the University of Granada, Spain for a doctoral thesis has found that patients with major anxiety disorders (panic disorder - with and without agoraphobia, social anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder) believe they experience greater physiological effects (palpitations, sweating, irregular breathing, shaking of the hands and muscular tension) than actually occurs. That is, although many patients with anxiety disorders report very intense physical symptoms in surveys and questionnaires, this is not supported by medical tests. The research was conducted by Professor Mª Isabel Viedma del Jesus of the department of Personality, Evaluation and Physiological Treatment. It was carried out with 83 patients who had been diagnosed with either panic disorder - with and wi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1961157 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:18:00 +0100 1961157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1952363&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_life_events_anxious_depression_and_personality_a.htm Conclusions: Our findings suggest that reciprocal causation explains the relationship between life events and anxious depression and between life events and neuroticism. Extraversion is not related to life events. No evidence was found for gene-environment correlation, i.e. the genes that influence anxious depression, neuroticism or extraversion do not overlap with the genes that increase the risk of exposure to life events. Source... Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1952363 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:10:00 +0100 1952363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1947441&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_the_role_of_fear_and_anxiety_in_the_familial_risk_.htm Conclusions: These findings support the separation of anxiety disorders into at least two distinct forms, particularly when examining their role in the etiology of depression. Source... Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1947441 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:38:00 +0100 1947441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1939644&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxious_adolescents_respond_differently_to_anxiety_triggers.htm Brain scans show heightened activity among anxious adolescents exposed to an anxiety-provoking situation when compared with normal controls, according to an U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) study published in the November 2008 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. In the new study by Amanda Guyer, PhD., of NIMH and colleagues at Georgia State University, Catholic University, NIMH, and the University of Maryland, 14 adolescents with significant anxiety about social situations and 14 healthy adolescents were told that they were going to participate in Internet chat rooms. Each participant would chat with a peer whom the participant wanted to chat with and who wanted to chat with the participant. To select those they wanted to chat with, participants looked at photograph... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1939644 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:54:00 +0100 1939644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930373&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fchildhood_anxiety_linked_to_criminality_in_adulthood.htm Study examines whether certain childhood traits in boys delay criminal behavior until after the age of 21 Being nervous, socially isolated, anxious or neurotic during childhood protects young men from becoming criminal offenders until they enter adulthood, but the protective effect seems to wear off after the age of 21. These are the findings of Dr Georgia Zara, from the University of Turin in Italy, and Dr David Farrington, from the University of Cambridge in the UK, who explored whether certain childhood factors delay the onset of criminal behavior until adulthood. Zara and Farrington followed a total of 400 males in London, who took part in The Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, between the ages of 8 to 10 and 48 to 50. Participants were split into three groups: 35 late onset cr... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930373 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:21:00 +0100 1930373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1918182&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fhelping_children_face_their_fears_improves_therapy_outcomes.htm Helping children face their fears may be more productive than focusing on other techniques to help them manage their anxieties, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Chicago. The research, which identified similarities between cognitive behavioral therapy administered in a clinical practice and protocols recommended in common treatment manuals, showed that as children were taught to face their fears, their ability to function increased. The study also showed that children were able to complete exercises exposing them to their fears much earlier than suggested in the treatment manuals. The more children focused on other techniques for managing their anxieties, however, the less improvement they showed in functioni... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1918182 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:09:00 +0100 1918182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911497&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxiety_disorders_linked_to_high_blood_pressure.htm Family doctors and psychiatrists should carefully monitor the heart health of patients with anxiety disorders, Dr Simon Bacon told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2008, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. "People with anxiety disorders are four times more likely to develop high blood pressure (hypertension) over one year than those of us who are anxiety free," says Dr Bacon, a Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute. "Hypertension is a leading risk factor for stroke and heart disease." Anxiety disorders are among the most common of all forms of mental illness, according to Dr Bacon. People affected frequently (often daily) experience intense feelings of fear and distress that are typically out of proporti... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911497 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:21:00 +0100 1911497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901917&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Femotional_memories_study_gives_insights_into_anxiety_disorde.htm Neuroscientists at The University of Queensland, Australia have discovered a new way to explain how emotional events can sometimes lead to disturbing long term memories. In evolutionary terms, the brain's ability to remember a fear or trauma response has been crucial to our long term survival. However, in the modern world, when a similar type of fear response is triggered by a traumatic event such as being in combat; being exposed to abuse or being involved a major car accident, we do not want to repeatedly re-experience the episode, in vivid detail, for the rest of our lives. During studies of the almond-shaped part of the brain called the amygdala - a region associated with processing emotions - Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) scientists have uncovered a cellular mechanism underlying th... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901917 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:49:00 +0100 1901917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901920&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Faustralia_mental_illness_rife_anxiety_disorders_most_prev.htm One in five Australians aged 16-85 years had a mental disorder in 2007, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Anxiety disorders - such as panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder - were the most common, affecting 14 per cent of people. Affective disorders - such as depression - affected 6 per cent, while substance use disorders affected 5 per cent. The most commonly experienced anxiety disorders were post-traumatic stress disorder (6 per cent) and social phobia (5 per cent). Depression was the most common affective disorder (4 per cent), and the harmful use of alcohol the most common substance use disorder (3 per cent). Women were more likely to experience mental disorders (22 per cent) than men (18 per cent), with a higher rate of anxiety diso... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901920 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:32:00 +0100 1901920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876441&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fwomen_more_likely_to_have_heart_disease_misdiagnosed_as_anxi.htm Gender bias could explain delay in assessment of women with heart disease Research presented at the 20th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), found that coronary heart disease (CHD) symptoms presented in the context of a stressful life event were identified as be mental or emotional (psychogenic) rather than physiological in origin when presented by women and organic in origin when presented by men. The study could help explain why there is often a delay in the assessment of women with heart disease. "We know that there is a delay in diagnosing CHD in women and this is an important step forward in understanding why," said AlexanDr J. Lansky, MD, director of the Women's Health Initiative at CR... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876441 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:42:00 +0100 1876441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513539&cid=t_141360_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FYjIhmz7KvmY%2Fpsychological-conditions-or-post-tubal-ligation-syndrome.html Several common psychological conditions can mimic Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome (PTLS). These include major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is the fifth part of a 14 article series about Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome published by the tubal reversal specialists at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513539 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:29:37 +0100 2513539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1826154&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsystematic_desensitization_of_anxiety_in_10_steps.htm Clin Psychiatry News 2008 Sep;36(9):23 ROBERT T. LONDON, MD In previous discussions about behavioral strategies that can be used to treat patients in anxiety-provoking situations, I have referred to the procedures of reciprocal inhibition and systematic desensitization. Several psychiatrists and psychologists have asked to me to further describe the steps taken when developing a program of systematic desensitization. It appears that many therapists who want to provide optimal care for their patients have come to realize that behavioral techniques really work. Why the surprise? Traditional open-ended talk therapy centering on hoped-for understanding of problems-with unsubstantiated constructs-often fails to resolve the problems that the patient needs resolved. Therapists are now looking for... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1826154 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:29:00 +0100 1826154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798510&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ffamily_violence_increases_emotional_burden_for_previously_ab.htm Millions of American children are exposed to violence in their homes each year, putting them at risk for a variety of emotional and behavioral problems. According to a new study in the September/October 2008 issue of the journal Child Development, children who are maltreated tend to have a lot of re-exposure to family violence, and this re-exposure often leads to increased psychological problems. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, University of California, Irvine, and West Chester University found that the types of violence that abused children were subsequently re-exposed to led to specific types of psychological problems. Specifically, previously abused children who witnessed family violence had more symptoms of depression and anxiety, while previously abused children who wer... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798510 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:26:00 +0100 1798510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794659&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fcould_anxiety_disorder_onset_be_predicted_years_in_advance.htm Can scientists predict who will develop anxiety disorders years in advance? University of California, Los Angele (UCLA) psychology professor Michelle Craske thinks so. She is four years into an eight-year study evaluating 650 students, who were 16 when the study began, to identify risk factors for the development of anxiety and depression - the most comprehensive study of its kind. Craske and her colleagues are finding that neuroticism - the tendency to experience negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, sadness or anger - is a powerful predictor of both anxiety and depression. Newly published research from the long-term study highlights a potential mechanism by which neuroticism confers risk. The researchers report that teenagers who are high in neuroticism appear to become ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794659 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:19:00 +0100 1794659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794660&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmice_missing_fear_gene_poor_mothers.htm Finding could enhance understanding of human anxiety, including post-partum depression First, he discovered a gene that controls innate fear in animals. Now Gleb Shumyatsky, an assistant professor of genetics in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University, has shown that the same gene promotes "helicopter mom" behavior in mice. The gene, known as stathmin or oncoprotein 18, motivates female animals to protect newborn pups and interact cautiously with unknown peers. This "fear gene" is highly concentrated in the amygdala, a key region of the brain that deals with fear and anxiety. Shumyatsky's newest finding could enhance our understanding of human anxiety, including partpartum depression and borderline personality disorders. Working with female mice genetically engineered to have... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794660 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:03:00 +0100 1794660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1775674&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fpremmies_more_likely_to_develop_behavioral_emotional_disord.htm Children born prematurely are four times more likely to have emotional problems or behavioral disorders, according to a new study. A research team led by the University of Warwick's Department of Psychology and Warwick Medical School examined the behavior of 200 six-year-old children who had been born below 26 weeks gestation, known as 'extremely pre-term'. The researchers attempted to contact the family of every child born in the UK and Ireland at 25 weeks or earlier, between March and December 1995. From a possible 308 children who survived the first 6 years, the parents of 241 responded to the study. The team compared the behavior of these extremely pre-term children with a control group of a similar age. They used reports filed by parents and teachers to test whether extremely pre-term... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1775674 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:58:00 +0100 1775674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764577&cid=t_141360_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F382481146%2F The Wall Street Journal had a very interesting article yesterday, titled To Be Young and Anxiety-Free, focused on the value of cognitive behavioral therapy to help children with high levels of anxiety learn how too cope better and prevent the snowball scenario, when that anxiety grows and spirals out of control resulting in depression and similar - "...new research showing that treating kids for anxiety when they are young may help prevent the development of more serious mental illnesses, including depression and more debilitating anxiety disorders." - "Of course, most kids have fears without having a full-blown anxiety disorder. And some anxiety is healthy: It makes sense, for example, to be a little nervous before a big test. Doctors and psychologists do caution that the i... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764577 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:16:42 +0100 1764577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739448&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_risk_of_emotional_disorder_in_offspring_of_depress.htm Depress Anxiety 2008;25(8):653-660Risk of emotional disorder in offspring of depressed parents: gender differences in the effect of a second emotionally affected parent Landman-Peeters KM, Ormel J, Van Sonderen EL, Den Boer JA, Minderaa RB, Hartman CA. Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Northern Centre for Healthcare research (NCH)/Department of Health Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands In offspring of depressed parents a second parent with emotional problems is likely to increase risk of emotional disorder. This effect may however differ between sons and daughters and between offspring of depressed fathers and offspring of depressed mothers. In adolescent and young-adult offspring o... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739448 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:20:00 +0100 1739448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734225&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fgenetic_predisposition_plays_role_in_anxiety_disorders.htm Finnish researchers have identified genes which may predispose to anxiety disorders. Their research focussing on genes that influence human behavior found genes which show a statistical association with specific anxiety disorders. The research was conducted as part of the Academy of Finland Research Programme on Neuroscience (NEURO) and will be published in the October issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry. Previously the team lead by Academy of Finland Research Fellow Iiris Hovatta have explored the genetic background of anxiety in experimental models. The current study follows up on these findings in humans using data collected as part of national Health 2000 Survey of 321 individuals diagnosed with anxiety disorder and 653 matched controls. Hovatta says it was interesting that diff... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734225 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:00:00 +0100 1734225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1720531&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ftreating_situational_anxiety.htm London RT. Former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm's recent comment that we are in the midst of a "mental recession" did not go over well on the campaign trail. However, we psychiatrists know that today in America, we do find ourselves in a state of national anxiety. We are in the midst of a financial crisis that appears to have affected many walks of life. Job loss, fear of job loss, and excessively high food and gasoline prices are stressing the American psyche. People are falling behind on car, health, mortgage payments-leading to worry, stress, and anxiety. For many, just the thought of being cash poor is anxiety provoking. The reality of being in this vulnerable position is causing a national trauma affecting millions. It might even include the beginnings of posttraumatic stress disorder or, per... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1720531 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:04:00 +0100 1720531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1696416&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdopamine_regulating_gene_variant_linked_to_anxiety_vulnerabi.htm Genetic differences may help explain why trauma gives some people bad memories and others the nightmare of post-traumatic stress. Scientists in Germany and the United States have reported evidence linking genes to anxious behavior. The findings appear in the August issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, published by the American Psychological Association. By demonstrating that people carrying a common variation of a gene which regulates the neurotransmitter dopamine have an exaggerated "startle" reflex when viewing unpleasant pictures, Martin Reuter, PhD, of the University of Bonn, Germany, and colleages offer a biochemical explanation for why some people find it harder to regulate emotional arousal. Their sensitivity may, in combination with other hereditary and environmental factors, make the... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1696416 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:49:00 +0100 1696416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1689179&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_psychosocial_working_conditions_and_the_risk_of_d.htm Conclusions: Psychosocial work exposures related to the risk of depressive and anxiety disorders differ as between the sexes. The pattern of risks is inconsistent. The results give rise to rethinking both study designs and possible causal links between work exposures and mental health. Source...Full text...   () (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1689179 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:26:00 +0100 1689179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679574&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fgenetic_factors_not_exercise_behind_easing_of_anxiety_depr.htm Voluntary physical activity does not appear to reduce anxiety and depression, but exercise and mood may be associated through a common genetic factor, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. In the general population, regular exercise is associated with a reduction in anxious and depressive symptoms, according to background information in the article. Experiments involving specific clinical populations have suggested exercise causes this reduction in anxiety and depression. However, it is unclear whether this causal effect also occurs in the wider population or whether there is a third underlying factor influencing both physical activity and the risk for mood disorders. Marleen H. M. De Moor, MSc, of VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and colleag... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679574 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:48:00 +0100 1679574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1657377&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_early_onset_anxiolytic_efficacy_after_a_single_dos.htm J Psychopharmacol. 2008 Jul 17;doi:10.1177/0269881108094722 Early onset anxiolytic efficacy after a single dose of pregabalin: double-blind, placebo- and active-comparator controlled evaluation using a dental anxiety model Nutt D, Mandel F, Baldinetti F. Psychopharmacology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Clinical R&D, Statistics, Pfizer Inc, New York, USA; Global Medical, Neuroscience, Pfizer Inc, New York, USA To evaluate acute onset of anxiolytic activity using a dental anxiety model, 89 patients were randomised to double-blind single dose pregabalin [Lyrica®] 150 mg, alprazolam [Xanax®] 0.5 mg or placebo 4 h before a scheduled dental procedure. A Dental Anxiety Total score >12 (moderate-to-severe) without meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1657377 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:40:00 +0100 1657377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1596801&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_promoting_walking_as_an_adjunct_intervention_to_gr.htm J Anxiety Disord. 2008 Jul Promoting walking as an adjunct intervention to group cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders-A pilot group randomized trial Merom D, Phongsavan P, Wagner R, Chey T, Marnane C, Steel Z, Silove D, Bauman A. Centre for Physical Activity and Health, Level 2, School of Public Health, the University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building, 94 Parramatta Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia; Clinic for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress, Bankstown Hospital, and School of Psychiatry, the University of New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Population Mental Health Research, Sydney South West Area Health Service and School of Psychiatry, the University of New South Wales, Australia A group randomized trial of adding a home-based walking program to a standard group c... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1596801 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:26:00 +0100 1596801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1593967&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fupdates_from_the_nimh_current_research_in_mood_and_anxiety_.htm Psychiatry Weekly 2008 Jul 7;3(24) Husseini Manji, MD There is a growing consensus in the field of psychiatry that many of the psychiatric illnesses, and almost certainly depression, are the product of different biological mechanisms in different patients," says Dr Husseini Manji. "Just as hypertension and elevated blood pressure can be caused exclusively by defects in the heart, blood vessels, or kidneys, many psychiatric illnesses may have diverse causes." Dr Manji notes that it is also not uncommon to have two patients who both meet DSM-IV criteria for depression but share no symptoms in common - one may sleep too much while the other sleeps too little, one may eat too much while the other eats too little, etc. More... © 2008 Psychiatry Weekly, LLC (Source: Latest entries from www.... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1593967 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:48:00 +0100 1593967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1582199&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Funresolved_anxiety_depression_or_adhd.htm A significant number of adults with unresolved anxiety, depression, or addiction may actually have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a condition that has been widely considered to resolve in late adolescence. Armed with the correct diagnosis, adult ADHD sufferers could soon be prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin®)-style stimulant medications for a range of mental health problems that are not usually associated with the disorder, the Royal College of Psychiatrists' annual meeting was told on Friday. Stimulant medication is currently only licensed for children with ADHD. However, Britain's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is expected to recommend that this class of drug can be prescribed adults with ADHD in September 2008 - following the recogni... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1582199 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:56:00 +0100 1582199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1561255&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsome_are_wired_to_be_anxious.htm We all know people who are tense and nervous and can't relax. They may have been wired differently since childhood. New research by the HealthEmotions Research Institute and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) published in PLoS ONE indicates that the brains of those suffering from anxiety and severe shyness in social situations consistently respond more strongly to stress, and show signs of being anxious even in situations that others find safe. Dr Ned Kalin, chairman of the UW Department of Psychiatry and HealthEmotions Research Institute and colleagues looked at brain activity, anxious behavior, and stress hormones in adolescent rhesus monkeys, which have long been used as a model to understand anxious temperament in human c... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1561255 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:14:00 +0100 1561255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1553102&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_cognitivebehavioral_therapy_for_adult_anxiety_dis.htm CONCLUSIONS: Our review of randomized placebo-controlled trials indicates that CBT is efficacious for adult anxiety disorders. There is, however, considerable room for improvement. Also, more studies need to include ITT analyses in the future. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; ed.) Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1553102 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:46:00 +0100 1553102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1535911&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fstressful_family_environment_increases_anxiety_and_depressio.htm Small children who grow up in a family where the mother has psychological distress, the family is exposed to stress or is lacking social support, are at higher risk of developing anxious and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. Girls are more vulnerable than boys, and very timid or short-tempered children are more vulnerable than others to develop emotional problems. This is shown in a new doctorate study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH). Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental problems for children and adolescents. Contributing factors to the development of symptoms of anxiety and depression while growing up is the key focus in the doctorate project by Evalill Karevold at the NIPH. Ten to twenty percent of all children and young people will, in th... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1535911 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:37:00 +0100 1535911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1535914&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Faustralia__net_mobiles_to_be_used_to_beat_anxiety_depres.htm Mobile (cell) phones and the internet will soon be used to help up to two million Australians manage their mental health problems. The innovative approach is designed to help people monitor their wellbeing on a day-to-day basis in areas including mood, sleep, activities, medication, physical activity as well as drug and alcohol abuse. The target groups are adolescents and adults at risk of developing anxiety, depression, or stress, as well as those with existing conditions. A $1.88 million Federal Government grant has been awarded to the Black Dog Institute and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to undertake the program between 2008-2011. Senior Research Fellow at the Black Dog Institute and the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales, Dr Judy Proudfoot, said the fi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1535914 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:25:00 +0100 1535914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522397&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fworking_long_hours_linked_to_anxiety_and_depression.htm Employees who work overtime are at increased risk of anxiety and depression, suggests a study in the June Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Elisabeth Kleppa and colleagues of the University of Bergen, Norway, analyzed data on work hours from a larger study of Norwegian men and women. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using a standard screening questionnaire. Anxiety and depression scores were compared for 1,350 workers who worked overtime, 41 to 100 hours per week; and approximately 9,000 workers who worked normal hours, 40 hours or less. Working overtime was associated with higher anxiety and depression scores among both men and women. The rate of questionnaire scores indicating "possible" depression increased from about nine percent for men with normal wo... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522397 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:57:00 +0100 1522397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1516741&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_relaxation_training_for_anxiety.htm Conclusion: The results show consistent and significant efficacy of relaxation training in reducing anxiety. This meta-analysis extends the existing literature through facilitation of a better understanding of the variability and clinical significance of anxiety improvement subsequent to relaxation training. Source + Full text... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516741 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:30:00 +0100 1516741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1509005&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fkids_anxiety_may_be_due_to_untreated_sleep_apnea.htm By Megan Rauscher NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children at high risk for sleep-disordered breathing are more likely to have anxiety, according to research presented Monday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. More... © Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1509005 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:21:00 +0100 1509005 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1492295&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdepression_rates_higher_in_females_but_males_more_likely_to_.htm The incidence of depression is higher in women than men, but the reverse pattern is seen with suicide, a new study from Norway has found. In high-income countries, it is known that suicide rates are three to four times higher in men than in women. In contrast, population surveys indicate that the prevalence of depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are higher in women than in men. There are several possible explanations for these different patterns. First, men use more lethal methods of suicide than women, so fatality is higher in men. Second, women with depression are more likely to seek help from friends, family and health services than men. Last, it is possible that depression is more stigmatized in men than in women, so men may be less likely to report symptoms. The Nord-Tr... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492295 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:32:00 +0100 1492295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1485013&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__gabaa_receptors_and_the_response_to_co2_inhalati.htm Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2008; doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2008.04.002GABA-A receptors and the response to CO2 inhalation A translational trans-species model of anxiety? Bailey JE, Nutt DJ. Psychopharmacology Unit, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Whitson Street, Bristol BS1 3NY, UK The mechanisms by which the inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2) produces anxiety and panic are not fully understood, although more recently there is evidence to suggest the involvement of a neural 'fear circuit'. We have suggested that this neural fear circuit is partly mediated by the brain noradrenaline network [Bailey, J.E., Argyropoulos, S.V., Lightman, S.L. and Nutt, D.J., (2003) Does the brain noradrenaline network mediate the effects of the CO2 challenge? J Psychopharmacol 17(3): 252-259.]. However,... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1485013 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:16:00 +0100 1485013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458837&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fincense_not_only_good_for_the_soul_but_anxiety_amp_depres.htm This study also provides a biological explanation for millennia-old spiritual practices that have persisted across time, distance, culture, language, and religion-burning incense really does make you feel warm and tingly all over!" Moussaieff A, Rimmerman N, Bregman T, et al. Incensole acetate, an incense component, elicits psychoactivity by activating TRPV3 channels in the brain. FASEB J. 2008 May 20;doi: 10.1096/fj.07-101865   [Abstract] (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458837 Wed, 21 May 2008 09:03:00 +0100 1458837 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458839&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_does_major_depressive_disorder_in_parents_predict_.htm This study examines the relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders in parents and specific fears and phobias in offspring. Three hundred and eighteen children of parents with lifetime MDD, anxiety disorder, MDD+anxiety disorder, or neither were psychiatrically assessed via parent interview. Rates of specific phobias in offspring did not differ significantly across parental groups. Specific fears were significantly elevated in offspring of parents with MDD+anxiety disorder relative to the other groups (MDD, anxiety disorder, and controls, which did not differ). We failed to find increased phobias in offspring of parents with MDD without anxiety disorder. Elevated rates of specific fears in offspring of parents with MDD+anxiety disorder may be a function of mo... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458839 Wed, 21 May 2008 08:53:00 +0100 1458839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1443130&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fwomen_become_anxious_depressed_when_stressed_men_turn_to_al.htm Women and men tend to have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women. A new study of emotional and alcohol-craving responses to stress has found that when men become upset, they are more likely than women to want alcohol. "We know that women and men respond to stress differently," said Tara M. Chaplin, associate research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine and first author of the study. "For example, following a stressful experience, women are more likely than men to say that they feel sad or anxious, which may lead to risk for depression and anxiety disorders. Some studies have found that men are more likely to d... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1443130 Thu, 15 May 2008 08:36:00 +0100 1443130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1443242&cid=t_141360_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F289843977%2F Mental health is important to every individual, whether you have a serious condition such as cancer or not. Sometimes, I believe that one’s mental health is overlooked even though it too play a critical part how a patient manages to live with the disease or how survival is willed. May is Mental Health Month and here at the Health and Wellness Channel, we focus on mental health. Just one example why mental health is important in cancer patients: Breast cancer patients who have a prior history of mood and anxiety disorders are at a much higher risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder following their diagnosis, new research suggests. A study of 74 breast cancer patients at the Ohio State University Medical Center found that 16 percent of them (12 women) suffered from PTSD 18 ... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1443242 Wed, 14 May 2008 01:58:42 +0100 1443242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1433907&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Feszopiclone_plus_escitalopram_may_rapidly_improve_insomnia_.htm May 7, 2008 - Coadministration of eszopiclone [Lunesta®] and escitalopram [Lexapro®] rapidly improved sleep and anxiety in patients with insomnia and generalized anxiety disorder, according to the results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, add-on therapy, 10-week study reported in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. More...    (Medscape - Free registration may be required) Copyright © 1994-2008 by Medscape. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1433907 Sat, 10 May 2008 07:54:00 +0100 1433907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1426710&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fprior_anxiety_depression_increases_cancer_patients_ptsd_ris.htm Breast cancer patients who have a prior history of mood and anxiety disorders are at a much higher risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder following their diagnosis, suggests new research published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress. A study of 74 breast cancer patients at the Ohio State University Medical Center found that 16 percent of them (12 women) suffered from PTSD 18 months after diagnosis. Women with PTSD were more than twice as likely as breast cancer patients without the disorder to have suffered from previous mood disorders such as depression before the cancer diagnosis. They were also more than three times more likely to have experienced anxiety disorders. "What is unique about breast cancer patients with PTSD is that they have already had this double hit of both an... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1426710 Wed, 07 May 2008 08:51:00 +0100 1426710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1418586&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmigraine_often_associated_with_psychiatric_disorders.htm By Will Boggs, MD NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Migraine is commonly associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia, a new study shows. More... © Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1418586 Sat, 03 May 2008 08:15:00 +0100 1418586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1395179&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmaternal_anxiety_improves_cbt_treatment_response_in_anxiou.htm MedWire News: Adolescents with anxiety disorders are more likely to respond to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) comprising a parent-child session if their mother has also experienced a lifetime anxiety disorder, say Dutch researchers. More... © AstraZeneca 2008 (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1395179 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:06:00 +0100 1395179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1393863&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fthe_precursors_incidence_and_psychiatric_consequences_of_ma.htm A new study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) presents results on the first onset of substance use disorders (i.e., alcohol and drug abuse and dependence) and major mood and anxiety disorders, based on Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). This landmark survey is the first conducted in the U.S. to identify rates of first episodes (i.e., incidence) of these disorders in the U.S. population. In addition, it provides information on sociodemographic and psychopathologic risk factors for those disorders — information critical for developing evidence-based preventive interventions-and estimates risk for subsequent comorbid disorders. Bridget Grant, Ph.D., Chief of NIAAA's Laboratory of Biometry and Epidemiolog... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1393863 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:51:00 +0100 1393863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1373791&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxious_depressions_are_more_severe_and_harder_to_treat.htm Psychiatry Weekly 200 8 Apr 14;3(14) Norman Sussman, MD, DFAPA Many studies have found that being both depressed and highly anxious is associated with greater symptom severity, suicidality, unemployment, less education, worse functioning, and poor prognosis. The latest analysis data from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study provide evidence that patients with anxious depression are more challenging to treat than those who have low levels of anxiety. More... © 2008 Psychiatry Weekly, LLC (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1373791 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:45:00 +0100 1373791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1369151&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__overweight_and_obesity_are_associated_with_psychi.htm Conclusion: These data provide a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the association between body weight and psychiatric conditions. Interventions addressing weight loss may benefit from integrating treatment for psychiatric disorders. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1369151 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:32:00 +0100 1369151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1344576&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxious_mother__anxious_children.htm Children of mothers with anxiety disorders have an increased risk of developing anxiety themselves, compared with children of mothers who are not anxious. This new study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, confirmed and extended the findings of previous research. It also went further to distinguish between different anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, phobias, generalized anxiety disorder and separation anxiety. The researchers analyzed data on 933 mother-child pairs from the Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology, a prospective longitudinal community survey. The children were aged 14-17 at the start of the study, and were followed up twice. In a separate survey, their biological mothers were also interviewed. Anxiety disorders were assessed in both groups. It ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1344576 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:25:00 +0100 1344576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1327592&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fchildhood_social_problems_contribute_to_later_anxiety_and_de.htm Socially successful children tend to have fewer symptoms of anxiety or depression, while children with problems such as anxiety and depression tend to have difficulties forming relationships and being accepted by friends. However, it is difficult to determine whether the anxiety and depression lead to the social problems, or vice versa. New research suggests that social problems are more likely to contribute to anxiety and depression than the reverse. The research also shows that this is particularly likely during the transition from adolescence into young adulthood. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Vermont and the University of Minnesota, appears in the journal Child Development. Using data from Project Competence, which has followed a group of 205 individuals from... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1327592 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:21:00 +0100 1327592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1315433&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flinkblog%2Fjump%2F%3Fi%3D502795 Produced by Freedom From Fear - http://www.freedomfromfear.org (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1315433 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:42:00 +0100 1315433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1309125&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fgene_study_exercise_may_not_improve_mood.htm By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY BALTIMORE - The widely accepted view that exercise helps dispel depression and anxiety is misleading, since a common set of genes makes the most mentally healthy also the most prone to exercising, a scientist said over the weekend. The controversial Dutch report on 7,200 twins and 1,200 of their siblings raises questions about large U.S. studies that show exercise improves mood even in those with major depression. More... Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1309125 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:22:00 +0100 1309125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1282303&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fbrain_protein_links_anxiety_and_alcoholism.htm Doctors may one day be able to control alcohol addiction by manipulating the molecular events in the brain that underlie anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center report in the March 5 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. "The association of anxiety with increased alcohol use is a key factor in the initiation and maintenance of alcohol addition," says Dr Subhash Pandey, UIC professor of psychiatry and director of neuroscience alcoholism research, the lead author of the study. Previous research has shown that people with inherently high levels of anxiety are at an increased risk of becoming alcoholics. In addition, withdrawal of alcohol in chronic users is often accompanied by e... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1282303 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:45:00 +0100 1282303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1282306&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdepression_anxiety_linked_to_obesity_unhealthy_habits.htm By Glenda Fauntleroy, Contributing Writer Health Behavior News Service People who suffer from depression or anxiety are much more likely to be obese and to smoke - both major risk factors for chronic disease - according to a large nationwide study. "The relationship between obesity and depression is plausible for several reasons," said lead author Tara Strine, of the Division of Adult and Community Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "First, some patients who are overweight may be prone to depression because of societal attitudes towards obesity. Also, while depression can lead to decreased appetite and weight loss in some individuals, others eat more and gain weight." The study, in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, compiled data from more than 200,000 adults i... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1282306 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:19:00 +0100 1282306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1276088&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fanxious_depression_and_response_to_treatment.htm Am J Psychiatry 2008 Mar;165:297-299 J. Craig Nelson, M.D. In this issue of the Journal, Fava and associates present data from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study demonstrating that among 2,876 patients with major depression, those who were more anxious were less likely to respond and remit during citalopram treatment and were more likely to experience adverse events. Considering the magnitude of differences observed in recent placebo-controlled trials in depression and antidepressant comparison studies, the difference in response rates between anxious and nonanxious groups in the STAR*D sample-41.7% and 52.8%, respectively-is appreciable and an important finding. More... © 2008 American Psychiatric Association (Source: Latest entries from www.anx... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1276088 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:53:00 +0100 1276088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1226836&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmental_health_impact_of_911_still_being_felt_nationwide.htm Long after Sept. 11, 2001, Americans' terrorism-related thoughts and fears are associated with increased depression, anxiety, hostility, posttraumatic stress and drinking, University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have found. UIC researchers examined the extent to which the strength of people's post-Sept. 11 beliefs and fears, as assessed in 2003, predicted a range of psychological distress and alcohol abuse in 2005. Data were derived from a mail survey, which began before Sept. 11 and continued in 2005. Judith Richman, professor of epidemiology in psychiatry and colleagues measured the effect of larger, macro-level sociological stressors — rather than personal or micro-level events, such as a death in the family or financial difficulties — on mental health. The terrorist eve... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1226836 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:40:00 +0100 1226836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1223799&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__difference_in_treatment_outcome_in_outpatients_wi.htm Conclusions: Anxious depression is associated with poorer acute outcomes than nonanxious depression following antidepressant treatment. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; Links added. ed.) Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1223799 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:14:00 +0100 1223799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1221338&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2F8220love_hormone8221_may_alleviate_mental_illnesses.htm By Debra Kain Gazing into your lover's eyes isn't only romantic; it may also mimic early attachments that forever alter your brain and body. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine are studying whether the brain hormone released with touches, hugs, or when a mother and her newborn baby bond might help patients with schizophrenia, social anxiety and a variety of other disorders. Oxytocin is a brain chemical associated with pair bonding, including mother-infant and male-female bonds, increased paternal involvement with children, and monogamy in certain rodents, according to Kai MacDonald, M.D., assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCSD. In humans, oxytocin is released during hugging and pleasant physical touch, and plays a part in the human s... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1221338 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:08:00 +0100 1221338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1221339&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Four_students_are_hurting.htm DAVID SHERMAN, For students rushing along the snow-covered winding roads between McGill University's aged greystones, this should be the time of their lives. School is where the future begins, the last outpost of youthful freedom and non-conformity, rebellion and curiosity. But many slogging through the snow are burdened by more than backpacks, papers and exams. Here, as in other universities and colleges across North America, students are being stalked by depression, anxiety, aggression, dependence, bipolar disorder, suicide and self-injury in unprecedented numbers. More... © The Gazette (Montreal) 2008 (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1221339 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:56:00 +0100 1221339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1195988&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ftreating_anxiety_during_pregnancy_just_how_safe_are_ssris.htm Current Psychiatry online, 7(2)/February 2008 Treating anxiety during pregnancy: Just how safe are SSRIs? Raphael DB, Ross J, Brizendine L. Ms. K, age 25, is 6 weeks pregnant and is taking medications for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). When she was diagnosed with GAD at age 19, her symptoms included 6 months of excessive anxiety-insomnia, fatigue, difficulty with concentration, and psychomotor agitation-without mood symptoms. These symptoms interfered greatly with her schoolwork and other daily activities. For 6 years Ms. K has been taking the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine, 15 mg/d, and the benzodiazepine clonazepam, 0.5 mg as needed, with good symptom control. Now that she is pregnant and her primary care doctor has refused to continue these medications, sh... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1195988 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 07:13:00 +0100 1195988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1176178&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__medical_utilization_across_the_anxiety_disorders.htm J Anxiety Disord. 2008 Jan;22(2):344-350Medical utilization across the anxiety disorders Deacon B, Lickel H, Abramowitz JS. University of Wyoming, Department of Psychology, Dept. 3415, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychology, Campus Box #3270, Davie Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Individuals with panic disorder often seek medical care for their symptoms prior to receiving effective treatment. However, little is known about how often, and in what settings, patients with other anxiety disorders present for medical treatment. In the present study, utilization of general and specialty medical services was coded via electronic chart review for 171 consecutive outpatients referred to an anxiety disorders clinic. R... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1176178 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:46:00 +0100 1176178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1165390&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmatters_of_the_mind_can_affect_matters_of_the_heart.htm Depression and anxiety can double chances of heart ailments A new study by McGill University and Université de Montréal researchers has found that major anxiety and/or depression, can double a coronary artery disease patient's chances of repeated heart ailments. This is one of the first studies to focus on patients with stable coronary artery disease - not those who were hospitalized for events such as a heart attack. "We found that both major depression and generalized anxiety disorder were more common in cardiac patients than in the general community," said principal investigator Nancy Frasure-Smith, a professor at McGill's Department of Psychiatry and a researcher at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and Montreal Heart Institute. "On a... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1165390 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:13:00 +0100 1165390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1165392&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_monthly_variation_in_prevalence_of_comorbid_depres.htm Conclusions: Increased prevalence of comorbid depression and anxiety in males during spring, and its association with suicidality should have clinical importance, as identification and treatment could influence suicide rates. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1165392 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:36:00 +0100 1165392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1154080&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__depression_and_anxiety_as_predictors_of_2year_ca.htm Conclusion Anxiety and depression predict greater MACE risk in patients with stable CAD, supporting future research into common genetic, environmental, and pathophysiologic pathways and treatments. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1154080 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:18:00 +0100 1154080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1098880&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__seasonality_is_associated_with_anxiety_and_depres.htm Conclusions: Our results raise the possibility of seasonality being a separate dimensional trait associated with both anxiety and depression. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1098880 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:12:00 +0100 1098880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1094301&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_what_do_childhood_anxiety_disorders_predict.htm Conclusions: Anxiety disorders in childhood are predictors of a range of psychiatric disorders in adolescence. It appears that children meriting a well-defined diagnosis are missed by the current rules for the diagnosis of GAD. Future studies should examine whether OAD deserves reconsideration as a nosological entity. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1094301 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 06:47:00 +0100 1094301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1076908&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fstudy_finds_mental_health_improves_with_age.htm Research from the University of New South Wales has found that middle-aged Australians are more anxious and depressed than their elderly counterparts, turning on its head a prevailing myth about old age. A study, by Dr Julian Trollor and Dr Tracy Anderson from the School of Psychiatry at UNSW, found that elderly participants (those aged 65 and above) reported a lower prevalence of psychiatric and anxiety disorders and had lower levels of psychological distress than middle-aged participants. Elderly participants were also less likely to report having seen a health professional for a mental health problem in the prior 12 months. The study was based on the Australian National Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey (NMHWS) and is the first detailed comparison of rates of mental disorder between mi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1076908 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 07:02:00 +0100 1076908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1071101&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flow_birthweight_babies_more_likely_to_become_anxious_depres.htm There might be some truth to the popular wisdom that plump babies are happy babies. A landmark public health study has found that people who had a low birth weight are more likely to experience depression and anxiety later in life. "We found that even people who had just mild or moderate symptoms of depression or anxiety over their life course were smaller babies than those who had better mental health," says lead author Ian Colman of the University of Alberta's School of Public Health. "It suggests a dose-response relationship. As birth weight progressively decreases, it's more likely that an individual will suffer from mood disorders later in life." The study, published in the December 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry, analyzes information drawn from the Medical Research Council Natio... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1071101 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:35:00 +0100 1071101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068771&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fmental_illness_and_drug_addiction_linked_to_disturbances_in_.htm Study finds rats with amygdalas damaged at birth showed abnormal adult behavior related to fear plus greater cocaine sensitivity Why do mental illness and drug addiction so often go together? New research reveals that this type of dual diagnosis may stem from a common cause: developmental changes in the amygdala, a walnut-shaped part of the brain linked to fear, anxiety and other emotions. A full report on why these "comorbid" disorders may develop appears in the December Behavioral Neuroscience, published by the American Psychological Association (APA). Dual diagnosis is common yet difficult to treat. Addiction of all types - to nicotine, alcohol and drugs - is often found in people with a wide variety of mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders, unipolar and bipolar depression, schi... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068771 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:39:00 +0100 1068771 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068772&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Frelatives_of_parkinsons_disease_patients_at_increased_risk_.htm Immediate relatives (brother, sister, mother, father, son or daughter) of people who have Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for developing depression and anxiety disorders, according to a new study by Mayo Clinic. The risk is particularly increased in families of patients who develop Parkinson's disease before age 75. The Mayo Clinic report appears in the December 2007 issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry. "Studies by our group and others have shown that relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease have an increased risk of Parkinson's disease," explains Walter Rocca, M.D., senior author of the study and a Mayo Clinic neurologist and epidemiologist. "Recently, we showed they also have increased risk of essential tremor and of cognitive impairment or dementia. Howev... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068772 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:31:00 +0100 1068772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068773&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fvery_high_anxiety_depression_rates_found_in_katrina_survivo.htm Almost half of pre-hurricane residents of New Orleans and one-fourth of those living in other affected areas had evidence of an anxiety or mood disorder five to seven months following Hurricane Katrina, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. "Hurricane Katrina was the worst natural disaster in the United States in the past 75 years, creating a disaster region as large as Great Britain, killing more than 1,000 people, uprooting 500,000 others and causing more than $100 billion in damage," the authors write as background information in the article. "This vast devastation would lead us to expect a high prevalence of mental illness among people who lived through Katrina." Sandro Galea, M.D., Dr. P.H., of the University of Michigan School of Public Health... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068773 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:26:00 +0100 1068773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1052557&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdrinking_away_anxiety__curbing_college_alcohol_abuse.htm Researchers from the University of Cincinnati have reported on a pilot program aimed at curbing alcohol abuse among college students. Early promising results from this intervention program were presented Nov. 18 at the annual conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in Philadelphia. Principal investigator Giao Tran, UC associate professor of psychology, says the program was geared toward college students who turned to drinking to keep the edge off their anxiety at social gatherings. Tran, along with Joshua Smith, a graduate student for the UC Department of Psychology, and Kevin Corcoran, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology at Northern Kentucky University, developed a program that used motivational interviewing and behavioral ther... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1052557 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 08:23:00 +0100 1052557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1041859&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fnew_life_inside_the_depressed_brain.htm Neuron growth may be key to mood disorder treatments, studies find By Carey Goldberg Globe Staff / November 19, 2007 Cut off from their usual social group, the three macaque monkeys fell into simian depression. They no longer took pleasure in anything. They lost status and did not seem to care. Columbia University researchers gave three other exiled monkeys the antidepressant Prozac, and they showed no signs of depression. Later examination showed that in a key area deep in the monkeys' brains - the seahorse-shaped hippocampus - myriad new cells had sprouted. More... © 2007 NY Times Co. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1041859 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:01:00 +0100 1041859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1031208&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fwar_deployment_increases_alcohol_abuse_mental_illness_risks.htm Institute of Medicine report confirms military personnel who serve in war zones face increased risk for alcohol abuse, anxiety disorders, depression, and marital and family conflict Gulf War and Health: Volume 6. Physiologic, Psychologic, a ... Read this free online Military service in a war zone increases service members' chances of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other anxiety disorders, and depression, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Serving in a war also increases the chances of alcohol abuse, accidental death, and suicide within the first few years after leaving the war zone, and marital and family conflict, including domestic violence, said the committee that wrote the report at the request of the U.... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1031208 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 07:03:00 +0100 1031208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1013449&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fhypertension_drug_protects_against_anxiety_amp_depression_.htm A drug used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and enlargement of the prostate may protect the brain from damage caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's disease, depression and schizophrenia. Prazosin, also prescribed as an antipsychotic medication, appears to block the increase of steroid hormones known as glucocorticoids, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center (PVAMC) researchers have found. Elevated levels of glucocorticoids are associated with atrophy in nerve branches where impulses are transmitted, and even nerve cell death, in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the elongated ridge located in the cerebral cortex of the brain where emotions and memory are processed. "It's known, from human studies, that cortic... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1013449 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:08:00 +0100 1013449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1013452&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_acute_stress_potentiates_anxiety_in_humans.htm Conclusion: The findings indicate that stress potentiates anxiety. Animal studies suggest that such an effect might be mediated by glucocorticoid effects on corticotropin-releasing hormone in limbic structures. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; ed.) Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1013452 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0100 1013452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=999545&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fgenetics_link_personality_traits_to_anxiety_disorders.htm Two large twin studies have found there is a genetic overlap between certain anxiety disorders and personality characteristics. Joseph Bienvenu, Associate Director, Johns Hopkins Anxiety Disorders Clinic, and colleagues found that the genetic influence on introversion and neuroticism accounted entirely for the genetic liability to social phobia and agoraphobia, but not animal phobia. Among 7,800 twins from monozygotic and dizygotic pairs, environmental effects shared by twins did not contribute to the correlations of introversion and neuroticism with phobias, and unique experiences had modest correlations. In the second study, Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud and colleagues found commonality between social phobia and avoidant personality disorder. Their study of 1,427 twins in monozygotic and dizyg... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=999545 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:28:00 +0100 999545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=976485&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flinkblog%2Fjump%2F%3Fi%3D499414 Advice and tips on using exercise to ease anxiety, and depression (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=976485 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:33:00 +0100 976485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=974672&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Freport_cancer_therapy_needs_to_treat_the_whole_patient_not_.htm This report provides an action plan for overcoming the barriers to psychosocial health services that patients need to be as healthy and whole as possible during and after cancer treatment." Many of the services and resources already exist, often at no cost to patients, but oncology providers are not proactively identifying patients' needs and helping them find and use these resources, the committee noted. Because many of these services are free or are reimbursable through health insurance providers and programs, the creation of new benefits or payment mechanisms would not be necessary for the most part, the report says. Cancer patients' psychosocial needs range from information about their therapies and the potential physical side effects, to treatment for depression, stress, or other ment... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=974672 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:25:00 +0100 974672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=974671&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ffunctional_neuroimaging_of_anxiety_disorders_focus_on_the_a.htm Norman Sussman, MD, DFAPA Many psychiatrists eagerly await the day when functional neuroimaging approaches can help us confirm diagnoses and assist in choosing interventions. Etkin and Wager performed a quantitative meta-analysis of anxiety studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. They looked for common and disorder-specific functional neurobiological deficits in several anxiety disorders-posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. They also compared these deficits to the neural systems engaged during anticipatory anxiety in healthy subjects. More... © 2007 Psychiatry Weekly, LLC (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=974671 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:25:00 +0100 974671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=971499&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fadolescents_need_support_during_family_breakups.htm By Joene Hendry NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Family breakups take a toll on adolescents, who have high rates of psychological and social problems, including substance abuse, behavioral disorders, anxiety and depression, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics. In addition, the psychological and social distress shown by separated and divorcing parents can play a significant role in their adolescent children's respond to the family breakup, study findings suggest. More... © Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=971499 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:33:00 +0100 971499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=965324&cid=t_141360_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdepression_anxiety_tied_to_allergies_in_kids.htm NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research in psychiatrically ill children and adolescents suggests that those with depression, anxiety and other so-called "internalizing" disorders are more likely to have allergies. More... © Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=965324 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 06:01:00 +0100 965324