The Wall Street Journal (7/20, Wang, Subscription Publication) reports that yesterday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, researchers presented data from the Biocard study, a long-term study of people at higher risk for Alzheimer’s. As a result of this study, investigators now believe that six biomarkers considered together may predict future Alzheimer’s disease.

The AP (7/20, Neergaard) reports, “Tracking about 350 people starting in middle age,” investigators “found a combination of tests predicted development of mild cognitive impairment within five years.” In addition to presence of the ApoE4 gene, the tests “include a spinal tap to measure toxic levels of Alzheimer’s hallmark amyloid and tau proteins; MRI scans to detect shrinking brain regions; and two standard memory assessments.” As of right now, “the combination isn’t ready for doctors’ offices, but should help” pharmaceutical makers “tell who to enroll in early-stage treatment studies.”

Related Links:

— “Study Shows Promise in Detecting an Individual’s Likelihood of Developing Alzheimer’s,” Shirley S. Wang, , July 19, 2015.

The Houston Chronicle (7/17, Hawryluk) reports that “according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, mental illness was the most common reason for a hospital admission among children age 10 to 14 from 2004 to 2010, while pregnancy topped the list for those age 15 to 17.”

Related Links:

— “Mental health, pregnancy top reasons for teen hospitalizations,” Markian Hawryluk, Houston Chronicle, July 16, 2015.

HealthDay (7/17, Preidt) reports, “Childhood stress appears to play a significant role in some women’s weight gain,” according to a study published online in the journal Social Science & Medicine. However, “stress during adulthood does not affect women’s weight gain.” The study also found that “neither childhood nor adult stress is associated with weight gain in men.” Investigators came to these conclusions after analyzing data on approximately 2,200 women and 1,300 men.

Related Links:

— “Childhood Stress May Spur Weight Gain in Women,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, July 16, 2015.

The Congressional Quarterly (7/16, Attias, Subscription Publication) reported that efforts in Congress “to overhaul the mental health system are expected to get a boost before the August recess with the introduction of a bipartisan Senate plan tracking with a House package that isn’t likely to be considered until later this year.” According to CQ, “Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., said the soon-to-be introduced bill would resemble the House plan (HR 2646) by Pennsylvania Republican Tim Murphy.” The Senate bill “is being crafted with Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy.”

Related Links:

— Congressional Quarterly (requires login and/or subscription)

In continuing coverage, the Washington Post (7/15, Cha) “To Your Health” blog reported that a “population-based study, published in the BMJ, found that mixing antidepressants with common painkillers appears to be linked to a higher risk of intracranial bleeding…shortly after starting the treatment.” Researchers “found that during that initial 30-day window of antidepressant use, 742 people experienced intracranial bleeding, with 169 on antidepressants only and 573 taking both antidepressants and NSAIDs.” Interestingly, “there were no significant differences based on which antidepressants…were taken or the age of the person.” Men appeared to have a greater risk than women did for such bleeding.

Related Links:

— “Study: Mixing antidepressants and painkillers may be tied to elevated risk of bleeding,” Ariana Eunjung Cha, Washington Post, July 15, 2015.

The NPR (7/15) “Shots” blog reports that youngsters and adolescents “with a psychiatric disorder had six times higher odds of having at health, legal, financial and social problems as adults,” according to research published online July 15 in JAMA Psychiatry. Kids and teens “with milder symptoms were three times more likely to have problems as adults,” the study found.

HealthDay (7/16, Preidt) reports that for the study, investigators “analyzed data from more than 1,400 participants in 11 North Carolina counties who were followed from childhood through adulthood.” While they were children, “about 26 percent of the participants met the criteria for depression, anxiety or a behavioral disorder, 31 percent had milder forms below the full threshold of a diagnosis, and nearly 43 percent had no mental health problems.”

TIME (7/16, Basu) reports, “Of the young adults who had suffered from a subthreshold psychiatric problem in childhood, 42% suffered an adverse outcome in adulthood.” Meanwhile, “of the kids who had behavioral or emotional issues as kids, 60% of them reported having trouble as adults.” Comparatively, “just 20% of the young adults who had no psychiatric issues reported adult problems.”

Related Links:

— “Even Mild Mental Health Problems In Children Can Cause Trouble Later,” Ina Yang, National Public Radio, July 15, 2015.

The AP (7/14, Tanner) reports that “limiting rough play” during soccer games may “be a better way to prevent concussions and other injuries,” according to a “nine-year” study published online in JAMA Pediatrics.

TIME (7/14, Worland) reports that after analyzing “data collected between 2005 to 2014 from a sample of representative high schools in the” US “to estimate total soccer concussion numbers across the” country, researchers found that “player-to-player contact caused the majority of concussions.” The study also found that “headers, which require players to redirect the ball with their head, were the most dangerous individual move, responsible for nearly a third of concussions for boys and more than a quarter for girls.”

Related Links:

— “This Soccer Move Is Causing Concussions In Kids,” Justin Worland, Time, July 13, 2015.

The New York Times (7/13, Brody) “Well” blog reported that parents can often be blamed “directly or indirectly when children and teenagers become hooked on electronic media, playing video games or sending texts many hours a day instead of interacting with the real world and the people in it.” Now, “experts in child development” are suggesting “ways parents can prevent or rectify the problem before undue damage occurs,” such as “thinking twice before using a mobile device when with their children,” checking email when the youngsters are in bed or are not around, and not using “devices when the family dines out.”

Related Links:

— “How to Cut Children’s Screen Time? Say No to Yourself First.,” Jane E. Brody, New York Times, July 13, 2015.

The Boston Globe (7/13, Albernaz) reports that “six- and seven-year-olds who are good liars showed better verbal working memory skills than kids who are bad liars,” according to a small study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. The study authors theorize that “verbal working memory and lying may be linked because they draw on the same cognitive resources.” The investigators noted that “brain imaging research of adult deceptive behavior has shown activation in the prefrontal cortex, which is also activated during verbal working memory tasks.”

Related Links:

— “Memory skill tied to fibbing,” Ami Albernaz, Boston Globe, July 13, 2015.

The New York Times (7/10, Bakalar) “Well” blog reported that researchers studied 40 people between the ages of 18 to 50 and found that, after taking a short nap, the study’s participants were able to reduce their frustration while working on an “unsolvable task” and rated their behavior as less impulsive compared to those who didn’t take a nap. Jennifer R. Goldschmied, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan and the lead author of the study, said, despite the small sample size, “These results are valuable and have put us on the route to understanding how we can utilize naps. Now people are starting to understand how powerful short bursts of sleep can be.” The research was published online in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

Related Links:

— “Naps May Improve Our Frustration Tolerance,” Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, July 10, 2015.