Neurology Advisor (7/29, Khaja) reports, “Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may potentially increase the risk for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, with varying effects depending on age, sex, and severity, according to study results.” Investigators undertook “an observational study combining a population-based approach, nested case-control, and sibling comparison design to explore the link between TBI and later bipolar disorder and schizophrenia diagnoses, investigate if there is a correlation influenced by TBI severity, and assess potential moderating effects of demographic and familial factors.” The findings were published in Psychiatry Research.

Related Links:

— “Traumatic Brain Injury May Raise Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Risk,”Hibah Khaja, Neurology Advisor, July 29, 2024

HCP Live (7/29, Derman) reports, “A new study demonstrated the number of relapses among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) depends on whether their depression symptoms improve on antidepressants.” Using “data from the double-blind, randomized clinical trial on alcohol-specific inhibition training among patients with AUD,” researchers “analyzed 153 detoxified AUD patients who attended a 12-week residential treatment program between 2015 and 2019.” The findings were published in Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research.

Related Links:

— “Patients with AUD Have Fewer Relapses When Antidepressants Improve Depression,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, July 29, 2024

Healio (7/26, Rhoades) reported, “Increased social isolation may be linked to greater risks for several adverse health outcomes in older adults, according to a study.” Researchers came to this conclusion after assessing “associations between changes in social isolation and multiple health outcomes – including death, CVD, dementia, stroke and disability — within a sample of 13,649 respondents aged 50 years or older from the 2006 to 2020 Health and Retirement Study waves.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Social isolation increases risk for death, dementia in older adults,”Andrew (Drew) Rhoades, Healio , July 26, 2024

The New York Times (7/28, Belluck ) says researchers on Sunday “reported that a blood test was significantly more accurate than doctors’ interpretation of cognitive tests and CT scans in signaling” Alzheimer’s disease. The study “found that about 90 percent of the time the blood test correctly identified whether patients with memory problems had Alzheimer’s,” while “dementia specialists using standard methods that did not include expensive PET scans or invasive spinal taps were accurate 73 percent of the time” and “primary care doctors using those methods got it right only 61 percent of the time.” The findings were published in JAMA and presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

Related Links:

— “The New York Times (requires login and subscription)

HCPlive (7/26, Derman) reported that a “study found probable PTSD was prevalent among adults long after the mass violence incidents occurred in their community.” Researchers came to this conclusion after conducting “a cross-sectional survey study from February 2020 to September 2020 with a sample of adults from 6 communities who had most likely experienced a mass violence incidence between 2015 and 2019.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “1 in 4 Adults in the Community Meet PTSD Criteria Following Mass Shooting,”Chelsie Derman , HCPlive, July 26, 2024