Published: March 30, 2009
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) tend to stare at people’s mouths rather than their eyes. Now, an NIMH-funded study in 2-year-olds with the social deficit disorder suggests why they might find mouths so attractive: lip-sync—the exact match of lip motion and speech sound. Such audiovisual synchrony preoccupied toddlers who have autism, while their unaffected peers focused on socially meaningful movements of the human body, such as gestures and facial expressions. “Typically developing children pay special attention to human movement from very early in life, within days of being born. But in children with autism, even as old as two years, we saw no evidence of this,” explained Ami Klin, Ph.D., of the Yale Child Study Center, who led the research. “Toddlers with autism are missing rich social information imparted by these cues, and this is likely to adversely affect the course of their development.”
Klin, Warren Jones, Ph.D., and colleagues at Yale, report the findings of their study, funded in part by the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health, online March 29, 2009 in the journal Nature. [continue reading…]
Published: March 30, 2009
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends screening adolescents for clinical depression only when appropriate systems are in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care. This applies to all adolescents 12 to 18 years of age. In a separate recommendation, the Task Force found insufficient evidence to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening children 7 to 11 years of age for clinical depression. The recommendations and the accompanying summary of evidence appear in the April issue of Pediatrics. [continue reading…]
Published: March 28, 2009
Ben Goldacre vents in The Guardian, about the responsibility the media carries when it comes to how they report suicideÂ
Ben writes-
This week, in my crescendoing tirade against journalism, we shall review the evidence that the media actually kills people. The suicide of Sylvia Plath’s son has filled the news. The media obsessed – understandably – over genetics, when mental illness is probably the single biggest risk factor, but the coverage has been universally thoughtful, considerate, informed, and responsible. This is not always the case…….  link to continue reading
Source: The Guardian
Published: March 27, 2009
Therapists admit using harmful practices to ‘cure’ homosexuals despite evidence they do not work.
Comments on this Telegraph news feature that I “Clipmarked” yesterday:
Maybe they think that there is something really special and unique about themselves that will magically cure gays. Everyone lets their ego show once in a while.  —tanyamm
One in Six Psychiatrists huh? I can’t help but find that rather amusing because back in the sixties there was a book written with the title ‘One in Six Men’ based on the Kensey (?) Report that One in Six men are Homosexuals. You don’t suppose that the same One in six are two of the same do you? According to my own theory, chances are pretty good. 🙂 —chestnut 501
The BBC News features the contrasting reactions of two people based on their personal experiences: Â Link to read this feature.
After following advice from a doctor I ended up marrying a man even though I knew I was gay —Jane, 30, Derby
As someone who is ex-gay I feel the real problem is that psychiatrists will not help people who want to change —Philip, 37, Hampshire
We’d like to hear your reactions to this feature ?
Source: BBC News
