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.

Reuters (7/11, Rapaport) reported that a study published online July 1 in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that the number of teens and young adults using antipsychotics is rising. It appears that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is one of the main contributors to the rise, a condition for which the medications are not approved. The study found that only 1.10 percent of teens and 0.69 of young adults between the ages of 19 and 24 used antipsychotics. That number rose to 1.19 percent among teens in 2010 and 0.84 percent among young adults. Even though the number seems small, the article noted that these add up to large numbers considering the fact that there are currently about 74 million children under 18 in the US.

Related Links:

— “Antipsychotic use rising among teens and young adults,” Lisa Rapport, Reuters, July 10, 2015.

In a 344-77 vote, the House on Friday “overwhelmingly passed” the 21st Century Cures Bill, “a bipartisan bill that would make significant changes to the process for developing new drugs and medical devices,” the Washington Post (7/11, Johnson) “Wonkblog” reported. The bill was “cheered by rare across-the-aisle support” from legislators and supported by “the pharmaceutical industry, patient advocacy groups, and medical organizations,” the Post added.

The Los Angeles Times (7/11, Levey) reported the bill would grant “$8.75 billion in new funding for the National Institutes of Health at a time when the agency’s research budget has been flat for more than a decade.” Last week, the Administration “offered qualified support for the bill while registering concerns with several parts of the legislation, including its funding.”

Related Links:

— “House overwhelmingly passes bill to speed FDA drug approvals,” Carolyn Johnson, Washington Post, July 10, 2015.

The Washington Post (7/10, Mooney) reports according to research published in the open access journal Scientific Reports, living on a tree-lined urban street can be “better for your physical health.” The researchers show “the cognitive and psychological benefits of nature scenery” but also say it “enhances health outcomes” such as “heart conditions, prevalence of cancer, diabetes, mental health problems and much more.”

Related Links:

— “Scientists have discovered that living near trees is good for your health,” Chris Mooney, Washington Post, July 9, 2015.

Reuters (7/9, Kelland) reports that a review published online July 9 in The Lancet Psychiatry suggests that cigarette smoking may increase the risk for developing psychosis. Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing data from studies including some 15,000 users of tobacco and 273,000 non-smokers. Also covering the story are BBC News (7/10, Gallagher) and The Guardian (UK) (7/10, Boseley).

Related Links:

— “New analysis of smoking and schizophrenia suggests causal link,” Kate Kelland, Reuters, July 10, 2015.