Congressional Quarterly (1/12, Attias, Subscription Publication) reports that legislation intended “to address mental health issues in the criminal justice system could finally have a path through Congress after a previous effort was blocked in the Senate.” Today, “the House Judiciary Committee…is slated to mark up the House version of the measure (HR 1854), which would reauthorize and expand a 2004 law (PL 108-414) that established a grant program to support mental health courts and other collaborative programs between the criminal justice and mental health systems.” In December, “the Senate passed its version (S 993) by voice vote…after lowering the authorized spending level from $30 million to $18 million each year from fiscal 2016 through 2020.”

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— Congressional Quarterly (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (1/12, Reinberg) reports that research published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that “exercise may reduce the chances of developing heart disease for people with depression.” For the study, nearly 1,000 individuals “completed questionnaires on depression and physical activity.” Investigators “also checked for several early indicators of heart disease.”

MedPage Today (1/12, Phend) reports that the researchers found that “higher Beck Depression Inventory-II scores correlated with more inflammation as indicated by C-reactive protein levels (P<0.001), more oxidative stress assessed by lower antioxidant glutathione (P<0.001), and poorer vascular function measured by both the augmentation index and subendocardial viability ratio.” Related Links:

— “Exercise May Lower Heart Disease Risk in Depressed People: Study,” Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, January 11, 2016.

USA Today (1/8, Ungar) reports Congress has “effectively lifted the nation’s long-standing ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs,” with a measure that was “quietly tucked into the omnibus spending package signed by President Obama last month.” While Federal funds “still can’t be used for the syringes themselves,” they can be used for “expenses associated with these programs, such as staff, vans, substance use counseling, referral to treatment and outreach in at-risk communities.”

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— “Funding ban on needle exchanges effectively lifted,” Laura Unger, USA Today, January 7, 2016.

The Huffington Post (1/8, Pittman) reports that the gender pay gap appears to affect women’s mental health, according to a study published in the journal Academia. After analyzing “information from 22,581 working adults who were 30 to 65 years old based on a nationally representative survey from 2001-2002,” then “using a ‘diagnostic interview for use by experienced interviewers without clinical training’ from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual” to determine if participants had generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, researchers found that when women made less money than men, they had twice the likelihood for depression and four times the likelihood of general anxiety disorder.

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— “The Pay Gap May Contribute To Women’s Anxiety And Depression,” Taylor Pittman, Huffington Post, January 7, 2016.

The Washington Post (1/6, Peterson, Fung) reports that “brain training” company Lumosity “has agreed to pay $2 million to settle charges” brought by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC alleged the company misled consumers with claims that were not backed by scientific studies, and “failed to disclose that testimonials promoting its product were solicited through contests where consumers received prizes such as iPads or trips to San Francisco.” Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a news release, “Lumosity preyed on consumers’ fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease.”Lumosity To Pay $2 Million To Settle FTC Claims.

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— “FTC: ‘Brain training’ brand Lumosity didn’t have the research to back up its claims,” Andrea Peterson and Brian Fung, Washington Post, January 5, 2016.

Bloomberg News (1/9, Kitroeff) reported that research indicates that “some of America’s future lawyers are hiding drug, alcohol, and depression problems instead of seeking help.” Researchers came to this conclusion after surveying “more than 3,300 law students…about their drinking, drug use, and mental health.” These individuals “may be afraid to report the problems because they think that doing so would jeopardize their chances of being admitted to the bar or getting a good job after graduating, according to the” research (pdf), which was published in the Bar Examiner.

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— “Study: Future Lawyers Are Hiding Depression and Drug and Alcohol Use,” Natalie Kitroeff, Bloomberg News, January 8, 2016.

In an opinion piece for The Hill (1/7) “Congress Blog,” Bernadette Melnyk, dean of Ohio State University’s School of Nursing, writes that “one of every four to five American adolescents has some kind of mental health challenge, many of them struggling with various levels of depression and anxiety, yet many do not receive treatment.” Melnyk also comments that an additional 15 percent of youngsters are overweight and 17 percent are obese, suggesting an “unaddressed national crisis.”

Melnyk is critical of the education system for not addressing the issue and says “we must do better recognizing what is obvious and implementing solutions that make a difference in classrooms.” She mentions an NIH-funded study that showed the benefits of teaching teens cognitive-behavioral skills.

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— “For the mental and physical health of students,” Bernadette Melnyk, The Hill, January 6, 2016.

Reuters (1/7, Doyle) reports that 55 percent of 15- to 20-year-olds admit to having been exposed to alcohol marketing and advertising on the Internet, a study published online Jan. 6 in Pediatrics suggests. Researchers arrived at this conclusion after examining data on a survey conducted in 2011 in which some 2,000 underage people were polled.

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— “Underage youth widely exposed to online alcohol marketing,” Kathryn Doyle, Reuters, January 6, 2016.

The Washington Post (1/7, Ingraham) reports in its “Wonkblog” that a study of 2,800 US 12th graders conducted by Texas A&M and the University of Florida revealed that alcohol is a gateway drug, finding “the vast majority of respondents reported using alcohol prior to either tobacco or marijuana initiation.” Tobacco was the first drug, of the three, to be used by 32% of respondents. The study (1/7) was published in the January issue of the Journal of School Health.

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— “The real ‘gateway drug’ is 100% legal,” Christopher Ingraham, Washington Post, January 6, 2016.

HealthDay (1/7, Preidt) reports, “Premature menopause may increase a woman’s later risk of depression,” the findings of a 14-study review published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Psychiatry indicate. Researchers found that women “whose menopause began when they were 40 and older had a lower risk of depression later in life than those with premature menopause.”

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— “Can Early Menopause Trigger Depression Later in Life?,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, January 6, 2016.