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Harvard Mental Health Letter: August 2008

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You can get instant online access to all of the articles from the August 2008 issue of Harvard Mental Health Letter for only $5.00.

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Articles in this issue:

Finding the right depression medication

Most people with depression will have to try more than one medication before seeing positive results. Research shows that a medication should be taken for at least eight weeks before adding a second drug or trying a different one.

Involuntary outpatient commitment

Involuntary outpatient commitment laws exist in most states, but enforcement varies. Two studies on the issue produced contrasting results.

Alzheimer's and driving ability

The onset of dementia can increase the risks of driving for older people. Older drivers, their family members, and doctors should be alert for patterns of behavior that indicate diminished capacity behind the wheel.

In Brief: Anti-inflammatory drugs may not protect cognitive function

A drug trial found that people with a family history of Alzheimer's disease did not benefit from taking an NSAID. In fact, testing showed that the subjects who took one of these drugs scored lower on tests of cognitive function.

In Brief: Study suggests bipolar disorder is overdiagnosed

Researchers believe that bipolar disorder is being overdiagnosed, perhaps because clinicians find it easier to treat than disorders with similar symptoms, such as depression.

In Brief: Psychotherapy for early childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder

Young children with obsessive-compulsive disorder may benefit from family-based cognitive behavioral therapy.

Questions & answers: Munchhausen's syndrome

What is Munchhausen's syndrome by proxy and why is it not in the DSM-IV?

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