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Latest News Around the Web
Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression May Only Receive Modest, Short-Term Benefit From Using Intranasal Esketamine As Add-On Treatment, Research Finds
Psychiatric News (1/29) reports, “Patients with treatment-resistant depression may only receive a modest, short-term benefit from using intranasal esketamine as an add-on treatment, according to a meta-analysis.” Additionally, “the analysis reveals almost no benefit from esketamine for suicidality compared with placebo.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Meta-Analysis Reveals Disappointing Efficacy for Esketamine in Depression, Suicidality, Psychiatric News, January 29, 2025
Critical Crisis Services Have Not Become More Available Since 988 Launch, Research Suggests
STAT (1/29, Gaffney , Subscription Publication) reports, “In July 2022, 988 launched as the number anyone across the country could dial in a mental health crisis.” The phone number is “one entryway to a sprawling system of mental health care options, but new research shows that since then, critical crisis services have not become more available – a key objective of the nationwide rollout, designed to strengthen an underfunded, patchwork system that left many people alone in times of crisis.” Although “calls to the national hotline have continued to increase, fewer psychiatric facilities are offering emergency psychiatric walk-in services, mobile crisis response units, and suicide prevention services, according to a study.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Since 988 launch, mental health crisis services have faltered,”Theresa Gaffney, STAT, January 29, 2025
Mild traumatic brain injury linked to unfavorable long-term outcomes in U.S. veterans
Healio (1/28, Herpen) reports, “Among post-9/11 United States military veterans, mild traumatic brain injury was associated with unfavorable long-term outcomes, such as severe PTSD, when occurring around a traumatic event, researchers wrote.” The investigators found “that those with peritraumatic mTBI experienced greater trauma exposure compared with non-peritraumatic and no TBI groups…while those in the peritraumatic cohort registered more lifetime TBI compared with those who sustained non-peritraumatic mTBI.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Related Links:
— “Mild TBI outcomes in US veterans worse if sustained during traumatic event,”Robert Herpen, Healio, January 28, 2025
Adults Aged 18 To 49 Years Who Use Cannabis For Medical Reasons Have Higher CUD Rates Compared With Adults Who Only Use Cannabis Recreationally, Research Finds
Healio (1/28, Mahoney ) reports, “Adults aged 18 to 49 years who used cannabis for medical reasons had higher rates of cannabis use disorder [CUD] compared with adults who only used cannabis recreationally, according to a research letter.” The investigators said, “Clinicians should consider addiction risk before recommending medical cannabis and, if they do, should monitor for CUD emergence.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Medical cannabis use still linked to addiction,”Moira Mahoney, Healio, January 28, 2025
Regular cannabis use increases risk of multiple adverse cardiovascular outcomes
Cardiovascular Business (1/27, Walter ) reports that “according to a new in-depth analysis…regular cannabis use increases a person’s risk of multiple adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including myocardial infarction, arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy.” The data indicated that the “risks appear to become more severe depending on how often the drug is used.” The findings were published in Nature Reviews Cardiology.
Related Links:
— “Yes, physicians warn, cannabis is bad for the heart,”Michael Walter, Cardiovascular Business, January 27, 2025
Foundation News
Foundation’s Latest Radio Spot Examines Alcohol and Sports
The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc. recently began airing a new public service announcement on local Maryland radio stations. It focuses on the role alcohol can play as the fall sports season begins.
You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.
Depressed Adolescents Often Struggle Alone
The Los Angeles Times (4/29, Healy) “Booster Shots” blog reported that although “some 2-million Americans adolescents experienced a bout of major depression last year,” only about one-third of them received help, according to a report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to “kick off a month of national activity aimed at raising awareness of childrens’ mental health.”
Overall, about “8.1% of the population between 12 and 17 years old reported experiencing a period of depressed mood lasting two or more weeks in the preceding 12 months.” Depressive episodes increased with age; and adolescent boys were “consistently less likely to report depression.” Nearly 15 percent of “girls 15 to 17 years old” described a “major depressive episode in the preceding year, compared to an average of 6.4% of boys” of the same age “who did so.”
Related Links:
– “Depressed teens mostly struggle alone,” Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, April 29, 2011.
John Plaskon Wins 2011 Outstanding Merit Award
At the MPS annual meeting in April, the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry presented its 2011 Outstanding Merit Award to John Plaskon, executive director of Crossroads Community, Inc. in Centreville, for his vision and leadership in opening a new mental health clinic in rural Queen Anne’s County during the height of the recession.
The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry established the annual Outstanding Merit Award for a worthy program in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:
- Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness
- Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness
- Reduces the stigma of mental illness
The award, open to the entire Maryland community, carries a prize of $500. Find information on nominating for the 2012 award here.
2012 Outstanding Merit Award Entries Open Now
Nominations are now being accepted for the Foundation’s 2012 Outstanding Merit Award.
The annual Outstanding Merit Award is given for a worthy endeavor in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:
- Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness
- Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness
- Reduces the stigma of mental illness
Nominations for this award of $500 are being invited from the entire Maryland community. A short nomination form must be submitted with a cover letter by March 1, 2012, to the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, 1101 Saint. Paul Street, Suite 305, Baltimore, MD 21202-6405. The form is available as PDF or Word document.
Foundation’s Latest Radio Spot Examines Disaster and Crisis
The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc. recently began airing a new public service announcement on local Maryland radio stations. It focuses on the psychological effects of disasters such as the recent tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as the toll personal crises can take on the mind.
You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.