Individualism a Risk Factor for Depression
Findings from a survey of 6,082 individuals, designed to explore racial and ethnic differences in mental disorders, reinforce the relationship between social support and...
U.S. Antidepressant Sales Down: $9.4b From $12b Peak in 2008
Antidepressants are still the most consumed class of medication in the U.S., with 270 million prescriptions per year. But sales revenue has gone down,...
PsychRights Dismisses Watson v. King-Vassel, Medicaid Fraud Case
Counsel for ex rel Watson v. King-Vassel - Psychrights' latest effort to show that prescribing medication for children that is not supported by scientific evidence constitutes fraud...
Sinéad O’Connor: Mental Health, the Media, and Human Rights
Sinéad O'Connor discusses mental health issues with TIME magazine this week, singling out the media's tendency to diagnose "without qualification," and adding that "mental health...
Supreme Court Blocks Generic Drug Liability Lawsuits
In a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that drug makers cannot be sued under state law for adverse reactions to...
Opioid Use in Pregnancy Dangerous and Understudied
Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), authored an editorial for BMJ this month warning that the opioid abuse epidemic could have dangerous consequences for pregnant women. While the effects of opioid exposure on the developing brain are yet unknown, research suggests that infants may suffer from withdrawal syndrome, nervous system defects, and impaired attachment with the mother.
Meta-Analysis Ties Gray Matter Loss to Antipsychotic Dose
Antipsychotics are currently the predominant treatment for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, but there is an accumulating body of research that links the use of these drugs to structural abnormalities in the brain. A recent meta-analysis suggests that gray matter loss in the brain may depend on the dose and class of the antipsychotic.
FDA to Review Chantix’ Psychiatric Side Effects
The Food & Drug Administration announced today it will convene a public meeting in October to review the psychiatric and behavioral side effects of...
Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy Harms Child Development, Untreated Maternal Depression Shows Benefit
In this new study, exposure to maternal anxiety in utero also harmed child development.
When Medication Changes More Than Symptoms: Antipsychotics’ Effect on Identity
Recent research reveals how antipsychotic medications can significantly impact users' identity and self-image, challenging existing clinical approaches.
New Review: Antidepressants Come with Minimal Benefits, Several Risks
A review of research on antidepressant efficacy finds that an unfavorable risk-to-benefit ratio.
Researchers Provide Guidance for Reducing and Stopping Psychiatric Drugs
New guidance on how to taper and discontinue from psychiatric drugs from leading researchers Mark Horowitz and David Taylor.
FDA Approves Another Antipsychotic for Children
The FDA has approved the atypical antipsychotic Saphris (asenapine) for use in children on the basis of one trial.
Robin Williams On Antidepressant at Time of Suicide
Robin Williams had "therapeutic" levels of the tetra-cyclic antidepressant mirtazapine in his blood at the time of his suicide, according to the coroner's report...
Olanzapine Can Cause Serious Skin Reaction, FDA Warns
The US FDA has issued a new warning for the atypical antipsychotic Olanzapine, also known by the brand names Zyprexa and Symbyax. The agency...
Community Treatment Orders Don’t Work
Legislation in the U.K. that empowers psychiatrists to impose treatment on patients has lost the support of one of its key advocates. "The evidence is...
SSRIs Cause Epilepsy in Rats
Researchers from Australia find that chronic treatment with SSRIs significantly increases the rate of epileptogenesis in rats. Although SSRIs are commonly prescribed to people...
Australian Medical Journal Editor Fired, Others Resign Over Independence Concerns
The editor of the Australian Medical Association's journal was fired after he voiced concerns about changes that he felt endangered the journal's independence.
Involuntary Hospitalization More Likely With Psychosis Diagnoses and Few Resources
New study links involuntary hospitalization with psychotic diagnosis, previous involuntary hospitalization, and economic deprivation.
J&J Settles With Montana for $5.9M in Risperdal Marketing Lawsuit
Subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson have agreed to pay $5.9 million to settle Montana's lawsuit over the company's fraudulent marketing of Risperdal. According to...
43% Increase in ADHD Diagnoses among School-Aged Children in US
Citing a 43 percent jump since 2003, researchers estimate that 5.8 million school-aged children and teens in the US now have an ADHD diagnosis, a staggering 12 percent of this population. The new NIH-funded analysis also found that the percentage of girls diagnosed with ADHD was up 55% and that the percentage of Hispanic children diagnosed shot up 83% over the same timeframe.
Report on University of Minnesota Psychiatric Research Practices “Scathing”
The latest investigative report into the University of Minnesota's psychiatric research practices was "scathing," reported Forbes in a two-part story.
Antidepressants Linked to Lasting Sexual Dysfunction, Study Finds
New research highlights the challenges in quantifying the prevalence of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD), a condition that continues to affect patients long after they stop taking antidepressants.
Case Study of Liberation Approach to International Mental Health Care
Study in Brazil demonstrates how the exploration of contextual determinants of distress in mental health care can inform therapeutic change.
Bipolar Patients Have High Drug Burden — Especially Women
Over one third of people with bipolar diagnoses admitted to a Rhode Island hospital were on four or more psychiatric medications, says research published...
