Recently, brain researchers have gained a powerful new way to troubleshoot neural circuits associated with depression, Parkinson’s disease and other conditions in small animals such as rats. They use an optogenetics technology, invented at Stanford University, that precisely turns select brain cells on or off with flashes of light. Although useful, the optogenetics tool set has been limited. In a paper to be published in the April 2 edition of Cell, the Stanford researchers describe major advances that will enable a much wider range of experiments in larger animals…

Researchers at Children’s National Medical Center have discovered that African American children with asthma in metropolitan Washington, DC, are significantly more likely to have low levels of vitamin D than healthy African American children. This study supports recent research that suggests vitamin D plays a greater role in the body than just keeping bones healthy. Vitamin D deficiency has been recently linked to a variety of non-bone related diseases including depression, autoimmune disorders, and now asthma…

There’s no doubt that meeting partners on the Internet is a growing trend. But can we trust the information that people provide about themselves via online dating services? And why is depression so dissatisfying in relationships? These two questions are explored in articles appearing in the latest issue of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, published by SAGE.

Vietnam era combat pilot and national board member of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Clarence Jordan testified at a Senate hearing today calling for better outreach and coordination of mental health care by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). “VA must do a better job of reaching out and making it services known,” said Jordan, a 15-year Navy veteran who now serves as director of recovery and resiliency services for ValueOptions Behavioral Health Services. A chronicle of Jordan’s battle with depression appeared in Heart & Soul magazine in June 2007…

A new study found that fluoxetine (Prozac®) and citalopram (Celexa®) treatment significantly inhibited disease progression of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Research led by Sandra Sacre, Ph.D. from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) in the UK studied the anti-arthritic potential of these drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), most commonly used to treat depression. Both SSRIs exhibited anti-inflammatory effects and may provide drug development opportunities for arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA)…

Research at the Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests a novel route to improving the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD) in seniors through the regular use of “exergames” entertaining video games that combine game play with exercise. In a pilot study, the researchers found that use of exergames significantly improved mood and mental health-related quality of life in older adults with SSD. The study, led by Dilip V…

Obecure Ltd., a subsidiary of Bio-Light Israeli Life Science Investments Ltd. (TASE:BOLT), has received notice of allowance from the US Patent Office for its two key patent applications covering methods of use and compositions covering the use of betahistine with olanzapine for the mitigation of the serious weight gain associated as a side effect of the antipsychotic drug. Obecure is focused on development of Histalean® (high dose betahistine) as adjunctive to antipsychotic drug therapy for improved treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression…

Research suggests that religious belief can help protect against symptoms of depression, but a study at Rush University Medical Center goes one step further. In patients diagnosed with clinical depression, belief in a concerned God can improve response to medical treatment, according to a paper in the Journal of Clinical Psychology. A total of 136 adults diagnosed with major depression or bipolar depression at inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care facilities in Chicago participated in the study…

In the United States, nearly 10 percent of the population suffers from a depressive disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While the causes of depression vary, a new study at the University of Missouri reveals that marital hostility is a contributing factor. MU researcher, Christine Proulx, found that husbands’ hostile and anti-social behaviors increased their wives’ symptoms of depression over time…

Acupuncture appears to be an effective way to reduce depression symptoms during pregnancy, according to a first-of-its-kind study from Stanford University School of Medicine researchers. The study authors, led by Rachel Manber, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said they hope the results will raise awareness of the problem of depression during pregnancy and provide patients and physicians an alternative to antidepressants…