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.