Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Weight loss possible with structured weight loss program

Weight loss possible with structured weight loss program A new study published in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry "shows obese adults taking atypical antipsychotic medications to treat severe mental illness such as schizophrenia were able to significantly decrease their weight and body mass index (BMI) while participating in a year-long structured weight management program. This study is the first to provide long-term data showing that patients being treated for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder with atypical antipsychotics can benefit from a weight control program." Read More...

Imaging test may accurately diagnose schizophrenia

Imaging test may accurately diagnose schizophrenia One thing I think we can all agree upon is that it would be nice if an objective test could be developed to determine whether or not a person has schizophrenia, rather than relying exclusively upon a verbal description of symptoms. This article indicates that researchers at Yale University may have developed an accurate procedure for doing just that. It?s based upon the occurrence of ?an abnormal pattern in an area of the brain that governs hearing... Abnormalities in auditory cortex structure and function are prominent features of the brains in persons with schizophrenia?. Read More...

Nicotine spray for nose, reduces smoking

A nicotine nose spray is an effective aid for schizophrenics who want to break their smoking habits. A recent research study on a small group of people suggestes that in a "retrospective case series of 12 smokers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had not successfully quit smoking with previous treatments for tobacco dependence were treated with nicotine nasal spray."     "All but one patient (92%) tolerated the nasal spray well, and nine (75%) used it at maximal doses for prolonged periods," reported J.M. Williams and coauthors at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. "After treatment five Read More...

Cannabis Linked Again to Schizophrenia

Another Study Ties Marijuana to Schizophrenia Onset In a new study that was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry this week (April 14, 2004) - it was again confirmed (as already confirmed in over 30 other studies) that Cannabis/Marijuana use is closely associated with early development of schizophrenia. The research states that "New research reveals that cannabis use is strongly associated with early onset of symptoms in men with schizophrenia. The authors say their results are significant as early onset schizophrenia carries a particularly poor prognosis. The study examined the independent associations between gender and cannabis use and age Read More...

Home Environment is Key

Home Environment is essential to battle schizophrenia: study States A recent study in Australia suggests that the living environment can be a key aspect of recovery for people that have schizophrenia - sugtesting that has been overlooked in the past, and undervalued in countries like the USA that tend to minimize services and support systems for the mentally ill. Excerpt from ABC Australia News: A new Queensland study has found securing a stable home life for people with schizophrenia could be more important than chasing a drug cure. Queensland University of Technology researcher Graeme Browne says people living in their Read More...

Gene Variation

University of Iowa researchers announce schizophrenia breakthrough Gene variation is confirmed as a key contributor in schizophrenia - and appears to be responsible for about 2% of the cases of schizophrenia in white people. Excerpt from Iowa City Press-Citizen: A new piece of the schizophrenia puzzle has been found by University of Iowa researchers. "For years, we've wondered why the genes that seem to make us vulnerable to mental illness are so common," Philibert said. "You know how they say, 'That which does not kill us makes us stronger.' Well, some of the genes that make us stronger can hurt Read More...

Dance Therapy

Dance therapy for mental patients In this story, the BBC suggests that Dancing may be a way to tone the body, but it is also a dynamic way to exercise the mind. An ambitious project in the UK has been launched to use the power of dance to improve the lives of people with mental illness to help them. The Reach4Dance initiative will target patients with long-term mental health problems. Dance and movement are known to have physical and psychological benefits for those with mental illness. Read More...

New Meds

'I felt like a zombie' Robert Bayley spent almost 20 years dealing with his "terrible illness" before new drugs dramatically improved his life. Campaigners say the drugs should be available to every mental health patient. BBC News Online looks in detail at Robert's case Read More...

Schizophrenia and Emotions

The latest British Journal of Psychiatry, (Issue (2004) 184: A15 ) reported that Schizophrenia Intervention for Relapse and High Expressed Emotion Researchers have found that costs for patients with schizophrenia who experienced relapse are up to 400% higher than for a non-relapse group. The authors suggest that implementing effective relapse prevention programmes, even if expensive, may reduce the overall financial cost of treatment as well as improving overall outcome. Raune et al (pp. 321?326) found that 43% of carers of patients with first-episode psychosis had high levels of expressed emotion. (NOTE: Expressed Emotion is defined to include Critical attitudes: Statements Read More...

Causes of Schizophrenia

Surprises Found In Gene Variation Associated With Schizophrenia Approximately 2 percent of Caucasians have a gene segment variation that can cause a certain form of schizophrenia. Most people with the variation, known as a polymorphism, do not have the disease. A University of Iowa Health Care study reveals a good prognosis for people who do have this form of schizophrenia. The team also found that this polymorphism is associated with overall benefits for human survival, and the initial mutation occurred in a single common ancestor about 100,000 years ago. The findings have implications for finding better ways to treat this Read More...

Infinite Mind Recording

Personal Stories of Managing Schizophrenia - A very good audio recording of four people's stories of their successes in fighting schizophrenia. http://www.lcmedia.com/mind317.htm In this special presentation called Four Lives, we feature the stories of people dealing with mental illness today, whose extraordinary lives and work offer hope and inspiration to all of us. Joining us on the program are Texas State Representative Garnet Coleman, a champion of healthcare reform and mental health issues who also has manic-depressive illness; Meera Popkin, a professional musical theatre actress who has appeared on Broadway and in London's West End, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia; Read More...

Generic Risperdal

FDA tentatively OKs Generic Version of Risperdal antipsychotic The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has tentatively approved a generic antipsychotic medicine from Mylan Laboratories Inc., the company said. Risperidone is the generic form of Risperdal, a widely prescribed drug produced by Janssen Pharmaceutica Products LP to treat schizophrenia. Janssen is a New Jersey-based unit of Johnson & Johnson. Mylan said its Risperidone application to the FDA was a so-called first-to-file opportunity. In those cases, pharmaceutical companies that are first-to-file applications and receive FDA approval are entitled to a period of exclusive marketing rights. Read More...

Injectable Zyprexa Now Available

A story from the UK news site "Medical News Today" states that: FDA Approves Injectable Form of Zyprexa for Schizophrenia Physicians have a new fast-acting option for controlling the potentially crippling effects of acute agitation in patients suffering with schizophrenia and bipolar mania. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zyprexa? IntraMuscular (olanzapine for injection), an injectable form of Lilly's top-selling medication. Read More...

Cognitive Deficits and Aging

A new article in Psychiatric Times talks about The Effects of Age on Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia. In the article it states that: "Cognitive deficits are increasingly being recognized as a central feature of schizophrenia. Some impairments are present before the hallmark positive symptoms of the illness emerge (Cornblatt et al., 1999; Davidson et al., 1999), and moderate-to-severe impairments across many cognitive domains are detectable at the time of the first episode (Bilder et al., 2000; Saykin et al., 1994). Cognitive deficits appear to be largely consistent in severity across changes in clinical state (Harvey et al., 1990) and appear Read More...

New Movie on Schizophrenia

Before They Fall Off the Cliff One family's bout with schizophrenia is the topic of a documentary by longtime St. Louis News Anchor Art Holliday, who will present his award-winning documentary, "Before They Fall Off the Cliff," Dr. Fred Nute, social sciences instructor and chairman of the department, said the documentary "presents a great opportunity for us to increase public awareness of mental health issues, especially learning more about the fallout that mental illness can have on the family, as well as society at large." Released in 2002, the hour-long film is about a St. Louis family's tragedy with schizophrenia. Read More...

Meds and Directions

Most People With Schizophrenia Don't Take Meds as Directed According to a new study in the April issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, almost 60 percent of schizophrenia patients don�t take their medications as prescribed. For the study claims and eligibility data were reviewed for 1,619 patients receiving treatment between 1998 and 2000. The average age of participants was 42. Non-adherent patients were two and a half times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric reasons than adherents. Those who were partially adherent were 80 percent more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric reasons. Even hospitalizations for non-psychiatric reasons Read More...