Regularly listening to music during times of crisis can significantly improve mood and relieve stress, new research suggests. In a cohort study of more than 700 adults, music listening during the COVID-19 pandemic was “prospectively associated” with lower momentary stress levels, better mood levels, and calmness–music perceived as “happy” was especially beneficial. The study corroborates … Read more
They come from broken homes, from youth welfare organizations, or from the street. These are the addicted children and teenagers who seek help at Germany’s “Teen Spirit Island.” Medscape spoke to the pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist Frank M. Fischer, MD, senior physician of the Addiction and Trauma Therapy Ward at the Auf der Bult Children’s … Read more
A waning sense of smell among older adults may portend frailty as they age, according to research published January 10 in The Journals of Gerontology. The researchers say the association is independent of the link between waning olfaction and a greater risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Although everyone will experience some loss of smell … Read more
The oral antibiotic linezolid does not increase risk for serotonin syndrome in patients taking antidepressants, new research suggests — contradicting a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2020 warning. Results from a study that included more than 1,100 patients who were prescribed linezolid, about 20% of whom were also taking antidepressants, showed that serotonin syndrome … Read more
Dr Marie Anne Gebara The administration of IV ketamine over the course of 2 months can improve treatment resistant depression (TRD) and executive function in older adults, findings from a new pilot study suggest. Results showed nearly 50% of participants responded to ketamine and 25% achieved complete remission from TRD, as measured by scores on … Read more
Weak handgrip in older adults is linked to a higher risk for depression — while a stronger handgrip may have protective benefits, new research suggests. In a study of more than 115,000 adults, there was a significant association between a stronger handgrip, up to 40 kg in men and 27 kg in women, and lower … Read more
Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), a noninvasive laser light therapy, can improve short-term memory in young adults when applied to the right prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the brain, new research suggests. Investigators compared the effect of 1064 nm of tPBM delivered over a 12-minute session to the right PFC vs three other treatment arms: delivery of the … Read more
Outpatient behavioral health treatment (OPBHT) for patients newly diagnosed with depression, substance use disorder, or other behavioral health condition (BHC) is cost-effective. Results of a large retrospective study showed that patients newly diagnosed with a BHC who receive OPBHT following diagnosis incur lower medical and pharmacy costs over roughly the next 1 to 2 years … Read more
Following five key Buddhist teachings may help protect against depression, new research shows. A study from Thailand showed that among people who observed what are known as the Five Precepts of Buddhism ― not to kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, tell ill-intentioned lies, or use intoxicants ― rates of depressive symptoms were significantly lower … Read more
A history of depression was “strongly” linked to having depression in the fall of 2020, data suggest. In an adjusted analysis of more than 22,000 participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), patients with a history of depression were 3.79 times more likely to have depression during the pandemic, compared with those with … Read more