The Washington Post (12/19, Rowan) reports “taking on a new hobby as one ages might provide an important defense against dementia, some experts say.” According to Pacific Brain Health Center Director and Geriatric Psychiatrist David Merrill, “activities that demand focus and industry are the whetstone to keeping cognition sharp.” He adds, “‘Use it or lose it’ is not just a hypothesis, it’s a basic biologic fact that holds as true for our brains as our muscles or our bones.”

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

The Wall Street Journal (12/19, Mosbergen, Subscription Publication) reports an analysis of data from children’s hospitals found that the incidence of firearm injuries in the US among children rose sharply between April 2020 and December 2021. A separate study found that homicides for children trended upward between 2013 to 2020. Both studies were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
       
The New York Times (12/19, Rabin) reports the rate of homicide for children in the US “rose by about 28 percent in 2020,” researchers found in the second study. The findings also revealed “a majority of the homicides were among Black children, and almost half were among children in the southern United States,” and “older children and boys of all ages were more likely to be victims of gun violence than younger children and girls.”

Related Links:

— “Gun Injuries Among Children Surged During Pandemic, Study Says “Dominique Mosbergen, The Wall Street Journal, December 19, 2022

Healio (12/16, Foster) reported, “Exposure to antipsychotics during pregnancy may not increase risk for birth defects,” researchers concluded in a study that “included a total of 6,455,324 unexposed pregnancies (mean maternal age, 24-31 years), 21,751 pregnancies with exposure to atypical antipsychotics (mean maternal age, 26-31 years) and 6,371 with exposure to typical antipsychotics (mean maternal age, 27-32 years).” The findings were published online Dec. 7 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Antipsychotic agents not linked to birth defects “Melissa Foster, Healio, December 16, 2022

Psychiatric News (12/16) reported, “Excessive screen time watching videos and playing video games is associated with an increased risk of children developing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from 9,208 children who participated in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.” The findings were published online Dec. 12 ahead of print in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Related Links:

— “Too Much Screen Time Associated With Increased Risk of OCD in Children, Psychiatric News, December 16, 2022

The AP (12/16, Perrone) reported, “Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, on Friday visited a 988 call center that’s part of the recently launched national hotline intended to help anyone experiencing a mental health emergency.” The second gentleman, “who has spoken out on the importance of mental health for adults and children…met with crisis counselors and call center operators in Hyattsville, Maryland.” The AP added, “The Biden administration wants to highlight the 988 helpline as a support system, particularly as the holiday season often brings up feelings of stress, anxiety and depression.” The Hill (12/16, Gangitano) also covered the story.

Related Links:

— “Douglas Emhoff tours 988 call center for mental health, AP, December 16, 2022