Joel Yager

Cigarette Smoking and Mental Health

Although smoking rates are high among patients with schizophrenia and some other psychiatric disorders, researchers have not adequately studied how smoking relates to mental health problems. In 2 new reports, investigators begin to address these issues.nnOne research group used data from the historic Stirling County study, which involved interviews with adults in 1952, 1970, and 1992 and included a …

A Positive Neural Payoff for Revenge

Why do humans exact revenge even at great personal cost? To explore the neurobiologic basis of these actions, investigators performed PET scans on men

New Findings in the Pathogenesis, Genetics, and Comorbidity of ADHD

Three new studies help to elucidate pathogenetic mechanisms, genetic patterns, and clinical phenomena in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.nnIn a study using functional MRI (fMRI) on 10 children (age range, 7–11) and 10 age- and sex-matched controls, investigators found specific neurophysiological correlates for two specific cognitive control mechanisms. First, compared with controls, ADHD children had a decreased ability to suppress the interference of competing stimuli and a reduced engagement of a frontal-striatal-temporal-parietal network. Second, when asked to inhibit certain …

Identifying Children at Risk for PTSD

The presence of anxiety/arousal and dissociative symptoms in the aftermath of acute stress might lead to PTSD. Two new prospective studies suggest several pathways leading from traumatic events in childhood to PTSD.nnSaxe et al. assessed 72 children with severe burns (mean, 17.58% of body surface area; age range, 7–17) early during their hospitalizations and 3 months later. …

Emerging Perspectives: The Disconnection Hypothesis and Cognitive Dysmetrias in Schizophrenia

Several articles and an editorial in the March issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry point to a new paradigm that might account for the recent,

Osteoporosis in Serious Psychiatric Disorders

Psychiatric patients are at particular risk for developing osteoporosis. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms include elevated serum cortisol levels (causing bone loss), alcohol and drug use, smoking, exposure to prolactin-elevating medications (which lower gonadotropins, estrogen, and testosterone), immobility, dietary deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency resulting from little sunshine exposure. Two new studies increase our knowledge.nnAustrian researchers examined bone mineral density (BMD) in 75 …

Can Protein Supplements Reduce Binge Eating

In patients with bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder (currently categorized by the DSM-IV as eating disorder not otherwise specified), known

How Effective Is Risperidone Augmentation of Clozapine for Refractory Schizophrenia

Clozapine remains the ultimate treatment for refractory schizophrenia, particularly in patients with severe negative symptoms. Still, roughly 50% of patients fail to respond even to this medication. To see whether risperidone augmentation of clozapine treatment might yield additional benefits, investigators conducted an industry-funded, 12-week, double-blind study involving 40 patients completely or partially unresponsive …

Industry Sponsorship, Conflicts of Interest, and Reported Results

Between 40% and 66% of studies in general medicine journals report some degree of industry funding. But do industry sponsorship and conflict of

Bipolar Disorder with Persecutory Delusions: A Specific Genotype

Among the linkage areas implicated in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is chromosome locus 13q34. Previous research has demonstrated an association of the D-amino acid oxidase activator (DAOA/G30) locus found there with both disorders. To see whether the presence of psychotic features would provide greater specificity for this association in bipolar disorder, the authors …