All posts; Tags Include "Psychiatry"
- March 27, 2014
- 10:59 AM
- 731 views
The Slippery Question of Control in OCD
by Rebecca Schwarzlose in Garden of the Mind
OCD is something of a paradox when it comes to the concept of control. The illness has two characteristic features: obsessions based on fears or regrets that occupy a sufferer’s thoughts and make him or her anxious, and compulsions, or repetitive and unnecessary actions that may or may not relieve the anxiety. For decades, psychiatrists and psychologists have theorized that control lies at the heart of this cycle. . . ... Read more »
Gillan CM, Morein-Zamir S, Durieux AM, Fineberg NA, Sahakian BJ, & Robbins TW. (2014) Obsessive-compulsive disorder patients have a reduced sense of control on the illusion of control task. Frontiers in Psychology, 204. PMID: 24659974
- March 23, 2014
- 09:07 AM
- 777 views
For the Health of It: Disentangling “Healthy Eating” and “Orthorexia”
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
When is “healthy eating” not so healthy? The line between “normal” and “pathological” eating behaviours is blurry, to say the least. For some time, researchers have been attempting to define a “new” category of eating disorders: orthorexia. This category would capture “obsessions” with “healthy eating” that are (presumably) not already captured in current diagnostic criteria for eating disorders.
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you might already know ........ Read more »
Koven, N.S., & Senbonmatsu, R. (2013) A neuropsychological evaluation of orthorexia nervosa. Open Journal of Psychiatry, 214-222. info:/10.4236/ojpsych.2013.32019
Varga, M., Thege, B.K., Dukay-Szabó, S., Túry, F., & van Furth, E.F. (2014) When eating healthy is not healthy: orthorexia nervosa and its measurement with the ORTO-15 in Hungary. BMC psychiatry, 14(1), 59-70. PMID: 24581288
- March 11, 2014
- 11:09 AM
- 757 views
Depression-related Sleep Abnormalities Vary By Age
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
This month I will be focusing on sleep and the brain. The importance of sleep to normal and abnormal brain functioning is receiving increased research attention.A variety of sleep abnormalities have been described in major depression and bipolar affective disorder. Depression has been linked to delayed sleep onset, reduced time to first rapid eye movement (REM) period, reduced sleep efficiency and disruption of the circadian rhythm of sleep.Sleep physiology also varies throughout the lifesp........ Read more »
Robillard, R., Naismith, S., Smith, K., Rogers, N., White, D., Terpening, Z., Ip, T., Hermens, D., Whitwell, B., Scott, E.... (2014) Sleep-Wake Cycle in Young and Older Persons with a Lifetime History of Mood Disorders. PLoS ONE, 9(2). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087763
- March 9, 2014
- 12:49 PM
- 1,151 views
Matters of Appearance: Eating Disorder Patients’ Interpretations of Therapists’ Bodies
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
Therapeutic alliance is often highlighted in studies looking at treatment effectiveness, both in and beyond the realm of eating disorder therapy. Evidently, there are a number of factors that can impact how well we get along with our therapists, ranging from disagreements with the course of treatment or type of therapy to a simple, unnamable dislike for the person. But what about their appearance? What kind of impact could a therapist’s body size have on the therapy relationship?
Rance, ........ Read more »
Rance, N,M., Clarke, V., & Moller, N.P. (2014) "If I See Somebody … I'll Immediately Scope Them Out": Anorexia Nervosa Clients' Perceptions of Their Therapists' Body. Eating Disorders, 22(2), 111-20. PMID: 24555509
- March 5, 2014
- 11:25 PM
- 1,224 views
Eating Disorder Awareness Week: Useful, Useless, or Worse?
by Tetyana in Science of Eating Disorders
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week came and went (in the US, anyway). Posters were shared, liked, and tweeted. Pretty (but often misguided) infographics made the rounds on the internet. Local ED groups visited schools and college campuses to educate students about eating disorders. To, you know, increase awareness.
The thing is, awareness is not always a good thing. For one, as Carrie over at ED Bites mentioned, there’s a whole lot of misinformation masquerading as fact. An........ Read more »
Park, S., McSweeney, J., & Yun, G. (2009) Intervention of Eating Disorder Symptomatology Using Educational Communication Messages. Communication Research, 36(5), 677-697. DOI: 10.1177/0093650209338910
Ridolfi, D.R., & Vander Wal, J.S. (2008) Eating disorders awareness week: the effectiveness of a one-time body image dissatisfaction prevention session. Eating disorders, 16(5), 428-43. PMID: 18821366
Tillman, K.S., Arbaugh, T. Jr., & Balaban, M.S. (2012) Campus programming for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: An investigation of stigma, help-seeking, and resource knowledge. Eating Behaviors, 13(3), 281-4. PMID: 22664413
- March 5, 2014
- 06:15 AM
- 854 views
Warning about Ketamine in the American Journal of Psychiatry
by The Neurocritic in The Neurocritic
The dissociative anesthetic and ravey club drug ketamine has been hailed as a possible “miracle” cure for depression. In contrast to the delayed action of standard antidepressants such as SSRIs, the uplifting effects of Special K are noticeable within an hour. “Experimental Medication Kicks Depression in Hours Instead of Weeks,” says the National Institute of Mental Health. NIMH has been bullish on ketamine for years now. Prominent researchers Duman and Aghajanian called it the “the mo........ Read more »
Schatzberg AF. (2014) A word to the wise about ketamine. The American journal of psychiatry, 171(3), 262-4. PMID: 24585328
- March 3, 2014
- 09:14 AM
- 687 views
Behavioral Weight-Loss in Serious Mental Illness
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are at higher risk for obesity.This risk may be related to physical inactivity, diet or the weight gain commonly associated with psychotropic drug use.Few clinical trials for weight loss have targeted individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). This population may pose specific challenges in recruitment, adherence and outcome.Gail Daumit and colleagues recently published a randomized clinical trial of behavioral weight loss in a cohort with S........ Read more »
Daumit GL, Dickerson FB, Wang NY, Dalcin A, Jerome GJ, Anderson CA, Young DR, Frick KD, Yu A, Gennusa JV 3rd.... (2013) A behavioral weight-loss intervention in persons with serious mental illness. The New England journal of medicine, 368(17), 1594-602. PMID: 23517118
- March 1, 2014
- 07:25 PM
- 1,299 views
Impossible Binaries? Eating Disorders Among Trans Individuals
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
Recently I was doing some research for an upcoming (and very exciting) endeavour that involves exploring eating disorders among LGBTQ individuals. As one does, I set about scouring the research literature in this area in the hopes of stumbling across some prior articles on which to hang my proverbial research hat.
As I sifted through the databases, however, my searches kept coming up short. After sending out a call to a list-serv enquiring about the state of the field in this area, I rec........ Read more »
Murray SB, Boon E, & Touyz SW. (2013) Diverging eating psychopathology in transgendered eating disorder patients: a report of two cases. Eating Disorders, 21(1), 70-4. PMID: 23241091
- February 25, 2014
- 10:24 PM
- 757 views
Episode 23: Bigger IS Better!!!! (by~0.5%)
by On Your Mind in On Your Mind
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about grad school, it’s that it’s often a humbling experience. Well, that and never pass up an opportunity for free food. Liam’s getting first-hand experience with all the ways to screw up a Western Blot but he’s not giving up! Meanwhile, Kat’s taken a detour to catch up ...read moreThe post Episode 23: Bigger IS Better!!!! (by~0.5%) appeared first on On Your Mind Podcast.... Read more »
S Desrivières, A Lourdusamy, C Tao, R Toro, T Jia, E Loth, L M Medina, A Kepa, A Fernandes, B Ruggeri.... (2014) Single nucleotide polymorphism in the neuroplastin locus associates with cortical thickness and intellectual ability in adolescents. Molecular Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.197
- February 24, 2014
- 01:17 PM
- 1,352 views
In a Relationship and It’s Complicated: Eating Disorders in Intimate Relationships
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
What would you do if your partner started restricting caloric intake or bingeing and purging? Would you know how to approach your partner, how to offer support? And what about your own mental health?
Coping with an eating disorder in the context of any relationship can be tricky. There is a growing body of literature that addresses ways to bolster support for caregivers. While this is encouraging, a number of these studies explore the experiences of “caregivers” as a generic category e........ Read more »
Dick, C.H., Renes, S.L., Moroti, A., & Strange, A.T. (2013) Understanding and Assisting Couples Affected by an Eating Disorder. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 43(3), 232-244. info:/10.1080/01926187.2012.677728
- February 19, 2014
- 10:43 PM
- 1,727 views
Eating Disorders and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
by Tetyana in Science of Eating Disorders
Eating disorder patients commonly complain of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms including bloating, abdominal pain, and constipation. This is, of course, not surprising. After all, disordered eating behaviours such as self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and restriction are bound to have negative effects on the digestive system.
But just how common are GI complaints and functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) like irritable bowel syndrome among ED patients? And is there more to the r........ Read more »
Abraham, S., & Kellow, J. (2011) Exploring eating disorder quality of life and functional gastrointestinal disorders among eating disorder patients. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 70(4), 372-7. PMID: 21414458
Boyd, C., Abraham, S., & Kellow, J. (2010) Appearance and disappearance of functional gastrointestinal disorders in patients with eating disorders. Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 22(12), 1279-83. PMID: 20718945
Dejong, H., Perkins, S., Grover, M., & Schmidt, U. (2011) The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in outpatients with bulimia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 44(7), 661-4. PMID: 21997430
Perkins, S.J., Keville, S., Schmidt, U., & Chalder, T. (2005) Eating disorders and irritable bowel syndrome: is there a link?. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57-64. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.04.375
- February 15, 2014
- 02:28 PM
- 1,582 views
Models of Anorexia Nervosa: A Few Insights from Our Animal Cousins
by Liz in Science of Eating Disorders
In 1967, Routtenberg and Kuznesof reported a very peculiar phenomenon in rats:
They discovered that when rats were on a restricted feeding schedule (1 hour per day in their experiment) and had free access to a running wheel, their food intake was significantly lower than in control rats, which were on the same feeding schedule but without access to a running wheel. This discrepancy between increased running activity and decreased food intake caused substantial body weight loss, and if rats........ Read more »
Dixon, D.P., Ackert, A.M., & Eckel, L.A. (2003) Development of, and recovery from, activity-based anorexia in female rats. Physiology , 80(2-3), 273-9. PMID: 14637226
Hillebrand JJ, Kas MJ, van Elburg AA, Hoek HW, & Adan RA. (2008) Leptin's effect on hyperactivity: potential downstream effector mechanisms. Physiology , 94(5), 689-95. PMID: 18495181
- February 13, 2014
- 02:11 PM
- 1,253 views
Creativity in Older Adults: Learning Digital Photography Improves Cognitive Function
by Jalees Rehman in Fragments of Truth
The recent study "The Impact of Sustained Engagement on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The Synapse Project" published in the journal Psychological Science by the psychology researcher Denise Park and her colleagues at the University of Texas at Dallas is an example of an extremely well-designed study which attempts to tease out the benefits of participating in a structured activity versus receiving formal education and acquiring new skills. The researchers assigned subjects with a mean age ........ Read more »
Park DC, Lodi-Smith J, Drew L, Haber S, Hebrank A, Bischof GN, & Aamodt W. (2014) The impact of sustained engagement on cognitive function in older adults: the synapse project. Psychological science, 25(1), 103-12. PMID: 24214244
- February 8, 2014
- 10:11 PM
- 768 views
Nothing to SCOFF at: Screening for Eating Disorders in the Emergency Room
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
As many who have suffered from eating disorders know, these illnesses can often go unnoticed for years. Family members and friends might not be the only ones who don’t catch the signs and symptoms of EDs; doctors, too, may not identify the presence of an eating disorder. Whether or not sufferers desire to get help, the symptoms associated with eating disorders often lead many to present at doctors’ offices and emergency departments, suffering from “mysterious ailments.”
In a study........ Read more »
Dooley-Hash, S., Lipson, S.K., Walton, M.A., & Cunningham, R.M. (2013) Increased emergency department use by adolescents and young adults with eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 308-315. info:/10.1002/eat.22070
- February 5, 2014
- 11:07 PM
- 838 views
Identification of Cigarette Smoke Condensate-Modulated Hiv-1-Associated Host Factors Using A Targeted Transcriptomic Approach
by Journal of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases in JScholar Publishers
Tobacco use has been correlated with increased HIV-1 infection. In vitro characterization of alveolar macrophages obtained from uninfected cigarette smokers showed an increased susceptibility to HIV-1 infection when compared with cell from non-smokers. We showed that Cigarette Smoke Condensate (CSC) enhances HIV-1 infection in primary CD4 cells. The underlying mechanisms of how CSC affects HIV-1 replication are unclear.
The traditional approach that studies the specific cellular processes th........ Read more »
Janaki Purushe, Mario PS Chin*. (2013) Identification of Cigarette Smoke Condensate-Modulated Hiv-1-Associated Host Factors Using A Targeted Transcriptomic Approach. Journal of HIV/AIDS , 1(1), 1-7. info:other/
- February 5, 2014
- 10:18 AM
- 885 views
Exercise Trial for Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Current drug treatments for cognitive impairment and dementia show limited effectiveness.Alternative adjunctive treatments in those with early cognitive impairment are needed.In a previous post, I outlined a review of what we know about exercise and cognition in elderly populations.An additional study is relevant to this topic and important.Takao Suzuki and colleagues in Japan conducted a randomized controlled trial of multicomponent exercise in older adults with evidence of mild cognitive impai........ Read more »
Suzuki T, Shimada H, Makizako H, Doi T, Yoshida D, Ito K, Shimokata H, Washimi Y, Endo H, & Kato T. (2013) A randomized controlled trial of multicomponent exercise in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. PloS one, 8(4). PMID: 23585901
- February 4, 2014
- 09:48 PM
- 1,456 views
Setting a Target Weight: An Arbitrary Exercise?
by Tetyana in Science of Eating Disorders
Achieving a healthy weight is a major goal of anorexia nervosa treatment. Indeed, a healthy weight is often seen as a prerequisite for psychological recovery. The fact that weight restoration is a crucial component of recovery is uncontroversial, the problem arises when it comes to determining what constitutes a healthy weight. How are ideal, optimal, or goal weights set? And who gets to decide?
Despite its recognized importance, there’s surprisingly little consensus on how target w........ Read more »
Roots, P., Hawker, J., & Gowers, S. (2006) The use of Target Weights in the Inpatient Treatment of Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa. European Eating Disorders Review, 323-328. DOI: 10.1002/erv.723
- February 3, 2014
- 10:12 AM
- 1,068 views
Aging, Exercise and Brain Plasticity
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Over the next month, I will be focusing on the effects of exercise on the brain.This topic is important for several reasons. Exercise appears to play a preventive role in the effects of brain aging in normal adults.Exercise may aid in the slowing of progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Exercise is a promising adjunct to treatment of a variety of other brain disorders including depression and anxiety disorder.For this post, I want to highlight wh........ Read more »
Erickson KI, Gildengers AG, & Butters MA. (2013) Physical activity and brain plasticity in late adulthood. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 15(1), 99-108. PMID: 23576893
- February 1, 2014
- 09:14 PM
- 687 views
DDT and Alzheimer's disease risk
by neurosci in Neuroscientifically Challenged
Dichlordiphenyltrichloroethane, also known as DDT, emerged during World War II as something of a miracle chemical. The war had left cities across Europe devastated and struggling to cope with (among other things) poor sanitation, which created a fertile environment for the spread of disease. When Allied forces entered Naples soon after the Germans retreated, they discovered a typhus epidemic that was killing 25% of those infected; the number of infected was into the thousands. The Germans, befor........ Read more »
Richardson JR, Roy A, Shalat SL, von Stein RT, Hossain MM, Buckley B, Gearing M, Levey AI, & German DC. (2014) Elevated Serum Pesticide Levels and Risk for Alzheimer Disease. JAMA neurology. PMID: 24473795
- January 31, 2014
- 12:04 AM
- 885 views
You Sure You Want to Eat That? Perceived Consequences of Eating & Its Relation to Recovery
by Jackie in Science of Eating Disorders
I recently had a total Aha! moment (or a why-didn’t-I-ever-think-of-it moment) when I had chanced upon a recently published article titled “Eating Expectancies in Relation to Eating Disorder Recovery” by Fitzsimmons-Craft and colleagues. The title caught my attention because I had never come across any research tying eating expectancies to eating disorders, though I was familiar with the concept from the health psychology and obesity literature. Eating, as a ........ Read more »
Bohon C, Stice E, & Burton E. (2009) Maintenance factors for persistence of bulimic pathology: a prospective natural history study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 42(2), 173-8. PMID: 18951457
Fitzsimmons-Craft EE, Keatts DA, & Bardone-Cone AM. (2013) Eating Expectancies in Relation to Eating Disorder Recovery. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37(5), 104. PMID: 24089581
Smith GT, Simmons JR, Flory K, Annus AM, & Hill KK. (2007) Thinness and eating expectancies predict subsequent binge-eating and purging behavior among adolescent girls. Journal of abnormal psychology, 116(1), 188-97. PMID: 17324029
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