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PsychiatryRounds Psychiatry News's Blog – October 2004 Archive (8)

Government funds huge neuroimaging study for Alzheimer’s

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - The government today announced its participation in one of the largest initiatives to date to determine effective neuroimaging techniques that will help chart brain changes associated with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. The announcement comes barely two weeks after Medicare agreed to reimburse for PET studies of suspected Alzheimer's patients.

The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a five-year $60 million project under the… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 14, 2004 at 2:30am — No Comments

Psychiatric Disorders and Symptoms Associated With Sexual Risk Behavior

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is an important public health problem throughout the world, with sex being the predominant mode of transmission of HIV. Despite the fact that awareness of HIV and AIDS transmission is pervasive, risky sexual behavior has been increasing in many parts of the world in recent years, with a concomitant rise in new cases of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (Centers for Disease Control and… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 11:30pm — No Comments

Psychotherapy and Combined Therapy for Depressive Disorders in Later Life

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - In 2001, a panel of experts led by George S. Alexopoulos, M.D., compiled a consensus guideline for the pharmacotherapy of depressive disorders in older patients. In contrast to typical current practice, the panel's treatment recommendations gave a prominent role to psychotherapy administered alone or in combination with antidepressant medications for several patient groups. The consensus guideline recommended psychotherapy alone as a first-line treatment choice for minor… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Hypersexuality in Children With Mania: Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Presentation

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - It is clinically well established that adults can be hypersexual and that promiscuity and multiple marriages (without spousal death) are common manifestations of mania in adults. Some practitioners may be somewhat uncomfortable asking about these areas, but hopefully they are aware of the usefulness of covering these issues in psychiatric evaluations of adults. By contrast, hypersexuality is often not covered in psychiatric evaluations of children unless abuse is… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 5:30am — No Comments

Novel Antipsychotics for Treatment-Resistant Depression

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - Currently available antidepressant medications are effective for a large segment of the population with depression. However, recent data suggest that a sizable portion of patients with unipolar depression do not experience full therapeutic recovery. For example, Simon et al. (1999) found that only about half of depressed patients treated with antidepressants in a primary care setting achieve recovery over a two-year period. Since lack of full response is common, management… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 2:30am — No Comments

Postpartum Depression: Risk Factors and Treatment Options

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - Lifetime prevalence rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) in women are estimated to be as high as 21% (Kessler et al., 1993; Weissman et al., 1993). The postpartum period in particular represents a time of increased vulnerability for women (Cox et al., 1993; O'Hara et al., 1990), though postpartum disorders are often under-recognized and undertreated. Pregnant women generally receive little education about the possibility of depression after delivery, and because… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 2:30am — No Comments

Depression in Cancer Patients

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - Drs. Jeremy Winell and Andrew Roth have provided a nice overview of the diagnosis and treatment of depression in cancer patients. The views they express are both widely accepted and applicable to other serious medical illnesses as well. They remind us of the challenge of making a valid diagnosis of depression in cancer patients, since all of the somatic symptoms of depression (eg, anorexia, fatigue, insomnia) may in some patients represent symptoms of cancer or cancer… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 2:30am — No Comments

Depression in Cancer Patients

(PSYCHIATRIC TIMES) - Wouldn't you feel depressed if you had cancer?" This question is one that is often heard from patients, family, and friends as well as from nursing staff and physicians. It may seem logical to expect that someone facing a lifethreatening illness would experience some sadness or depression. However, the problem of depression in cancer patients is a more complex issue. It can span from normal reactions to bad news to clinically significant disorders that can benefit from a… Continue

Added by psychiatryRounds Psychiatry News on October 1, 2004 at 2:30am — No Comments