Psychedelics Like Psilocybin, MDMA Tied to Higher Odds for Schizophrenia

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 13, 2024
• Full Page

People are at higher risk of schizophrenia if they indulge in psychedelic drugs, a new study warns.

Patients who land in the ER following hallucinogen use have a 21-fold higher risk of developing schizophrenia compared to the general population, Canadian researchers repo...

Childhood Attention Issues Show Links to Later Risk for Psychosis, Schizophrenia

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• October 29, 2024
• Full Page

Most kids with attention issues won't go on to develop serious psychiatric conditions like psychosis or schizophrenia.

However, a new study finds poor attention spans in childhood, plus certain genes, could play a role in raising the risk for these conditions.

Of...

Most People With Schizophrenia Aren't Getting Treated

• September 25, 2024
• Full Page

Only 1 in every 4 U.S. adults struggling with schizophrenia receive "minimally adequate treatment," new data shows.

Many of these patients also struggle with other mental health issues, such as substance abuse or depression, and they are further challenged by social and ...

Amsterdam's 'Psychiatric Ambulance' Could Be Advance For Those in Mental Health Crisis

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• May 31, 2024
• Full Page

Ambulances meant for people having a mental health crisis could help folks get the care they need with less confrontation and friction, a new...

Physical Ills Often Plague People With Schizophrenia, Bipolar

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• April 23, 2024
• Full Page

Severe mental illness can contribute to a decline in a person's physical health, with many chronic conditions slowly eroding their wellness, a new review finds.

People with schiz...

Most Homeless Americans Are Battling Mental Illness

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• April 17, 2024
• Full Page

Two-thirds of homeless people are experiencing some form of mental health disorder, a large, new review of data on the subject.

The analysis found that men who are homeless are more likely to be battling mental illness than women, although rates were high for both gender...

Antipsychotics Help Ease Episodes of Marijuana-Induced Psychosis

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• April 5, 2024
• Full Page

Overuse of marijuana is increasingly being linked to dangerous bouts of psychosis, and a new study finds that antipsychotics may be needed to keep such pa...

MRI May Predict Who'll Respond Best to Schizophrenia Treatment

• Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
• March 15, 2024
• Full Page

Specialized brain scans may accurately predict whether a psychotic patient will go on to develop treatment-resistant schizophrenia, Dutch researchers report.

The scan -- call...

Many Can't Access Mental Health Services that Save Money, Keep People Out of Jail

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• March 6, 2024
• Full Page

When it comes to giving at-risk Americans access to the mental health services they need, prevention is far better than detention, new research confirms.

However, a majority of the 950 U.S. counties surveyed in the report do not offer access to the types of ment...

Blood Test to Predict Schizophrenia Shows Promise

• Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
• February 13, 2024
• Full Page

Researchers say they have developed a blood test for schizophrenia.

More than 3 million people in the United States have schizophrenia, a disorder marked by hallucinations and delusions, or a related psychotic illness. 

The new test, which is expected to be av...

Long-Acting Injected Antipsychotics Help People With Schizophrenia Stay Out of Hospital

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• January 31, 2024
• Full Page

For people with schizophrenia hospitalized after a psychotic episode, getting a long-acting antipsychotic injection works far better than pills to keep them from returning to hospital care.

That's the finding of a new study from researchers at Rutgers University in New B...

New Clues to How Inflammation in Young Children's Brains Might Spur Autism

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• October 12, 2023
• Full Page

Severe inflammation very early in childhood might hamper the development of key brain cells, perhaps setting the stage for conditions such as autism or schizophrenia, new research suggests.

The origins of many neurodevelopment disorders remain mysterious. But the new stu...

Pets Don't Help Those With Severe Mental Illness Fare Better

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 17, 2023
• Full Page

It's commonly thought that having a companion animal -- be it a dog, cat or bird -- is good for the owner's mental health.

A new study suggests that's not so, at least for people with severe mental illness and for pets that aren't trained therapy animals. Pets may, howev...

Fewer Kids Are Being Prescribed Antipsychotic Meds

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 7, 2023
• Full Page

The use of antipsychotic medication in children is continuing to plummet, likely because of better policies and education, new research shows.

The study found a 43% drop in antipsychotic prescriptions for Medicaid-enrolled children in 45 states, a stark contrast from the...

'Complex' Genetic Links Between Marijuana Use, Psychiatric Ills

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• May 23, 2023
• Full Page

A subset of people may be at high risk for both psychiatric disorders and for using marijuana, based on their genetics, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Oslo in Norway have found that some of the genetic variants associated with cannabis use ...

Marijuana Use Implicated in Almost a Third of Cases of Schizophrenia in Young Men

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• May 10, 2023
• Full Page

Marijuana appears to significantly increase young men's risk of developing schizophrenia, a new study suggests.

Up to 30% of schizophrenia cases among men aged 21 to 30 are related to heavy and problematic use of marijuana, according to the findings.

The researcher...

Regular Sleep May Be Crucial for People Living With Schizophrenia

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• April 17, 2023
• Full Page

Consistently good sleep is important for everyone, but it is particularly important for patients with schizophrenia, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, along with collaborators in Italy, used wrist monitors to measure activity and rest i...

Smoking Plus Mental Illness Can Send Caffeine Intake Soaring

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 2, 2023
• Full Page

One group of Americans drinks more caffeinated beverages than all others.

That's people who smoke cigarettes and also have serious mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to new research.

While Americans overall are drinking more c...

Major Gene Study Spots DNA Tied to Autism, Other Disorders

• By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• August 19, 2022
• Full Page

More than 70 genes are very strongly associated with autism and more than 250 are linked to the condition, a major new genetic analysis has revealed.

The analysis is the largest of its kind ...

Too Few Psychiatric Beds: Psychiatrists' Group Takes Aim at Ongoing Crisis

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• August 17, 2022
• Full Page

Amid a stark shortage of psychiatric beds that only worsened for millions suffering from mental illnesses during the pandemic, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is rolling out a new model that can help communities determine exactly how many beds they need.

Havin...

Various Mental Illnesses Share Same Genes: Study

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• May 16, 2022
• Full Page

Many people who get a diagnosis for one mental illness may find they have additional psychiatric conditions, and new genetic research offers an explanation why.

A number of mental illnesses share genetic similarities, researchers found. This discovery helps explain why m...

Mental Illness Linked to Higher Risk of Deadly Heart Issues

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• April 20, 2022
• Full Page

People with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other severe mental illnesses are at increased risk of death from heart problems, a large research review finds.

"Our systematic review and meta-analysis of over 100 studies has confirmed a strong association between severe...

Mental Health Issues Linked to Higher Risk of Breakthrough COVID Infections

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• April 18, 2022
• Full Page

People with substance abuse disorders, depression and other mental health conditions may be at higher risk for COVID-19 -- even when they are fully vaccinated, new research suggests.

"Individuals with psychiatric disorders, and especially older adults with psychiatric di...

Brain Scans Spot When Psychosis, Depression Might Worsen

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• April 18, 2022
• Full Page

The future of diagnosing and targeting treatments for serious mental health disorders may include MRI brain scans.

Researchers in the United Kingdom found that brain scans enabled them to identify which patients with major