For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities showed that non-invasive brain stimulation can change a specific brain mechanism that is directly related to human behavior.
Tag: Schizophrenia
Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments
Team of researchers led by Indiana University School of Medicine faculty have developed a breakthrough new blood test for schizophrenia, a psychiatric disorder that includes hallucinations and delusions.
An unexpected link between 2 schizophrenia risk proteins
The discovery of a physical interaction between two proteins in brain cells that can be traced in mice to control of movement, anxiety and memory could one day open the door to development of new schizophrenia treatment strategies, researchers say.
New clues to early development of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disease that remains poorly understood and treated. Schizophrenia onset is typically in adolescence or early adulthood, but its underlying causes are thought to involve neurodevelopmental abnormalities.
Scientists Take Next Big Step in Understanding Genetics of Schizophrenia
Scientists figuring out which of the 5,000-plus genetic variants associated with schizophrenia have an actual causal effect in the development of the condition. Some of genetic variants regulate or alter the expression of genes involved in the condition.
Smartphone technology expected to advance assessment of neurological soft signs in schizophrenia
Since the 1980s, we have known that neurological soft signs (NSS) can distinguish people with schizophrenia from psychiatrically healthy individuals.
Schizophrenia Genetic Risk Factor Impairs Mitochondrial Function
Researchers at Rutgers and Emory University are gaining insights into how schizophrenia develops by studying the strongest-known genetic risk factor.
Atopic dermatitis associated with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder that has well-established associations with depression and anxiety. A new Yale School of Medicine study finds AD is also associated with increased risk for schizophrenia and shizoaffective disorder. Schizophrenia is a…
Mount Sinai Experts Present Research at SLEEP 2023
Sleep medicine experts from the Mount Sinai Health System are presenting new research at SLEEP 2023, the 37th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies running until June 7 in Indianapolis.
Scientists Link Rare Genetic Phenomenon to Neuron Function, Schizophrenia
UNC School of Medicine’s Jin Szatkiewicz, PhD, and colleagues conducted one of the first and the largest investigations of tandem repeats in schizophrenia, elucidating their contribution to the development of this devastating disease.
Schizophrenia may increase dementia risk by 2.5 times
People with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are 2.5 times more likely than those without a psychotic disorder to eventually develop dementia, according to a review of evidence led by UCL researchers.
How the sounds we hear help us predict how things feel
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have made an important discovery about the way our brains process the sensations of sound and touch.
When reality fails: What to know about psychosis
More awareness of the symptoms of psychosis, and the availability of treatment, could mean more young people with psychosis get care quickly. And that can make a big difference in their immediate mental health and their long-term futures.
Research reveals drug targets for memory enhancement
Bristol-led research has identified specific drug targets within the neural circuits that encode memories, paving the way for significant advances in the treatment of a broad spectrum of brain disorders.
Schizophrenia Study Suggests Advanced Genetic Scorecard Cannot Predict a Patient’s Fate
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found that a tool commonly used in research for evaluating a person’s genetic risk for a disease, called a polygenic risk score, was no better at predicting the outcome of a schizophrenia patient’s disease over time than written reports. The results raise important questions about the use of polygenic risk scores in real-world, clinical situations, and also suggest that a doctor’s written report may be an untapped source of predictive information.
Biomarker could help diagnosis schizophrenia at an early age
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have discovered how levels of a protein could be used in the future as a blood-based diagnostic aid for schizophrenia.
Commonly Used Drugs for Schizophrenia Linked to Greater Cognitive Impairment
UC San Diego researchers report that medications commonly prescribed to reduce the severity of physical and mental health symptoms associated with schizophrenia may have a cumulative effect of worsening cognitive function in patients.
ASU health economist studies effects of mental illness disclosure in the workplace
A person with a serious mental illness must confront the difficult decision of whether to reveal their disorder in their workplace. Disclosing their diagnosis might create stigma, but it could also mean additional support. Adding to the delicate balancing act…
International Study Links Brain Thinning to Psychosis
Subtle differences in the shape of the brain that are present in adolescence are associated with the development of psychosis, according to an international team led by psychiatrists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
Mice with hallucination-like behaviors reveal insight into psychotic illness
A computer game that induces mice to experience hallucination-like events could be a key to understanding the neurobiological roots of psychosis, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Pilot Study Finds Evidence of Bartonella Infection in Schizophrenia Patients
A pilot study has found evidence of Bartonella infection in the blood of people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
Researchers identify characteristics of highest utilizers for mental health hospital services
Dropping out of high school, having schizophrenia, or being diagnosed with a co-occurring personality disorder increases the likelihood of someone becoming a “high utilizer” of inpatient psychiatric hospital services, according to a new study by researchers at UTHealth. A high utilizer is someone who has been admitted three or more times within one year.
Dr. Dror Ben-Zeev heads center for accessible mental health using technology
Dror Ben-Zeev, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, is an expert on mental health apps. He is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in technology-based approaches in the study, assessment, and…
Mental health app equally effective, half the cost
Digital mental health apps and internet-based treatments could overcome both access problems and provider shortages. But these apps have yet to be adopted in the U.S. healthcare system. One reason is that these apps need payment and reimbursement models that would enable broad adoption.
Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine recently published results to help propel policymakers to create these payment models. They proved that an app to help people with serious mental illness was just as effective as a clinic-based group intervention for half the cost.
Virginia Tech researchers uncover mechanisms that wire the brain’s cerebral cortex
A research team at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC has identified the type of brain cell that produces a protein that is crucial for the formation of inhibitory circuits in the brain. This insight could one day help scientists establish the basis for developing new drugs that mature or repair cellular networks.
Low-intensity exercise during adolescence may prevent schizophrenia
Although schizophrenia is increasingly understood as a neurodevelopmental disorder, environmental factors are known to play an important role in the disease onset and progression.
Jerold Chun among world’s most highly cited researchers
Jerold Chun, M.D., Ph.D., a professor and senior vice president at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, has been named a “Highly Cited Researcher” by Clarivate, the global analytics company. The honor recognizes researchers who have demonstrated a significant influence in their chosen field of study through the publication of multiple works that have been cited by their peers.
Long-acting antipsychotic therapy plus cognitive training show promise for schizophrenia
FINDINGS UCLA scientists and colleagues found the use of long-acting antipsychotic medication combined with the use of cognitive training in group settings led to improved cognition and increased productivity. Researchers say patients using a combination of long-acting antipsychotic medication and…
Scientists awarded $52M NIH grant to study schizophrenia cause and effect
UCLA researchers and their colleagues from two other institutions have been awarded a $52 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to lead an international study to better understand the cause and effect of schizophrenia in high-risk youth.
Researchers Discover a Specific Brain Circuit Damaged by Social Isolation During Childhood
Study shows long-lasting effects and points the way to potential treatments
Zafiris J. Daskalakis, MD, PhD, Named Chair of the Department of Psychiatry
Zafiris J. “Jeff” Daskalakis, MD, PhD, has been named chair of the Department of Psychiatry at University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
Complement genes add to sex-based vulnerability in lupus and schizophrenia
Variants in a gene of the human immune system cause men and women to have different vulnerabilities to the autoimmune diseases lupus and Sjögren’s syndrome, according to findings published in the journal Nature. The gene variants are a member of the complement system.
Lack of Motivation the Most Central Domain for Successful Treatment of Schizophrenia Symptoms
A recent conceptual development in schizophrenia is to view its manifestations as interactive networks rather than individual symptoms. Negative symptoms, which are associated with poor functional outcome and reduced rates of recovery, represent a critical need in schizophrenia therapeutics. MIN101…
Mount Sinai Researchers Find Social Isolation During Key Developmental Windows Drives Long-Term Disruptions in Social Behavior
MEDIA ADVISORY Nature Communications study UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL: Friday, February 21 at 5:00pm EST Mount Sinai Researchers find social isolation during key developmental windows drives long term changes to activity patterns of neurons involved in initiating social approach in an…
Study finds empathy can be detected in people whose brains are at rest
UCLA researchers have found that it is possible to assess a person’s ability to feel empathy by studying their brain activity while they are resting rather than while they are engaged in specific tasks.
Unraveling mechanisms of ventricular enlargement linked to schizophrenia
Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have implicated two microRNAs in the biological processes that underlie the ventricle enlargement observed in models of schizophrenia.
Crowdsourcing Science: Using Competition to Drive Creativity
Thanks largely to advances in computing, researchers in computational biology and data science are harnessing the power of the masses and making discoveries that provide valuable insights into human health.
Flickering Light Mobilizes Brain Chemistry That May Fight Alzheimer’s
The promise of flickering light to treat Alzheimer’s takes another step forward in this new study, which reveals stark biochemical mechanisms: The 40 Hertz stimulation triggers a marked release of signaling chemicals.
Schizophrenia Is A Disease, Not An Extreme of Normal Variation
“Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and many other types of mental illness, are diseases of the brain and should be treated and studied as such,” say Johns Hopkins researchers.
Using voice analysis to track the wellness of patients with mental illness
A new study finds that an interactive voice application using artificial intelligence is as accurate at tracking the wellbeing of patients being treated for serious mental illness as their physicians.
Mayo Clinic research discovers a molecular switch for repairing central nervous system disorders
A molecular switch has the ability to turn on a substance in animals that repairs neurological damage in disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Mayo Clinic researchers discovered.
Study Suggests Early-Life Exposure to Dogs May Lessen Risk of Developing Schizophrenia
Ever since humans domesticated the dog, the faithful, obedient and protective animal has provided its owner with companionship and emotional well-being. Now, a study from Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that being around “man’s best friend” from an early age may have a health benefit as well — lessening the chance of developing schizophrenia as an adult.
Polygenic risk score improves psychosis risk prediction
A new study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found that that using a polygenic risk score (PRS) based on data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) improves psychosis risk prediction in persons meeting clinical high-risk criteria.
For better research results, let mice be mice
Animal models can serve as gateways for understanding many human communication disorders, but a new study from the University at Buffalo suggests that the established practice of socially isolating mice for such purposes might actually make them poor research models for humans, and a simple shift to a more realistic social environment could greatly improve the utility of the future studies.
University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and University of Maryland School of Dentistry team find new evidence for physical differences in schizophrenia patients
Schizophrenia findings revealed by team from UNR School of Medicine, UM School of Dentistry, who colllaborated with British and Turkish investigators
Adults with Cerebral Palsy at Increased Risk for Mental Health Conditions
A new study finds that adults with cerebral palsy are at an increased risk of experiencing a mental health disorder compared to adults without the condition.
Physical Evidence In The Brain for Types of Schizophrenia
Findings suggest a form of schizophrenia has more in common with neurodegenerative diseases than previously thought In a study using brain tissue from deceased human donors, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they found new evidence that schizophrenia can be marked…