The New York Times (10/13, A10, Kolata, Subscription Publication) reports that according to research published online Oct. 12 in the journal Nature, “researchers created what they call Alzheimer’s in a Dish – a petri dish with human brain cells that develop the telltale structures of Alzheimer’s disease.”

By so doing, “they resolved a longstanding problem of how to study Alzheimer’s and search for drugs to treat it; the best they had until now were mice that developed an imperfect form of the disease.” Essentially, investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital grew human neurons in a gel. The neurons had been given “genes for Alzheimer’s disease.”

Related Links:

— “Breakthrough Replicates Human Brain Cells for Use in Alzheimer’s Research,” Gina Kolata, New York Times, October 12, 2014.

The Baltimore Sun (10/10, Doran) reports on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections, or PANDAS, a disorder in which “children experience an atypical immune system reaction which can cause obsessions, compulsions, motor and vocal tics, anxiety, mood swings and cognitive and learning challenges.”

Although little is known about the syndrome, “recent neurological research, led by National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers and other scientists and physicians around the nation, has expanded the boundaries of what is known about these conditions.”

In Maryland “and many other states, Oct. 9th has been designated PANDAS Awareness Day,” which the paper says creates educational opportunities.

Related Links:

— “Little known disorder underscores education needs [Commentary],” Patricia Rice Doran, Baltimore Sun, October 9, 2014.

On its front page and as part of its “The Cost of Not Caring” series, USA Today (10/10, A1, Zoroya) reports in a 2,900-word article called “40,000 Suicides Annually, Yet America Simply Shrugs,” that the “nearly 40,000 American lives lost each year make suicide the nation’s 10th-leading cause of death, and the second-leading killer for those ages 15-34.”

In recent years, “biological research [has] led scientists…to assert that suicidal behavior is a disorder that deserves to be included in the bible on mental health illnesses – the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder – so doctors could better diagnose, identify and move into treatment those who are suicidal,” and “American Psychiatric Association officials who periodically revise the manual want more study.”

Maria Oquendo, MD, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University, said, “They (the authors) said it’s an idea that obviously needs to be considered but is not quite ready for inclusion.”

Related Links:

— “40,000 suicides annually, yet America simply shrugs,” Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, October 9, 2014.

The New York Times (10/8, Reynolds) “Well” blog reported that according to a study published in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics, physical activity appears to enhance cognitive performance in youngsters. The study of 220 eight- and nine-year-old children revealed that kids who took part in a year-long exercise program “displayed substantial improvements in their scores on each of the computer-based tests of executive function.”

In addition, “they were better at ‘attentional inhibition,’ which is the ability to block out irrelevant information and concentrate on the task at hand, than they had been at the start of the program, and had heightened abilities to toggle between cognitive tasks.”

Related Links:

— “How Exercise Can Boost Young Brains,” Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times, October 8, 2014.

Medscape (10/9, Brauser) reports that according to a meta-analysis published in the October issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, “psychotherapy may be effective in treating subclinical depression and may prevent progression to major depressive disorder (MDD).” The “meta-analysis of 18 studies of adult participants with subclinical depression showed that among those who received some form of psychotherapy, there was a significant reduction in the incidence of major depressive episode six months later, compared with those who received a controlled condition.” What’s more, “psychotherapy had a moderate effect on lowering depressive symptoms.”

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)