Psychiatric News (3/20) reports, “Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), defined as excessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in personal appearance, affects almost two in every 100 teens, according to” a study. Additionally, the research “found that BDD is much more common in girls than boys.”

The researchers also found that “children and adolescents with BDD are highly likely to have other psychiatric disorders—especially depression and anxiety—and to experience psychosocial problems, self-harm and/or suicide attempts.”

The findings were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Body Dysmorphic Disorder or Appearance Preoccupation Common in Teens,” Psychiatric News, March 20, 2024

Healio (3/20, Herpen) reports, “While psychedelic use may be associated with fewer psychotic symptoms among adolescents, the link between psychedelics and manic symptoms appears to be associated with genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, data show.”

Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing “data from 16,255 adolescent twins (54.7% girls) born between July 1992 and December 2005, who first participated in the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden at age 9 years and were later assessed at ages 15, 18 and 24 years.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Link between psychedelic use, manic symptoms in teens may be associated with genetics,” Robert Herpen, MA, Healio, March 20, 2024

MedPage Today (3/20, DePeau-Wilson ) reports, “Five distinct suicide profiles that could improve detection and treatment of co-existing health conditions and bolster suicide prevention strategies were identified in a cross-sectional study.” In the “analysis of 306,800 suicide deaths, individuals who faced physical health challenges comprised the largest profile class of the five (31.7%).”

The data indicated that “decedents with this profile (class 4) also had the lowest rates of disclosing suicidal intent (14.4%) or leaving a suicide note (25.1%).” Although “physical health conditions made up the largest profile, the remaining profiles were comprised of individuals who predominantly faced mental health or substance abuse conditions: Class 1: comorbid mental health and substance use problems (13.5%); Class 2: mental health problems (17.6%); Class 3: crisis, alcohol-related, and intimate-partner problems (18%);” and “Class 5: polysubstance problems (19.2%).”

The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

CNN (3/21, Cheng) reports, “The US Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward adopting a rule that would require telecommunications companies to route calls to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline based on the caller’s physical location rather than their phone number’s area code.”

The agency’s chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, “said she has submitted a notice of proposed rulemaking to the full commission and expects the rule to pass a vote in the next several weeks, given bipartisan support for the change.” She said, “When people reach out to 988 for help, they should have confidence that the support they receive is local.”

Related Links:

— “988 mental health crisis calls may soon be routed based on location rather than area code,” Mira Cheng, CNN, March 21, 2024

Bloomberg Law (3/18, Díaz , Subscription Publication) reports, “President Joe Biden signed an executive order to strengthen women’s health research standards across federal agencies and prioritize its funding, part of a broader effort to close the gap on long-standing disparities.” Biden “called it the ‘most comprehensive executive actions ever taken to improve women’s health’ at a White House event on Monday, and said it highlighted the administration’s efforts to bolster economic gains for women.”

NBC News (3/18, Kenny ) reports Biden “announced more than 20 new actions and commitments by federal agencies, including $200 million for research at the National Institutes of Health.” The Administration “described the investments as a first step toward a ‘Fund on Women’s Health’ that Biden called on Congress to invest in during his State of the Union address this month.”

Related Links:

— “Biden signs executive order to boost women’s health research,” Summer Concepcion, Fiona Glisson and Caroline Kenny, NBC News, March 18, 2024

HCP Live (3/18, Derman) reports, “Middle-aged adults in the US report significantly greater levels of loneliness than their European counterparts, and this is suggested to be because of weaker family ties and greater income inequality, a recent study” found. When “broken down to age groups, baby boomers in the US reported greater levels of loneliness than England, Continental Europe, Mediterranean Europe, and Nordic Europe.”

With regard to “Generation X, adults in the US reported greater levels of loneliness in all the same nations as baby boomers did except in England, which had an insignificant difference.” The findings were published in American Psychologist.

Related Links:

— “US Middle-Aged Adults Report Loneliness More Than European Adults: Why Is This?,” Chelsie Derman, HCP Live, March 18, 2024

HealthDay (3/15, Mundell ) reported that “heart-healthy…diets appear to slow biological aging, helping to protect the brain.” Investigators “found that folks who most closely adhered to what is called the Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet had slower aging, as measured by DunedinPACE, as well as lowered odds for dementia and early death.”

The researchers determined that “overall…about 27% of the association between a healthy diet and lowered dementia risk is probably due to slowed aging.” The research was published in the Annals of Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Eating Healthy Slows ‘Aging Clock,’ Helping to Shield Your Brain From Dementia,” Ernie Mundell
, HealthDay, March 15, 2024

NBC News (3/17, Edwards ) reports, “Teenage boys are drowning in just as much of the depression and anxiety that’s been well documented in girls,” and “experts warn that many young men struggling with their mental health are left undetected and without the help they need.” NBC News adds, “Depression in boys may go unnoticed…experts said, because boys usually don’t show it through signs of melancholy typically found in girls.”

Related Links:

— “‘Boys are disappearing’ from mental health care as signs of depression go undetected,” , NBC News, March 17, 2024

HealthDay (3/14, Miller) reports, “College students who use drugs like Adderall to help them focus on their studies may be setting themselves up for trouble.” In a survey published in the International Journal of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, researchers “asked 700 undergraduates across the United States about drugs commonly used by students – including ADHD medications like Adderall, cannabis, nicotine, alcohol, MDMA and ecstasy.”

The researchers “found that using one substance appears to prime the brain for using others.” They also “linked use of one substance to generally poorer mental health and lower ability to fight off stress. And less frequent use led to mental distress – potentially promoting continued use.”

Related Links:

— “Taking ‘Study Drugs’ Like Adderall Could Be Gateway to More Drug Abuse,”
Carole Tanzer Miller, HealthDay, March 14, 2024

CNN (3/13, Rogers ) reports that research indicates that interacting with dogs “may strengthen people’s brain waves associated with rest and relaxation, as measured by brain tests, according to a small study.” The findings were published in PLOS One.

NBC News (3/13, Bendix ) reports, “Researchers in South Korea attached headsets of electrodes to 30 adults, then measured changes in their brainwaves as they interacted with a poodle.” The research “indicated that walking the dog made the participants feel more relaxed, brushing her improved concentration, and playing with her yielded both of these effects. “

Related Links:

— “Interacting with dogs may affect multiple areas of the brain, study finds,”Kristen Rogers, CNN, March 13, 2024