Psychiatric News (7/30) reports APA President Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH, said in a statement, “We are mourning the loss of a leader who meant so much to the Black community and to all Americans who strive for equity and justice. For more than a half century, Rep. John Lewis showed what walking the walk truly means in promoting civil rights, even putting his own life at risk in service of the cause. His lesson to us is to continue that work through speaking up, taking tangible actions, exhibiting humility, and practicing perseverance.”

Related Links:

— “APA Mourns Loss of Rep. John Lewis, Praises Trailblazing Legacy, Psychiatric News, July 30, 2020

CNN (7/30, LaMotte) reports researchers found in three studies that “a lack of access to high-quality education at an early age; being overweight during early adulthood; or having high blood pressure, diabetes and two or more heart health risk factors in the teen years, 20s and midlife were significantly connected to cognitive issues and dementia in later life.” The findings were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2020.

MedPage Today (7/30, George) reports the research suggests that “about 40% of dementia cases may be prevented or delayed by modifying 12 risk factors.”

Newsweek (7/30, Gander) and HealthDay (7/30, Mozes) also cover the research.

Related Links:

— “Poor health in teens and 20s raises risk of dementia later, studies say, “Sandee LaMotte, CNN, July 30, 2020

Medscape (7/30, Yasgur, Subscription Publication) reports researchers found “since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in depression, anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality.” Medscape adds, “The new data, released by Mental Health America, came from individuals who completed a voluntary online mental health screen.”

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

STAT (7/29, Isselbacher) reports, “In the wake of nationwide demonstrations against police brutality, there has been a surge in interest in making sure mental health” professionals, “not law enforcement, are the ones to respond to a psychiatric crisis.” Across the US, “dozens of cities…have what are known as mobile crisis units, which deploy trained professionals to respond to people experiencing a mental health crisis with compassion and clinical expertise.” Now, such “mobile crisis teams have been flooded with calls from other communities hoping to replicate their models.”

Related Links:

— “As mobile mental health teams work to de-escalate crises, some warn their models still rely on police partnerships, “Juliet Isselbacher, STAT, July 29, 2020

Healio (7/29, Gramigna) reports, “More than one-fourth of U.S. adults reported using telepsychiatry for mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic,” researchers concluded. The global biopharmaceutical company “Alkermes partnered with The Harris Poll to conduct an online survey among 2,019 U.S. adults 18 years and older between May 27 and May 29,” in particular assessing “participants’ telepsychiatry use before and during the pandemic, and” then gauging “their interest in future use of telepsychiatry after the pandemic.”

Related Links:

— “More than 25% of Americans using telepsychiatry during COVID-19 pandemic, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, July 29, 2020

Psychiatric News (7/29) reports, “Among Medicare beneficiaries, racial minorities – African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians/Alaskan Natives – have been disproportionately affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic compared with white beneficiaries,” the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) concluded in “a ‘Preliminary Medicare COVID-19 Snapshot’ released this week.” The report analyzed “claims data from the Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) and Medicare Advantage programs received by July 17,” then determined “COVID-19 cases…by an ICD-10 diagnosis code for COVID-19 on a claim or encounter record for any health care setting.”

Related Links:

— “Medicare Data Show Disproportionate Effect of COVID-19 on Racial, Ethnic Minorities, Psychiatric News, July 29, 2020

Medscape (7/29, Davenport, Subscription Publication) reports research indicates that “social cognition training can benefit patients with schizophrenia, and…adding regular aerobic exercise sessions substantially increases the improvements in a dose-response manner.” In the study, which involved “47 patients with schizophrenia, improvement in cognition tripled after adding an aerobic exercise program to cognitive training (CT) compared with CT alone.” The findings were set for presentation at the Congress of the Schizophrenia International Research Society 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related Links:

— “Aerobic Exercise May Up Brain-Training Benefits in Schizophrenia, “Liam Davenport, Medscape, July 29, 2020

HealthDay (7/28, Norton) reports researchers found in a large study that “people with a history of concussion may face increased risks” for certain psychiatric and neurological diseases. The researchers “found that those who suffered a concussion were more likely to develop any of several conditions, including: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD); depression or anxiety; Parkinson’s disease; or dementia.” These “risks were roughly 40% to 70% higher, compared to people who did not sustain a concussion during the 25-year study period.” The findings were published in Family Medicine and Community Health.

Related Links:

— “Concussion Ups Odds for Many Brain Conditions, “Amy Norton, HealthDay, July 28, 2020

Newsweek (7/28, Gander) reports investigators have linked “traces of the chemical lithium in drinking water…to lower suicide rates” by examining data from “15 existing ecological studies related to lithium and suicide.” The findings of the systematic review were published online July 27 in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Traces of Lithuim in Drinking Water May Have ‘Anti-Suicidal Effect’, “Kashmira Gander, Newsweek, July 28, 2020

Psychiatric News (7/28) reports the “trauma and unpredictability” of the COVID-19 pandemic may “add stress in the lives of vulnerable children, including those who are abused, maltreated, and/or have a mental illness.” For that reason, “there is much that can be learned from such stress to help vulnerable families in the future, according to” a viewpoint published online July 27 in JAMA Pediatrics. The viewpoint’s authors “advised researchers to carefully assess parents and children over time about family exposure to the pandemic and COVID-19–associated losses/strains, including the loss of housing, increased family conflict, and/or separation from a parent or the death of loved one.” The viewpoint’s authors concluded, “[L]essons from COVID-19 have the potential to deepen rather than diminish the research agenda on adverse early experiences among children and families.”

Related Links:

— “Lessons From Pandemic Could Advance Understanding of How Best to Support Vulnerable Families, Psychiatric News, July 28, 2020