Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Mental Health Research, Staying Healthy
Published Discrimination during pregnancy can affect infant's brain circuitry



Experiences of discrimination and acculturation are known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health. For pregnant women, these painful experiences can also affect the brain circuitry of their children, a new study finds. These effects, the researchers say, are separate from those caused by general stress and depression. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
Published Poor work performance among Japanese employees strongly associated with insufficient sleep



This study examined the association between work performance and lifestyle habits among Japanese employees. The results revealed that insufficient sleep was the predominant factor affecting work performance in men and women, followed by lack of regular exercise and eating late-evening meals. Furthermore, the study indicated that men were more likely to exhibit lifestyle habits that impacted work performance than women.
Published Feeding dogs raw meat increases the risk of antibiotic-resistant E. coli



Feeding dogs raw (uncooked) meat increases their risk of excreting E. coli that cannot be killed by a widely used antibiotic -- ciprofloxacin -- researchers have found from a study of 600 healthy pet dogs.
Published Following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of cognitive decline in older people



Old people who follow a Mediterranean diet are at a lower risk of cognitive decline, according to a new study. The study provides new evidence for a better understanding of the biological mechanisms related to the impact of the diet on cognitive health in the aging population.
Published A small molecule blocks aversive memory formation, providing a potential treatment target for depression



Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world, but current anti-depressants have yet to meet the needs of many patients. Neuroscientists recently discovered a small molecule that can effectively alleviate stress-induced depressive symptoms in mice by preventing aversive memory formation with a lower dosage, offering a new direction for developing anti-depressants in the future.
Published High levels of maternal stress during pregnancy linked to children's behavior problems



Children whose mothers are highly stressed, anxious or depressed during pregnancy may be at higher risk for mental health and behavior issues during their childhood and teen years, according to new research.
Published New studies of brain activity explain benefits of electroconvulsive therapy



Researchers have shed new light on why electroconvulsive therapy has such a high success rate, a mystery that has puzzled doctors and scientists for almost a century. Findings could help improve this controversial treatment.
Published People with obesity burn less energy during day



A study found people who have a healthy weight use more energy during the day, when most people are active and eat, while those who have obesity spend more energy during the night, when most people sleep. Researchers also found that, during the day, those with obesity have higher levels of the hormone insulin -- a sign that the body is working harder to use glucose, an energy-packed sugar.
Published US men die 6 years before women, as life expectancy gap widens



We've known for more than a century that women outlive men. But new research shows that, at least in the United States, the gap has been widening for more than a decade.
Published Genetic testing could greatly benefit patients with depression, save health system millions



A special kind of genetic test that helps determine the best antidepressant for patients with moderate-to-severe depression could generate substantive health system savings and greatly improve patient outcomes, according to new research. The study shows that in B.C. alone, implementing pharmacogenomic testing could save the provincial public health system an estimated $956 million over 20 years.
Published Reducing 'vivid imagery' that fuels addiction cravings



New research shows promise in treating addiction cravings by combining eye movements and guided instructions to process memories. Researchers transformed dysfunctional memories stored in the brain through processing and integration. EMDR was as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy for cravings with the combination of both resulting in more reduction in craving than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) alone. Both groups (experimental group and control group using only CBT) had clinically significant reductions in cravings, repetitive negative thoughts, and irrational cognitions, with the experimental group showing greater decreases overall.
Published Peer educators play key role in new recipe development and testing



Cooking and recipe demonstrations encourage healthy eating and adoption of unfamiliar foods by class participants.
Published Early-life stress changes more genes in brain than a head injury



A surprising thing happened when researchers began exploring whether early-life stress compounds the effects of a childhood head injury on health and behavior later in life: In an animal study, stress changed the activation level of many more genes in the brain than were changed by a bump to the head.
Published Brain imaging identifies biomarkers of mental illness



Research and treatment of psychiatric disorders are stymied by a lack of biomarkers -- objective biological or physiological markers that can help diagnose, track, predict, and treat diseases. In a new study, researchers use a very large dataset to identify predictive brain imaging-based biomarkers of mental illness in adolescents.
Published Allergic responses to common foods could significantly increase risk of heart disease, cardiovascular death



Allergic responses to common foods such as dairy and peanuts can increase the risk for heart disease and cardiovascular death as much or more than smoking, new research suggests. And these dangerous allergic responses can strike both people with food allergies and those with no obvious allergy symptoms.
Published Study shows link between mental and physical health



A new study has found that individuals with severe mental illness are almost twice as likely to report physical multimorbidity, emphasizing the critical importance of addressing the intersection between mental and physical health.
Published Location of strong sense of discomfort in brain found



Researchers have identified a new neural circuit in the brain which produces a strong sense of discomfort when activated. The discovery also allows them to show for the first time that the subthalamic nucleus, a structure in the brain that controls voluntary movements, may also play a role in the development of depression. The results could lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease.
Published Paid family leave boosted postpartum wellbeing, breastfeeding rates



A new study has found postpartum individuals living in states with generous mandated paid family and medical leave (PFML) are more likely to breastfeed and less likely to experience postpartum depression symptoms compared to those living in states with little or no mandated state-paid leave. The findings were even more pronounced among lower-income populations covered by Medicaid.
Published Practicing mindfulness can help people make heart-healthy eating choices



A study found that participants in a mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program improved health behaviors that lower blood pressure. When people who had elevated blood pressure participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program, they significantly improved their scores on measures of self-awareness and adherence to a heart-healthy diet compared to a control group.
Published New clues to the mechanism behind treatment-resistant depression



Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a widespread mental health condition that for many is disabling. It has long been appreciated that MDD has genetic as well as environmental influences. In a new study researchers identify a gene that interacted with stress to mediate aspects of treatment-resistant MDD in an animal model.