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The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (FAWB) would have prevented as many as 38 mass shootings that have taken place since the law lapsed in 2005, a new study estimates. Enacted by Congress in 1994, the ban prohibited the sale and manufacture of certain military-style semiautomatic weapons in the United States – including notoriously deadly weapons like AK-47s, AR-15s, TEC-9s and “Street Sweeper” shotguns with high-capacity revolving cylinders. There have been multiple attempts to renew the ban, but none have succeeded. While the ban was in place, would-be mass shooters denied access to an assault weapon did not turn to other types of firearms to carry out a massacre, researchers found. “These results suggest that the FAWB discouraged potential perpetrators from committing a mass shooting with an assault weapon, and, furthermore, that these potential perpetrators did not simply carry out attacks with other types of weapons,” said lead researcher Alexander Lundberg, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University School of Medicine, in Chicago. For the study, researchers looked for events in which at least four people were killed by a firearm. A total of 184 such mass shootings have occurred between 1966 and 2022. The researchers then looked at trends before, during and after the assault weapon ban, to estimate the number of mass shootings that relied on such firearms. While it was active,… read on > read on >

Psilocybin could help people suffering from a mental health problem that can lead to eating disorders, a new study suggests. Psilocybin, the active chemical in “magic” mushrooms, significantly reduced symptoms in people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), researchers reported Sept. 24 in the journal Psychedelics. BDD causes an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one’s physical appearance, and is frequently tied to eating disorders and other unhealthy behaviors, researchers said. For this pilot trial, eight people with hard-to-treat BDD received a single 25-milligram dose of psilocybin. Brain scans showed that the psilocybin treatment increased levels in connectivity between different brain regions related to emotional processing, cognitive activity and feelings and thoughts about oneself. People who had the greatest strengthening in these connections experienced the most improvement in their BDD symptoms within a week, results show. The findings “align with a growing body of evidence indicating that psychedelic compounds like psilocybin can promote mental health by enhancing the brain’s capacity for flexibility and integration,” concluded the research team led by Chen Zhang, a research assistant with the New York State Psychiatric Institute. “By facilitating communication within and between brain networks that are often dysregulated in psychiatric disorders, psilocybin may help restore more adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning,” the research team said in a journal news release. However, more studies in larger groups of people with BDD… read on > read on >

One in three former NFL players believe they have football-related brain damage that’s doing untold harm to their lives, a new study finds. Unfortunately, their fears might be harming their mental health on top of whatever risks they face from head injuries sustained during their careers, researchers report. About one-third of nearly 2,000 retired NFL players believe they have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head trauma, researchers reported Sept. 23 in the journal JAMA Neurology. Players who suspect they have CTE reported significantly more problems with brain function, low testosterone, depression and chronic pain than those who don’t think they have the condition, researchers found. In addition, about 25% of players who believe they have CTE also reported suicidal thoughts or behaviors, compared with about 5% of those who don’t think they have CTE, results showed. NFL retirees who believe they have CTE are twice as likely to report frequent thoughts of suicide, even after accounting for symptoms of depression, researchers said. These symptoms are potentially related to the dread faced by NFL retirees who are certain they have CTE and expect a long and excruciating decline in their mental function, researchers said. Incurable brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease also have been associated with elevated suicide rates. “As complex human beings, our beliefs can exert a… read on > read on >

Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, appears to ease depression symptoms at least as well as one of the most commonly used antidepressants, a new clinical trial shows. Patients showed significant improvement in their depressive symptoms after taking either a single dose of psilocybin or a six-week course of the SSRI antidepressant escitalopram (Lexapro), researchers reported Sept. 21 in the journal Lancet eClinicalMedicine1. They also presented the findings at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s annual meeting in Milan. However, patients given psilocybin also reported additional long-term benefits, including a greater sense of meaning in life and better psychological connectedness to others. “Both treatments led to comparable improvements in alleviating symptoms of depression at the six-week mark, such as sadness and negative emotions,” said lead researcher Tommaso Barba, a doctoral candidate with Imperial College London in the U.K. “However, this work shows that psilocybin outperformed escitalopram in several measures of well-being, meaning in life, work and social functioning,” Barba said in a journal news release. “These results appeared to be maintained over a six-month follow-up period.” SSRI antidepressants like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft are one of the main types of drugs used to treat depression, researchers said. However, about a third of patients don’t respond to treatment. “SSRIs work well, but not for everyone. They are also associated with some side effects,” Barba said. “This… read on > read on >

Having a husband or boyfriend with adult ADHD can harm a woman’s mental stability, a new study suggests. About 3 in 5 women (59%) with male partners with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had symptoms of depression, a rate on par with caregivers who help loved ones deal with health problems like autism, heart rhythm disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and kidney failure, researchers report. The women also had lower quality of life scores than folks whose partners suffer from health challenges like schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and stroke, results showed. “Our findings emphasize the importance of viewing ADHD as a condition that impacts not only the individual but also their close relationships,” concluded the research team led by Adina Maeir, a professor of medicine with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s School of Occupational Therapy in Israel. “By addressing the well-being of partners, we can take a more holistic approach to treatment, offering both individuals and couples the tools they need to improve their quality of life,” the researchers wrote in a university news release. For the study, the team recruited 100 heterosexual Israeli couples in which the man had been diagnosed with ADHD. On average, couples had been together for about nine years, with 65 married and 35 living together. Both the men and the women filled out questionnaires related to the man’s ADHD symptoms. Women also were screened… read on > read on >

Research in rats and hibernating squirrels has pinpointed a naturally occurring protein that appears to reverse cataracts, scientists report. Animal studies don’t always pan out in people, of course. But the discovery of the RNF114 protein raises the possibility of surgery-free cataract removal, according to a team from the U.S. National Eye Institute (NEI). “Understanding the molecular drivers of this reversible cataract phenomenon might point us in a direction toward a potential treatment strategy,” said the study’s co-lead investigator, Wei Li. He’s a senior investigator in the NEI’s Retinal Neurophysiology Section. His team published its findings Sept. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. As the NEI explained, “a cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye [the clear part of the eye that helps to focus light]. This can make your vision cloudy.” Right now, surgery is a patient’s only treatment option, and almost 4 million such procedures are conducted in the United States each year. A non-surgical approach has long been a holy grail of ophthalmological research. Meanwhile, anyone living in the American heartland has probably seen a 13-lined ground squirrel. These hardy creatures are perfect for cataract research, Li’s team explained, because their retinas contain light-sensitive photoreceptor cells that are mostly cones, not the “rods and cones” found in the human eye. Cones are especially tied to color vision. These prairie squirrels can also withstand… read on > read on >

Antidepressants have the potential to improve memory and thinking skills, a new study suggests. Some patients experienced a boost on brain tests after taking the SSRI antidepressant escitalopram (Lexapro), researchers report. The drug appeared to affect a serotonin receptor in the brain called the 5HT4 receptor, according to results published recently in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Serotonin is described as a “feel good” hormone, researchers said in background notes. Higher levels of serotonin in the brain contribute to a sense of well-being and have been shown to ease clinical depression. “It seems that the SSRI medication contributes to an improvement on cognitive function, at the same time as helping improve mood,” said lead investigator Vibeke Dam, a senior researcher in neurology and neurobiology with Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark. “Our work ties the improvement in cognitive function to the specific 5HT4 receptor and suggest that direct serotonin 4 receptor stimulation may be an important pro-cognitive target to consider in optimizing outcomes of antidepressant treatment,” Dam added in a journal news release. “It also reinforces the idea that serotonin is crucial to mood improvement.” For the study, researchers scanned the brains of 90 depressed patients to measure 5HT4 receptor function in their brains. The patients also were tested for mood problems and cognitive abilities. Then the patients were given daily escitalopram (Lexapro) for eight weeks. At… read on > read on >

It’s that time of year when respiratory viruses start to circulate widely, but how can you tell the difference between the symptoms of a cold, the flu and COVID? Dr. William Brian Glenn, from Hackensack Meridian Medical Group in New Jersey, shares what you need to know to be ready for whatever virus comes your way this fall and winter. The challenge with cold, flu and COVID-19 is that the symptoms for each are similar, Glenn noted. A cold can show up as cough, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and fatigue, while the flu can include all of those symptoms plus headache, fever, chills, body aches and fatigue. Meanwhile, COVID can present with cold and flu symptoms, along with a loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, or shortness of breath, Glenn said. Cold symptoms tend to come on gradually, while flu symptoms come on suddenly. COVID symptoms take between two and 14 days after exposure to surface — and can progress to more severe symptoms in some people. Are some people more at risk of developing colds, flu and COVID-19 than others? The elderly, as well as children and adults with chronic conditions including diabetes, lung or kidney disease, metabolic disorders, heart disease and cancer are more susceptible to respiratory infections. Taking certain medicines that weaken the immune system can also put… read on > read on >

SATURDAY, Sept. 21, 2024 (Healthday News) — Workplace anxiety. Who hasn’t experienced it? However, if that anxiety is so strong that it hurts your performance or lingers for months, you might have a problem, one expert says. Dr. Asim Shah, executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor Colege of Medicine in Houston, explains what can trigger workplace anxiety, how to manage it and when to seek professional help. “The goal is not to suffer and not let your anxiety affect work performance. About 60% of people experience workplace anxiety. It is common, which means you can do something about it,” Shah said. Workplace anxiety can be caused by surly co-workers, a demanding supervisor, small, annoying tasks or overwhelming major projects. If you have workplace anxiety, you might notice signs like: Feeling overly anxious or nervous Experiencing excessive sweating or trembling Obsessing about a task Having a lack of interest in your work “The anxiety becomes so overwhelming that you are unable to focus and concentrate,” Shah noted in a Baylor news release. “These feelings can impair your daily work functions.” If that continues for more than six months, Shah said it might be time to seek professional help. “Some employers might offer an employee assistance program where you can go for help. You can also start talking to… read on > read on >

A cavalry of sorts can come to the rescue of combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says. Combat veterans who regularly care for horses experience an easing of their PTSD symptoms, as well as an overall improved mental outlook, researchers found. Focusing on a horse’s welfare can help a veteran shed the hypervigilance that often accompanies PTSD, explained researcher Andrea Quinn, assistant director of the Center for Psychological Services in the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. “When I think about what our veterans with PTSD struggle with, the results make sense,” Quinn said in a Rutgers news release. At some point, seven out of 100 veterans will develop PTSD, researchers said in background notes. Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan have the highest rates of PTSD, with 29% experiencing it at some point, researchers noted. Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq have a 21% rate of PTSD. For the study, published recently in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, researchers asked six combat veterans to participate in an eight-week horsemanship program. In 30-minute weekly sessions, veterans were instructed on basic horse safety and horse behavior, then asked to groom a horse and lead it around an arena. “In the study, the veterans had to perform tasks requiring them to be very much in the moment,” Quinn… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Federal Assault Weapons Ban Could Have Stopped 38 Mass Shootings Since 2005

Psilocybin May Curb Mental Illness That Leads to Eating Disorders

Many Former NFL Players Believe They Have CTE, Raising Suicide Risk

Psilocybin Equals or Exceeds SSRI Antidepressants at Easing Depression

Partner’s Adult ADHD Can Harm a Woman’s Mental Health

Cataracts Gone Without Surgery? New Science Suggests It’s Possible

Could Antidepressants Give Memory a Boost?

Is It a Cold, Flu or COVID? An Expert Helps You Sort It Out

Workplace Stress Triggers: How to Spot Them, How to Cope

Caring for Horses Could Help Veterans Battling PTSD