For depressed or anxious children, taking melatonin may afford a good night’s sleep and, as a result, lower the odds they will harm themselves, new research suggests. The risk of self-harm increased before melatonin was prescribed and decreased by about half after kids started taking the supplement, the study found. Teen girls suffering from depression or anxiety were the most likely to benefit. “This suggests that melatonin might be responsible for the reduced self-harm rates, but we cannot rule out that the use of other psychiatric medications or psychotherapy may have influenced the findings,” said senior researcher Sarah Bergen, from the department of medical epidemiology and biostatistics at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. “Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone, and we believe the findings are due to improved sleep,” she said. The study can’t prove that melatonin caused the drop off in self-harm, only that there appears to be a link. Of the more than 25,000 young people in the study, 87% had psychiatric disorders in addition to sleep problems. “Melatonin was probably only one part of their treatment package,” Bergen said. “We found that controlling for antidepressant use did not appreciably alter the results, but it’s possible that other medications or psychotherapy are contributing to the observed findings.” For the study, her team identified nearly 25,600 Swedish youngsters between 6 and 18 years…  read on >

While all Americans could benefit from proposed new limits on what’s called PM2.5 air pollution, new research indicates the change has the potential to benefit Black and low-income Americans the most. The limits being considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could cut death rates in those more vulnerable groups by up to 7%, according to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston. “The EPA is currently considering stronger rules for PM2.5 air pollution and the decision will have profound effects on ensuring all Americans have an equal opportunity to breathe clean air,” said co-lead author Scott Delaney, a research associate in the department of environmental health at Harvard. “Our research shows that, while stronger rules will protect all aging Americans from air pollution, those harmed the most by air pollution will benefit the most — and that these benefits may be larger than prior research suggests,” Delaney said in a Harvard news release. These stronger air quality policies could also drive innovative ways to reduce the emission of heat-trapping gases, the study authors said. This might save even more lives through its impact on climate change. To study this, the researchers used Medicare data from more than 73 million Americans aged 65 and older between 2000 and 2016 according to race, income level and annual average PM2.5 exposure by…  read on >  read on >

While thinking declines can be a common symptom of multiple sclerosis in women, new research suggests sleep, or lack of it, could be making matters worse. “Sleep disorders have gained substantial recognition for their role in cognitive [thinking] decline, which affects up to 70% of people with multiple sclerosis,” explained study author Dr. Tiffany Braley, director of the Multiple Sclerosis/Neuroimmunology Division and the MS Fatigue and Sleep Clinic at University of Michigan Health. “Our results highlighted important pathways between sleep and perceptions of cognitive function in women with MS,” Braley said in a university news release. “We have previously identified important associations between objective cognitive performance and sleep in people with MS, but little is known about how sleep and MS interact together to impact long-term cognitive outcomes, particularly among women who are less likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders.” Using data for more than 60,000 women in the 2013 and 2017 waves of the Nurses’ Health Study, the reseachers found that women with MS were more likely than those without MS to report sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia and sleepiness. Sleep disorders identified in 2013 contributed to thinking problems reported by women with MS in 2017, including memory and ability to follow instructions and conversations, according to the authors. Sleep apnea accounted for 34% of the total effect between MS…  read on >  read on >

While some gamble socially and others do it for a living, it’s a serious addiction for those who have an uncontrollable urge to keep going at the risk of losing everything. “In our brain, the centers involved with gambling addiction are the same centers involved with substance addiction,” said Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “The warning signs can be the same as any addiction,” he said in a college news release. Gambling stimulates the brain’s reward center, resulting in a rush that makes someone want to keep doing it. Shah said there are three types of gamblers. While skilled professional gamblers demonstrate self-control, patience and rational thinking, problem gamblers are compulsive, rely on the habit for their livelihood and have no self-control around it. A social gambler, meanwhile, spends a moderate amount of time and money in casinos or enjoys occasionally making bets. While problem gamblers may think they fit in one of these other categories, there are warning signs of gambling addiction. They may feel helpless or hopeless, become restless or edgy. A problem gambler may max out their credit cards to feed this behavior. A problem gambler may also bet more to recover money lost, lie to hide the problem or have others suggesting they should cut back.…  read on >  read on >

Endless worry, irritability and insomnia are all symptoms of a possible anxiety disorder. Luckily, there are numerous anxiety medications that can help ease the condition. Joy Alonzo, a specialist in the pharmacotherapy of mental disorders at Texas A&M’s College of Pharmacy, said recently, “If you understand the different types of medication, then you can become a better advocate for your anxiety treatment. Anxiety is one of the most under-treated mental illnesses, and we need to talk more about it.” So, what medications can bring relief from crippling anxiety? According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), the most common classes of drugs for the treatment of anxiety include: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) Benzodiazepines Tricyclic antidepressants Here is a rundown on medications for anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) SSRIs work by preventing the body from reabsorbing serotonin, which leaves more available for use. The ADAA describes serotonin as a neurotransmitter that plays a role in feelings of well-being and happiness. SSRIs are considered the first-line treatment for all types of anxiety disorders. A higher dose may be required when treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Common side effects: Insomnia Sleepiness Sexual dysfunction Weight gain Dry mouth Common SSRIs: Citalopram (Celexa) Escitalopram (Lexapro) Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva, Brisdelle) Sertraline (Zoloft) What else you should know about SSRIs:…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay News) – Sen. John Fetterman, who checked himself into Walter Reed Hospital for depression five weeks ago, should be back at work soon, his aide said Thursday. The Pennsylvania senator suffered a stroke last May that nearly killed him, and depression strikes one in three stroke survivors. Still, Fetterman’s depression recovery is going well, spokesman Joe Calvello said Thursday. “He’ll be back soon, at least over a week, but soon,” Calvello told the Associated Press. While hospitalized, Fetterman continues to receive daily briefings from his Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson, Calvello added. He is also issuing statements through his office and sponsoring legislation, the AP reported. “We want to give him the space to recuperate,” Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, said during a Wednesday news conference, the AP reported. “He needs it, it’s fair, it’s right. There are other people in the Senate who have taken their time to recuperate but I’m confident he’s going to come back and be an outstanding and fine senator.” Prior to his hospitalization, Fetterman had been withdrawn and not showing an interest in talking or eating, the AP reported. He saw Capitol physician Dr. Brian Monahan, who recommended he be admitted to Walter Reed, just weeks into his time as a senator. After his stroke, he also had surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator because he…  read on >  read on >

Women with mental illness have a risk for cervical cancer that’s twice as high as that for others, according to new research. Swedish researchers noted that women with mental illness, neuropsychiatric disability or substance abuse were also less likely to get screening tests that can detect cervical cancer. “Our results suggest that women with these diagnoses participate more seldom in screening programs at the same time as they have a higher incidence of lesions in the cervix,” said co-author Kejia Hu, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institute in Solna, Sweden. “We thus found that they have twice the risk of developing cervical cancer.” The study included more than 4 million women born between 1940 and 1995. Researchers calculated their risk of cervical cancer and precancerous cervical lesions, as well as women’s participation in screening programs. They compared women diagnosed with a substance use or mental health disorder or disability with women who did not have these diagnoses. Cancer risk was elevated with all of these diagnoses, researchers found, most of all with substance abuse. In 2020, the World Health Organization announced a global strategy for eliminating cervical cancer. It aims to screen 70% of women for the disease at least once before age 35 and twice before age 45. Unequal care is a major obstacle to reaching this goal,…  read on >  read on >