NBC News (1/29, Szabo ) reports, “Five patients in the United Kingdom have developed Alzheimer’s disease that appears to be the result of contaminated injections they received as children decades ago, according to a new study” published in Nature Medicine. Those “five patients received injections of human growth hormone from cadavers for several years as a treatment for very short stature, according to the study.”

But, “what the scientists didn’t realize at the time…was that in some cases, another substance was extracted as well, contaminating the batches: amyloid-beta protein.”

Related Links:

— “Decades-old human growth hormone treatments linked to five cases of early Alzheimer’s,” Liz Szabo, NBC News, January 29, 2024

HealthDay (1/29, Thompson ) reports, “Playing a musical instrument, particularly the piano, is linked to improved memory and the ability to solve complex tasks, according to” a study. Investigators “also found that continuing to play into later life provides even greater benefit.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Playing Music Hits a High Note for Brain Health,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 29, 2024

Healio (1/29, Rhoades) reports, “Practitioner empathy was associated with greater patient satisfaction, according to results from more than a dozen trials, although the findings were hampered by inadequate reporting and a risk of bias, according to researchers.” For the research, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, “researchers evaluated 14 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) – comprising 80 practitioners and 1,986 patients – that assessed the impact of empathy on patient satisfaction. Overall, practitioner empathy was associated with positive change in patient satisfaction.”

Related Links:

— “Provider empathy may improve patient satisfaction, but more research is needed,” Andrew Rhodes, Healio, January 29, 2024

The New York Times (1/29, Richtel ) reports, “Teenagers who use cannabis, alcohol and nicotine are more likely to have underlying psychiatric symptoms, and worse symptoms, than their peers who are not regularly using substances, new research has found.” Investigators “found that such substances are linked to an array of symptoms and conditions, including anxiety, depression, hyperactivity and suicidal ideation.” Additionally, the research “found that the link between substance use and mental health existed even at low levels of drug and alcohol use.” The study was found in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “The New York Times (requires login and subscription)

The AP (1/27, Shastri ) reported there are “nearly 1,400 federally designated community health centers” that provide “routine medical care, social services and, in some cases, fresh food” to about “one in 11 Americans.” These community health centers “serve as a critical safety net in every state and U.S. territory for low-income people of all ages,” but the “safety net” is “under stress,” as there has been “a 45% increase in the number of people seeking care” since 2012. On top of that, “many centers are short-staffed and struggling to compete for doctors, mental health professionals, nurses and dentists.”

Related Links:

— “Community health centers serve 1 in 11 Americans. They’re a safety net under stress,” Devi Shastri, Associated Press, January 27, 2024

HealthDay (1/26, Thompson ) reported that “a new national study of U.S. college athletes” finds “that women and men recover from sports-related head injuries at about the same pace.” Investigators found that “recovery patterns for both genders were similar on tests of brain function, concussion symptoms, mental health, and balance and reaction time.” Additionally, “there…was no significant difference in the time it took men and women to return to unrestricted participation in sports.” The findings were published in Sports Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Sports Concussion Recovery Time Similar for Men, Women,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 26, 2024

Psychiatric News (1/26) reported, “More than half of all first prescriptions for stimulant medications during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic were initiated via telemedicine, a study…has found.” Additionally, the research “suggests that telemedicine was more commonly used by psychiatrists than other health care [professionals] and was associated with greater odds of receiving follow-up care.” The study was published in Psychiatric Services.

Related Links:

— “More Than Half of New Stimulant Prescriptions at Pandemic’s Height Delivered Via Telemedicine,” Psychiatric News, January 26, 2024

Healio (1/25, Kellner) reports, “Parents of children with cancer are at increased risk for suicide attempt within the first 7 years following their child’s diagnosis, according to a population comparison study.” The data indicated that “the risk was higher with certain variables like the child being aged younger than 18 years at diagnosis…being diagnosed with highly aggressive cancer…or dying due to cancer.” The findings were published in PLOS Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Parents of children with cancer at higher risk for suicide attempt,” Sara Kellner, Healio, January 25, 2024

CNN (1/25, Rogers ) reports, “Being socially withdrawn and experiencing physical discomforts as a preteen is associated with a higher risk of having suicidal thoughts at age 16, according to” a study. In the study of more than 2,700 individuals, investigators found that study “participants who experienced social withdrawal and somatic symptoms throughout adolescence were around two to three times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts at age 16.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “If your teen is socially withdrawn, be on the lookout for more serious problems, study suggests,” Kristen Rogers, CNN, January 25, 2024

Healio (1/25, Cooper) reports, “Patients with autoimmune disease demonstrate a 30% higher risk for perinatal depression, while those with perinatal depression have a 30% higher risk for subsequent autoimmune disease, according to” a study. Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting “a nested case-control study to evaluate links between autoimmune disease and subsequent perinatal depression risk, then a matched cohort study to find associations between perinatal depression and later risk for autoimmune disease.” The findings were published in Molecular Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Patients with autoimmune disease have 30% higher risk for perinatal depression,” Justin Cooper, Healio, January 25, 2024