Combining medications or keeping active may provide modest protection.

Age, family history, and genetic profile all increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. But what sets the disease process in motion remains unclear. The leading hypothesis has been that sticky deposits of amyloid protein in the brain initiate this process.

A number of compounds are under development that seek either to clear amyloid deposits from the brain or prevent them from forming in the first place. Researchers hoped that these compounds, given early enough in the Alzheimer's disease process, might halt or even reverse the pathology underlying memory loss and ...

How a patient's genetic profile and other medications can alter drug response.

The American Journal of Psychiatry published an article describing the hypothetical case of a woman who sought treatment for depression while taking tamoxifen, a drug often prescribed to reduce the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence. The case was intended to illustrate the impact that the liver's cytochrome P450 enzymes can have on psychiatric drug choice, especially when patients are taking multiple medications.

Tamoxifen is broken down in the liver by several cytochrome P450 enzymes that also metabolize psychiatric drugs. In the case above, prescribing fluoxetine (Prozac) or paroxetine ...

Study reports that symptoms persist into adulthood, and substance abuse is common.

Childhood bipolar disorder remains one of the most controversial diagnoses in psychiatry. A federally funded study does not answer all the questions, but does provide evidence that when the disorder occurs in children, relapses are common and consequences can be severe.

The Phenomenology and Course of Pediatric Bipolar Disorders study, which is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and still in progress, enrolled 115 children, ages 7 to 16, between 1995 and 1998. All met criteria for bipolar disorder type 1 as defined by the ...

In a series of driving simulation experiments conducted by psychologists, drivers were more likely to be distracted by a cell phone conversation, even while using a hands-free device, than by talking to a passenger in the vehicle.

In brief Improving outcomes for opioid-addicted youth Young people who are addicted to opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and heroin account for a significant proportion of patients undergoing treatment for dependency. In 2006, for example, 10% of patients admitted to hospitals or clinics for the treatment of opioids other than heroin were younger than 20, while 31% were between 20 and 24.

The usual treatment offered to young people with opioid addiction is a combination of counseling and detoxification using a tapering drug schedule to ease the withdrawal process. In November 2008, researchers reported the results of a clinical trial ...

Commentary Mental health at a reasonable cost As a new U.S. administration starts dealing with reorganizing the health care system, we hope those in charge understand the value of providing adequate mental health care. Health system designers should be heartened by two studies in a British journal, The Lancet. Studying two very different populations, researchers demonstrated that improved mental health care and quality of life can be achieved at a reasonable cost.

A July 2008 study demonstrated the value of a standardized depression intervention for cancer patients. A September 2008 report showed that community health workers can treat maternal depression ...