Crisis resolution and home treatment (CRHT) teams were introduced in England throughout 2000 and 2001 and a number of studies have been published since then which have shown that they are associated with reductions in inpatient admissions. This new study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry used data from a previous national study for 229 [read the full story…]
This rapid response report from the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health set out to answer four questions: 1. What is the evidence on the safety of using benzodiazepines in older adults to manage disruptive behaviour or treat anxiety? 2. What is the effectiveness of benzodiazepines compared with that of antidepressants in older [read the full story…]
A large observational study from Finland has found that women who drink alcohol and take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressives (SSRI) during the first trimester of pregnancy significantly increase their risk for foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The study also found an increase in risk for some major congenital malformations associated with the use of SSRIs during the first [read the full story…]
Childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor of schizophrenia in later life, a leading psychiatrist has told the International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists 2011. It is a contributing cause of 17 per cent of cases of psychotic illness including schizophrenia, Professor Paul Bebbington, Head of the Department of Mental Health Sciences at [read the full story…]
This meta-analysis looked at the ability of general practitioners (GPs) to recognize a spectrum of cognitive impairment from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia in routine practice using their own clinical judgment. The authors found 15 studies reporting on dementia, seven studies that examined recognition of broadly defined cognitive impairment, and eight regarding mild cognitive impairment. By [read the full story…]
‘Suicide and homicide in Northern Ireland’ is a new report from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness. The report shows that there are links between alcohol use and the increased suicide rate that has been seen in Northern Ireland over recent years. Suicide has been falling elsewhere in the [read the full story…]
Mothers living in socioeconomically deprived communities are vulnerable to anxiety and depression, but traditional medical approaches often fail to reach them. This prospective randomised controlled trial set out to compare the effectiveness of a lengthened multi-disciplinary team consultation with normal primary care in reducing anxiety and depression in mothers. Ninety four mothers were recruited from three general practices from [read the full story…]
The Ministerial Advisory Group on Dementia Research, chaired by Paul Burstow, M.P., Minister of State for Care Services, has been working over the last 18 months on proposals to increase the volume, quality and impact of dementia research. The Advisory Group has now completed its work and produced its final Headline Report, with a detailed [read the full story…]
Many published guidelines (including the American Psychiatric Association Clinical Practice Guidelines for schizophrenia), recommend second-generation antipsychotics for the treatment of depression in schizophrenia. This study compared a first-generation antipsychotic (perphenazine) with 4 second-generation antipsychotics (olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone) and the impact these drugs had on the symptoms of depression. The authors used data from the Clinical [read the full story…]
This care recommendation produced by Drew H. Barzman (Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center) sets out to answer the following question: Among children with ADHD and aggression, is the pharmacological treatment of ADHD, versus no pharmacological treatment of ADHD, effective in reducing aggressive behaviour? The authors searched Medline, PsychInfo, the National Guidelines [read the full story…]
