Scientific evidence has long suggested that moderate drinking offers some protection against heart disease, certain types of stroke and some forms of cancer.
But new research shows that stopping drinking – including at moderate levels – may lead to health problems including depression and a reduced capacity of the brain to produce new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. [continue reading…]
Luisa DillnerÂ
Tuesday July 8, 2008
The Guardian
A recent report suggests that more and more women are being offered antidepressants for the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Is this really the solution for a complex condition?
Last month the BBC reported a rise in the number of young women being diagnosed with depression when they really had PMS, and of women with PMS being handed antidepressants before trying anything else. The report was based on anecdotal evidence from the National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome (Naps). “We’ve noticed that it seems to be more of an issue. About 25% to 35% of the emails we get are from women saying they have been offered antidepressants,” says Jackie Howe, a founder member of Naps. Link to read article
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Source: The Guardian
A single antidepressant tablet makes a depressed person see the world in a more positive light just four hours after swallowing it, a new study has shown.
Dr Philip Cowen, professor of pharmacology at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, told delegates at the Royal College of Psychiatrists Annual Meeting in London that antidepressant medication starts to work far faster than most clinicians assume. [continue reading…]
A new treatment programme for cancer patients with depression can significantly boost their quality of life.
University of Edinburgh scientists devised the programme which offers patients one-to-one sessions with specially trained cancer nurses.
After three months of receiving the new treatment, almost 20 per cent fewer patients were depressed compared with those who received standard NHS treatment.
The difference was still evident after one year.
This new treatment could substantially improve the way we manage depression in people with cancer – Professor Michael Sharpe, Director of Psychological Medicine Research
The study, published in the Lancet, recruited 200 cancer patients with clinical depression.
Half were given standard care for depression, the other half received the special programme which entailed:
Patients who were treated in this way also experienced an improvement in anxiety and fatigue.
Source: University of Edingburgh
