Perri Klass, MD, writes in the New York Times’ (4/22, Klass) “The Checkup” blog that “researchers looking to find a biomarker that may help with the early diagnosis of autism have seized on the question of how young children react to hearing their names called.” Geraldine Dawson, the director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, “was the corresponding author on a study in April in the journal Autism which used computer vision analysis to look at the reactions of toddlers from 16 to 31 months old, in response to hearing their names called.” Toddlers “with autism spectrum disorder took significantly longer to look away from a video and orient toward the person who had called.” Klass adds that “‘the signs and symptoms [of autism] for most children are there between 12 and 24 months,’ said Dr. Paul S. Carbone…a co-author of ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Every Parent Needs to Know,’ published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.”

Related Links:

— “The Search for a Biomarker for Early Autism Diagnosis, “Perri Klass, M.D., The New York Times, April 22, 2019

MedPage Today (4/22, George) reports, “Neurofilament light (NfL) levels in blood corresponded with hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease progression, an analysis of” 1,583 “older adults in North America” indicated. The study revealed that “longitudinal NfL levels were linked to baseline cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, MRI measures, PET imaging, and poor cognitive performance among Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Study (ADNI) participants.” The findings were published online in JAMA Neurology

Related Links:

— “Blood Test Tracks Alzheimer’s Progression, “Judy George, MedPage Today, April 22, 2019

USA Today (4/20, Garrison) reported that on Friday, the FDA “announced…that it permitted marketing for the first medical device to treat” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Known as “the Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) System, the prescription-only device is for children ages 7 to 12 who are not taking…prescription medication” for the disorder. In a statement, Carlos Peña, director of the Division of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said, “This new device offers a safe, non-drug option for treatment of” AD/HD “in pediatric patients through the use of mild nerve stimulation, a first of its kind.”

CNN (4/20, Lamotte) reported that “the device should not be worn by children under the age of seven, or any child on an insulin pump, pacemaker or implanted neurostimulator.” The device “should also not be used near a cell phone, the FDA said, because the phone’s low levels of electromagnetic energy may interrupt the therapy.”

The Hill (4/20, Axelrod) reported that “eTNS, which is designed to fit inside one’s pocket, is connected by wire to a patch that is placed on the forehead while sleeping and delivers a “tingling” electrical impulse to branches of the trigeminal nerve.” The FDA said, “While the exact mechanism of eTNS is not yet known, neuroimaging studies have shown that eTNS increases activity in the brain regions that are known to be important in regulating attention, emotion and behavior.”

Related Links:

— “FDA signs off on first medical device for treating ADHD in children, “Joey Garrison, USA Today, April 20, 2019

Reuters (4/19, Ajmera) reported the FDA on Friday granted approval for generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries “to market its generic nasal spray for opioid overdose,” marking “the first approval of a generic naloxone nasal spray for use in a community setting by individuals without medical training.”

The AP (4/19, Johnson) wrote, “Naloxone has been sold as a nasal spray in the U.S. since 2016 under the brand name Narcan.” The AP highlighted that “pharmacists can dispense it without a prescription. It is also sold as a generic or brand-name drug in automatic injectors, prefilled syringes and vials.”

Related Links:

— “FDA approves Teva’s generic nasal spray to treat opioid overdose, “Ankit Ajmera, Reuters, April 19, 2019

MedPage Today (4/19, George) reported, “Incremental physical activity, even at a light intensity, was tied to larger brain volume,” researchers concluded after comparing “the number of steps walked per day” as well as dose measured as intensity x duration “with MRI total cerebral brain volume in 2,354 third-generation Framingham Heart Study participants who were a mean age of 53.” The study revealed that “each additional hour of light-intensity physical activity per day was associated with higher cerebral total brain volume, even among people not meeting national physical activity guidelines.” The findings were published online April 19 in JAMA Network Open. HealthDay (4/19, Reinberg) also covered the study.

Related Links:

— “Light Physical Activity Tied to Brain Volume, “Judy George, MedPage Today, April 19, 2019

The AP (4/18, Spencer, Kennedy, Slevin) reports on several personal stories about “the struggle” to provide mental health resources after a school shooting. Survivors of the Columbine school shooting started the Rebels Project, which became “a loose nationwide network of survivors of mass attacks.” The group “held a packed meeting for survivors and parents in Parkland this month, describing how they have learned to cope over the years through therapy, exercise and hobbies and assuring the Florida community that their pain is normal.”

Related Links:

— “For school shooting survivors, trauma has no time limit, “Terry Spencer, Kelli Kennedy and Colleen Slevin , AP, April 18, 2019

On its website, ABC News (4/17, Rosenblatt) reports, “A new study out of the University of Alberta has found that by the age of 5, children who spent two hours or more looking at a screen each day were 7.7 times more likely to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when compared to children who spent 30 minutes or less each day on a screen.” The findings were published in PLOS ONE. The article adds, “The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends limiting screen use to a maximum of one hour a day of high-quality programming for preschool children ages 2 to 5.”

HealthDay (4/17, Norton) and Newsweek (4/17, Gander) also report.

Related Links:

— “More screen time linked to higher risk of ADHD in preschool-aged children: Study, “Dr. Joshua Rosenblatt, ABC News, April 17, 2019

The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/17, Pattani) reports researchers examined data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and found that “half of all pregnant women who experience depression do not get any treatment, and some may turn to alcohol, marijuana, and opioids to self-medicate.” The findings were published in Psychiatric Services in Advance. The article mentions that “the American Psychiatric Association says there is growing evidence that it’s safe for pregnant women to use antidepressants, and they can be helpful for some.”

Related Links:

— “https://www.philly.com/health/pregnant-women-depression-treatment-mental-health-addiction-20190417.html, “Aneri Pattani, The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 17, 2019

The AP (4/17, Banda, Collins) reports on “the effects of trauma and turmoil experienced by law enforcement authorities who respond to school shootings.” Previously, many officers viewed “seeking psychiatric help as a sign of weakness – particularly in elite units like SWAT” – and saw “their own mental health as secondary when civilians suffer grave loss.” However, “attitudes are starting to change. A group of global law enforcement administrators recently began work on a set of uniform guidelines for psychological care for SWAT teams and other officers who respond to the worst of the worst carnage.” In addition, several state legislatures recently passed “laws to extend workers’ compensation for mental health to police and other first responders.”

Related Links:

— “School shootings draw attention to officers’ mental health, “Solomon Banda, AP, April 17, 2019

Healio (4/16) reports, “Almost a quarter of older adult survey respondents from Washington stored their guns unlocked and loaded, regardless of whether they had memory loss or suicide risk factors,” researchers found in a study involving “4,428 older adults” who reported having a firearm in their home. The findings were published April 16 in a research letter in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Survey shows some older adults do not store firearms safely, “Savannah Demko, Healio, April 16, 2019