Author Interviews, Depression, Endocrinology, Nature / 27.08.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60804" align="alignleft" width="150"]Huizhong Whit Tao, PhDProfessor of Physiology & Neuroscience Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute Department of Physiology & Neurosience Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Dr. Huizhong Tao[/caption] Huizhong Whit Tao, PhD Professor of Physiology & Neuroscience Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute Department of Physiology & Neurosience Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Previously, we published a study in which we found that a group of neurons, namely glutamatergic neurons, in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus mediate stress-induced anxiety states. This result inspired us to explore whether the MPOA can play a more general role in mood regulation. Fluctuations in the productive hormones secreted by women’s ovaries are known to cause mood swings. In some cases, rapid changes in the secretion of ovarian hormones can cause depressive-like symptoms. Key examples are postpartum and peri-menopausal depression. In this study, we intended to test whether the MPOA can also play a part in depressive states that are linked to fluctuations in ovarian hormones.
Author Interviews / 25.04.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60345" align="alignleft" width="150"]Mariah W Panoussi, BS, MBS Mariah W Panoussi[/caption] Mariah W Panoussi, BS, MBS Second-year medical student at Saba University School of Medicine, Saba, Dutch Caribbean Department of Medical Education Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Scranton, PA MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Clinical guidelines currently state that the atypical antipsychotic clozapine effectively treats patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) 1. TRS occurs in up to one-third of patients with schizophrenia.2,3 However, there is evidence that demonstrates a lack of clozapine utilization by providers.2 This underutilization has been attributed to clozapine’s numerous adverse effects, in particular agranulocytosis.4 Other barriers include close monitoring for agranulocytosis, changes in administration and registry programs, as well as concerns regarding physician’s attitude toward and knowledge about clozapine.4,5 These barriers have thus caused a sizable variation in clozapine usage throughout the US. Using Medicaid data from 2015-2019, we conducted a secondary data analysis to examine the varied usage of clozapine in the US Medicaid programs.6
Mental Health Research / 22.04.2023

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle, Panic disorder is a mental health condition that affects millions of people all over the world. It is characterized by intense bouts of fear and anxiety, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, and difficulty breathing. People with panic disorder can be overwhelmed by feelings of terror and helplessness. This can significantly impact their daily lives and make it difficult to live life to the fullest. Let’s take a closer look at what panic disorder is and how it can be managed.

What Causes Panic Disorder?

The exact cause of the panic disorder is not known, but there are many factors that may contribute to its onset. These factors include genetics, family history, traumatic events, major life transitions or changes, stressors such as work or school pressures, and certain medical conditions or medications. It is important to note that experiencing one or more of these contributing factors does not necessarily mean that someone will develop panic disorder - rather, they may increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Author Interviews, Depression / 05.03.2023

Editor's note: This piece discusses suicide. If you have experienced suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide and want to seek help, you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "START" to 741-741 or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60131" align="alignleft" width="125"]Alexia AguilarGeisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Scranton, PA Alexia Aguilar[/caption] Alexia Aguilar Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Scranton, PA     MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Traditional antidepressants like Zoloft and Lexapro have three major drawbacks.
  • First, they have a therapeutic lag and take at least a couple weeks to begin to improve mood.
  • Second, they do not work very well for many patients with only about one-third experiencing a remission.1
  • Third, they carry a Food and Drug Administration black box warning for increasing the risk of suicide in young-adults. There is tremendous enthusiasm for the anesthetic ketamine and esketamine because they overcome all three of these limitations. The brand name of esketamine is Spravato. Spravato received conditional approval from the FDA in March of 2019 as a nasal spray for treatment resistant depression or acute suicidality.  The goal of this study was to examine prescriptions for ketamine and esketamine in 2019 and 2020.

Author Interviews, Gastrointestinal Disease, Mental Health Research / 08.02.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59989" align="alignleft" width="144"]Yuan, Zhongshang Dr. Zhongshang Yuan[/caption] Yuan, Zhongshang PhD Department of Biostatistics School of Public Health Shandong University Jinan, Shandong, China What is the background for this study? Response: Comorbidities and genetic correlations between gastrointestinal tract diseases and psychiatric disorders have been widely reported, with the gut-brain axis (GBA) hypothesized as a potential biological basis. However, it is unclear the degree to which the shared genetic determinants contribute to these associations underlying GBA.
Mental Health Research / 17.12.2021

masters-psychology-counseling-mental-health-guidance.jpgSeeing a close friend or family member struggle with their mental health can be difficult. Mental health issues are incredibly personal and can have a wide-reaching effect on all aspects of a person's life. For this reason, you might be currently looking for the best ways in which to support a friend who is struggling with their mental health. It is crucial to remember that there is only so much that you can do when it comes to supporting a friend with their mental health struggles. The reality of things is that they might not yet be ready to accept the help that they need to get better and cope with their mental health condition. Regardless of this, though, you can still acquire as much information about the subject as possible so that you can be ready to support them as and when they are ready to accept the help. Here are some of the best ways in which you can help support a friend who is struggling with their mental health.
Author Interviews, Brain Injury / 12.08.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57900" align="alignleft" width="165"]Henry Mahncke, PhD Chief Executive Officer Posit Science Dr. Mahncke[/caption] Henry Mahncke, PhD Chief Executive Officer Posit Science Dr. Mahncke earned his PhD at UCSF in the lab where lifelong brain plasticity as discovered. At the request of his academic mentor, he currently leads a global team of more than 400 brain scientists engaged in designing, testing, refining, and validating the computerized brain exercises found in the BrainHQ app from Posit Science, where he serves as CEO. This week, MedicalResearch.com interviews Dr. Mahncke about a new study, with breakthrough results for service members and Veterans grappling with the signature injury of recent wars. MedicalResearch.com: What makes this study newsworthy? Response: As the last troops come home from Afghanistan, the battle is not over for many who served and continue to grapple with the signature injury of recent conflicts — mild Traumatic Brain Injury (or mTBI). Typically, such injures were caused by blasts or concussions, and they’ve been diagnosed in more than 300,000 service members. Most recover within a couple days or weeks, but for many — some estimate fifteen percent — physical, psychological, emotional, and cognitive problems persist for years. Such injuries often go untreated, because treatments focus on in-person, customized, cognitive rehabilitation, which can be helpful, but is costly, time-consuming, requires travel for treatment, and relies on the craft and expertise of the healthcare provider. Up until now, there’s been no effective intervention that’s highly-scalable and that can be delivered remotely. This study showed that remotely-administered BrainHQ computerized exercises improved overall cognitive performance in a population with very persistent cognitive issues. On average, patients in this study had cognitive issues for more than seven years. That means we finally have a tool shown effective in a gold-standard study that practitioners can employ in treating this large and underserved population, who sacrificed so much to serve our nation.
Author Interviews, Mental Health Research, Pediatrics / 13.05.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Kristina Aspvall | Psychologist, PhD Eva Serlachius MD PhD Adjunct professor Professor David Mataix-Cols, PhD Karolinska Institutet Department of Clinical Neuroscience Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Research Center Stockholm MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The problem we were trying to solve is the shortage of specialist Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). CBT is the first line treatment for children and adolescents with OCD but is a highly specialist treatment rarely available outside large medical centres, typically located in big cities. Previous work by our group and others had shown that it is possible to deliver CBT via the internet in the form of a self-help programme with minimal support from a clinician. The clinician can be located anywhere and provide asynchronous support via a built-in messaging system. Parental support is a key component of the treatment. In essence, the parents take over as the child’s main therapist, under the guidance of the expert clinician. 
Author Interviews, Columbia, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Depression, Mental Health Research, PTSD / 07.05.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57358" align="alignleft" width="137"]João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, MD, PhD (he/him) NIDA INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellow Policy and Health Initiatives on Opioids and Other Substances (PHIOS) Department of Epidemiology Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York, NY 10032 Dr. Castaldelli-Maia[/caption] João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, MD, PhD (he/him) NIDA INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellow Policy and Health Initiatives on Opioids and Other Substances (PHIOS) Department of Epidemiology Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York, NY 10032 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response:     It remains unclear whether COVID-19 is associated with psychiatric symptoms during or after the acute illness phase. Being affected by the disease exposes the individual to an uncertain prognosis and a state of quarantine. These factors can predispose individuals to the development of mental symptoms during or after the acute phase of the disease. There is a need for prospective studies assessing psychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 patients in the post-infection period.