Psychiatry

Decreased vasoregulation in the brain leads to increased inflammation and loss of cognitive function in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Children can have difficulty deciphering their own emotions. But a psychology experiment in Utah showed that four- and five-year-olds know when they have a right to be proud. The finding establishes a developmental milestone and can be useful in helping children discuss complex emotions.

Devastating injuries can have devastating psychological consequences. Two military physicians report on using therapy dogs to aid recovery.

Research indicates that alcohol use disorder as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) appears to be a highly prevalent, highly comorbid, and disabling disorder that often goes untreated in the United States.

Skin-picking disorder (SPD) is a serious and poorly understood condition similar to hair-pulling disorder and severe nail biting, among other body-focused repetitive behaviors, in which a patient causes harm to themselves or their appearance. SPD is much more than a cosmetic problem, as repetitively touching, rubbing, scratching, or picking at the skin can lead to severe tissue damage, disfigurement, and even significant infection in some cases.

Perhaps even more controversial than the placebo effect is its converse, the nocebo effect-an adverse reaction to an ineffectual medication or procedure. For example, simply talking with a patient about potential side effects of a medication as part of an informed consent process can itself contribute to producing adverse effects.

A widely accessible medication commonly used to treat psychiatric disorders may also inhibit the damaging effects of osteoarthritis.

An antiepileptic drug proved to be efficacious in treating the progression of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers.

A two-step treatment plan that combines pharmaceutical analgesics, self-management strategies, and cognitive behavioral therapy is associated with greater improvements in pain severity and pain-related disability in veterans compared with usual care.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of Rexulti (brexpiprazole) as a treatment option for adults with schizophrenia or major depressive disorder (MDD).

Often, pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can impact every aspect of a person's life, leading to isolation, depression, anxiety, lack of physical activity, and a host of other ills. Most experts agree that self-support tools-along with emotional support from loved ones, fellow RA patients, health care providers, and friends-is a key component of managing RA.

Opioid analgesics are often prescribed to patients who suffer from chronic lower back pain; however, a new report suggests that these medications are less effective in a subset of these patients.

Study results indicate that low-field magnetic stimulation synchronized to an individual's alpha frequency-dubbed "synchronized transcranial magnetic stimulation"-appears to be safe, effective, and well tolerated for treating major depressive disorder when properly administered.

Study results suggest that brain inflammation resulting from chronic nerve pain appears to alter activity in brain regions that regulate mood and motivation. The findings indicate, for the first time, a direct biophysical relationship between long-term pain and the co-morbid anxiety, depression, and substance abuse observed in more than 50% of patients with chronic nerve pain.

There are difficult patients, and ideal patients. A cardiologist offers advice on relating to them all.

An analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry found that military personnel who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) did not have elevated suicide risks. However, the researchers reported that separation from the military appeared to affect this outcome.

An opinion piece recently published in JAMA Psychiatry cautioned that air quality can also affect brain development, potentially triggering a larger public health issue.

For medical school hopefuls, a JAMA study has found those awarded extra time on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), may not have affected their admissions, but still had lower United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step exam scores and 4-8 year graduation rates.

Endocrine regulation in ejaculation control is still not well understood. Sex steroids (testosterone and estradiol), pituitary (prolactin and oxytocin), and thyroid hormones may regulate the ejaculatory process, but exact mechanisms are unclear.

Coming next from Medicare: the ICD-10 Obmudsman. Billing under the dreaded new International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) coding system will get a bit less onerous under a deal brokered between Medicare and the American Medical Association.

While cognitive behavioral therapy has been used to treat patients with insomnia, evidence backing the treatment for those who also have other psychiatric and medical conditions has not been available until now.

Bereavement and depression may have similar symptoms, but should remain clinically differentiated, according to researchers from KU Leuven in Belgium.

While treating our patients' depression is a crucial aspect of sound pain management practice in primary care, the analgesic effects of certain antidepressants, particularly for select types of chronic pain, should also not be underestimated.

This study was a meta-analysis that examined the association between sedentary behavior and hospitalizations, all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer in adults.

Autism treatment fads keep cropping up even after science has proved them unworthy. Now, researchers from Emory Health Sciences may have figured out why.

Researchers have shown there is a connection between personality characteristics and certain dermatological conditions, most notably in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Incorporating the information into your practice involves being at least somewhat aware of psychological factors that may contribute to these conditions.

Chronic pain may not be as immediately urgent or life-threatening as cancer, a cardiac event, or kidney disease. But as pain management specialists and pain patients see every day, the long-term effects of chronic pain on patients' lives can be nothing short of debilitating.

The King v. Burwell US Supreme Court decision yesterday means that people who could have lost mental health insurance coverage don't have to worry.

The Supreme Court's decision to uphold Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies in all 50 states was greeted warmly by major healthcare associations and by Wall Street. However, the decision in King vs. Burwell also served to reignite debate over the healthcare law, and the challenges that remain 5 years after its passage.

The US Supreme Court has said residents of all 50 states are entitled to subsidies, regardless of whether they bought insurance through a federally run or state-run marketplace. The case centered on whether 2010's Affordable Care Act authorized subsidies to consumers who bought health insurance on non-state-run insurance marketplaces.