HealthDay (11/26, Reinberg) reports that, according to a study published online Nov. 25 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “low levels of the hormone estrogen are not to blame for mood swings and poor memory after menopause.” Researchers arrived at this conclusion after examining “data on more than 600 postmenopausal women, aged 41 to 84,” none of whom were taking hormone replacement therapy. TheDaily Mail (UK) (11/26) also covers the story.

Related Links:

— “Estrogen Won’t Make Women Sharper After Menopause, Study Finds, “Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, November 25, 2013.

The Wall Street Journal (11/26, Landro, Subscription Publication) reports hospitals are taking steps to help an increasing number of patients suffering from post-ICU syndrome, which includes short-term brain injury, post-traumatic stress, depression and feelings of lethargy. Some ICU patients who are sedated or are put on ventilator develop that syndrome. The Society of Critical Care Medicine says up to 80 percent of ICU survivors may be suffering from some form of cognitive or brain dysfunction. The Journal says patients mainly at risk of this syndrome are those who have been treated for sepsis, or blood poisoning. The paper says hospitals, recognizing the problem, are making changes to normal ICU procedures such as allowing breaks for patients on ventilation.

Related Links:

— “Hospitals Take On Post-ICU Syndrome, Helping Patients Recover, “Laura Landro, The Wall Street Journal, November 25, 2013.

The New York Times (12/11, Reynolds) reports a recent study published in October’s BMJ indicates exercise can combat some of the leading causes of death in the US as effectively as many frequently prescribed drugs. It remains one of the few studies to compare “outcomes in terms of mortality or whether the intervention significantly lessens the chance that someone with a disease will die from it, despite treatment.” Results consistently demonstrated that drugs and exercise produced nearly exactly the same results.

Related Links:

— “Exercise as Potent Medicine, “Gretchen Reynolds, The New York Times, December 11, 2013.

Reuters (12/11, Bond) reports on a study appearing in Child Abuse & Neglect finding that “threatening or screaming at teenagers may put them at higher risk for depression and disruptive behaviors such as rule-breaking.” The study found that “mothers had to be both verbally and physically abusive to increase the kids’ risk for depression and behavior issues,” though fathers had to adopt only one of those behaviors “to produce lasting ill effects.” The study covered 239 “troubled adolescents” who completed surveys, along with parents who also completed surveys on their behavior. The authors concluded that physicians should ask adolescent patients about verbal as well as physical abuse.

Related Links:

— “Yelling, threatening parents harm teens’ mental health, “Allison Bond, Reuters, December 10, 2013.

Several high profile media outlets, including a network news broadcast and the websites for multiple national newspapers, cover Vice President Joe Biden’s announcement on the first anniversary of the Sandy Hook shootings that the Federal government will provide an additional $100 million for mental health services. The funding comes from the Affordable Care Act and the Department of Agriculture.

NBC Nightly News reported that with Saturday marking the one-year anniversary of the Newtown school shooting, Vice President Biden met with families “who have been pleading” for more focus on the link between violence and mental illness. NBC added that Biden announced $100 million “to help community health centers across the country to establish and expand behavioral health services and to improve mental health access in rural areas.”