Psychiatry

Pill pause linked to adverse mental health symptoms in long-term contraceptive users

Jairia Dela Cruz, 2 hours ago

For long-term users of combined oral contraceptives (COC), short-term hormonal withdrawal that occurs during the once-a-month pill pause appears to be accompanied by a significant increase in negative affect, anxiety, and mental health symptoms, regardless of COC type, as reported in a study.

Mindfulness therapy reduces IBS symptoms, improves life quality

3 days ago

Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (MBSRT) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) results in improved quality of life and mindfulness components, as well as reduced IBS symptoms, when compared with controls, a study has shown.

Drug monitoring may prevent weight gain in ASD patients taking aripiprazole

Stephen Padilla, 4 days ago

A recent study exploring the relationship between aripiprazole pharmacokinetics (PK), side effects, and effectiveness in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has found that higher plasma levels correlate with greater weight gain.

Zuranolone improves symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder

21 Sep 2023

Treatment with zuranolone 50 mg/day in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) results in greater improvements in depressive symptoms at day 15, demonstrating a rapid time to effect (day 3), and is generally well tolerated, with no new safety concerns compared with lower dosages, reports a study.

Long COVID: What we have learned so far

Prof. Ghassan Dbaibo, 27 Apr 2023

The WHO defines long COVID as a condition that occurs 3 months from COVID-19 onset, whose symptoms last ≥2 months and cannot be attributed to an alternative diagnosis. In an interview with MIMS Doctor, Professor Ghassan Dbaibo of the Center for Infectious Diseases, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, describes the evolving attitudes towards long COVID among healthcare professionals (HCPs), some unexpected predisposing factors, potential biological mechanisms behind prolonged symptom duration and shares data on vaccination’s protective effects against long COVID.

NCDs in Focus Act Now! Summit 2022

16 Mar 2023

Viatris, a global healthcare company, collaborated with the Thai Hypertension Society and the Thai NCD Collaboration Group to organize the NCDs in Focus Act Now! Summit 2022 in Bangkok on October 29^th and 30^th. This summit brought together nearly 300 multidisciplinary experts from Southeast Asia and India to address the unmet needs in managing two critical noncommunicable diseases (NCDs): cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and mental health disorders (MHDs) in the region.

The summit had several key objectives. Firstly, it highlighted the effectiveness of clinical data in addressing gaps and unmet needs in clinical practice. Secondly, it emphasized the importance of sharing expertise and best practices through a platform that can optimize patient care. Additionally, it discussed the challenges of cardiovascular disease and mental health disorder care in a post COVID-19 world, and the need to re-examine them.

The summit also offered valuable insights into policy and practice changes, as well as innovative digital solutions that can lead to better outcomes. Lastly, it emphasized the significance of gaining a deeper understanding of the gaps in the patient journey to enhance patient care further.

Overall, the NCDs in Focus Act Now! Summit 2022 was a highly informative and productive event, with experts collaborating to improve the management of CVDs and MHDs in Southeast Asia and India.

Young cyberbullying victims at heightened risk of self-harm

Jairia Dela Cruz, 24 May 2021

For children, being at the receiving end of online bullying makes them 12 times more susceptible to suicidal thoughts and actions, with the risk exacerbated by increased use of social media, as shown in the results of a meta-analysis presented at the virtual American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2021 Annual Meeting.

Bright light therapy at midday: Does it help in bipolar depression?

Elvira Manzano, 07 May 2021

Bright light therapy done at midday may be an effective and affordable adjunct to antimanic medication in patients with bipolar depression (BD), according to an expert who presented at APA 2021. This brings renewed attention to this natural, somatic treatment primarily used for seasonal depression.

Anxiety in MCI may lead to Alzheimer’s disease

Roshini Claire Anthony, 01 Jan 2021

Anxiety symptoms in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may increase their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study presented at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting (RSNA 2020).

Multidomain intervention effective for dementia prevention

Dr. Joseph Delano Fule Robles, 28 Nov 2018

Multidomain intervention which includes nutrition, exercise, cognitive training and vascular risk monitoring is effective in preventing dementia, findings from the FINGER study have shown.

Ginkgo biloba extract improves cognition and overall condition after ischaemic stroke

Christina Lau, 23 Nov 2018

Use of a ginkgo biloba extract on top of standard preventive treatment is shown to improve cognitive function and overall condition after acute ischaemic stroke.