-
Stroke and stress: Women at greater risk
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareAccording to two new studies, females working in high-stress jobs with low levels of control have a greater risk for stroke, and being female is also a risk factor for the stroke diagnosis to be missed by an emergency room provider. As if life was not stressful enough for women.
-
The absence of positive thoughts during depression
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcarePeople with depression or healthy people with a depressed mood can be affected by depressive thoughts. However, according to a recent study, depressive thoughts are maintained for longer periods of time for people with a depressed mood, and this extended duration may reduce the amount of information that these individuals can hold in their memory. Although it has been known that negative thoughts tend to last longer for those with depression, this study is unique in showing that these thoughts, triggered from stimuli in the environment, can persist to the point that they hinder a depressed person's ability to keep their train of thought.
-
Evidence grows in linking loss of smell to dementia
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareA reduced ability to detect odors has been shown to be an indicator of risk for the development of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. A recently published study in JAMA Neurology lends further proof to these findings.
-
As we age, brain health linked to fitness level
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcarePeople are living longer, and while that is a good thing, growing older in today's world presents challenges. In a 2009 Pew Research Center survey, about 1 in 4 adults ages 65 and older reported experiencing memory loss. About 1 in 5 said they had a serious illness, were not sexually active, or often felt sad or depressed. About 1 in 6 reported they were lonely or had trouble paying bills. Also, 1 in 7 could not drive, and 1 in 10 felt they weren't needed or were a burden to others.
-
Allowing stress to be your friend
Jessica Taylor Mental HealthcareStress. It's a simple word with a lot of impact. But what people don't know is stress can actually make you healthy — if you change your views on it. Most people believe stress is bad for you, which actually can lead to an increased risk of premature death, according to a 2012 study in Health Psychology. That's right. Just believing stress is bad for you increased the risk of early death.
-
How exactly does the brain handle our complex multitasking?
Dorothy L. Tengler Science & TechnologyHow many windows are open on your computer right now? Most of us are running a few websites, not to mention our email, Facebook, Twitter, a word processor, a spreadsheet and maybe a few other random software applications. Then, close by we might have a cellphone and maybe an eBook reader and an iPod or iPad.
-
Cariprazine approval provides another option in treating mental illness
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalThe recent FDA approval of the atypical or second-generation antipsychotic cariprazine (Vraylar) gives prescribers another option on the list of atypical antipsychotics that are used to treat acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia in adults.
-
Will Massachusetts’ proposed 3‑day opioid limit work?
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalIn a culture that is facing unprecedented numbers of opioid overdoses and death, new ideas to stem the epidemic are sorely needed. Well, Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts has decided to propose something new.
-
Disaster: 6 actions to avoid leaving the elderly and disabled in danger
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationThe recent wildfires once again shine a light on the importance of increased attention to the needs of the elderly and disabled during disaster planning, response and recovery phases. Nearly 75 percent of those who died in the Hurricane Katrina disaster were older than 60. Two years later, busloads of elderly and disabled were evacuated from care facilities in San Diego County, but were left stranded and trapped by flames as wildfires raged.
-
Understanding life seasons and critical incidents
Michael S. Haro, Ph.D. Mental HealthcareOur daily lives can be compared to the four seasons: fall, winter, spring and summer. October starts the fall season, which brings change from preceding months of hot, simmering weather. Fall is a beautiful time of the year with leaves changing colors, the cool briskness of the mornings, and the clear, colder nights. With all this beauty, we also experience early darkness and time change, indicators of dreariness brought on by overcast days, rain and early cold spells.
All Mental Healthcare Articles