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Alcohol-Related Cognitive Impairment Has Significant Impact On Delayed Recall Tasks, Study Finds
Healio (8/28, Herpen) reports a study found that “among seven cognitive domains, alcohol-related cognitive impairment had a more significant impact on cognitive control during a delayed recall task compared with matched controls.” According to study results, “no other cognitive domains showed a significant difference between those with ARCI and matched controls.” The data also show “that 20% of patients in the ARCI group had an unspecified neurocognitive phenotype and 45% had a neurocognitive etiology of unspecified nature.” Researchers concluded, “Our results suggest a specific memory pattern linked to excessive alcohol use, which can help clinicians distinguish alcohol-related cognitive impairment from other neurocognitive disorder etiologies.” The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Alcohol-related cognitive impairment significantly impacts delayed recall tasks,” Robert Herpen, MA, Healio, August 29, 2025
Feeling Connected At School May Reduce Depression Risk In Teenagers Who Had Recently Been Bullied, Study Finds
HealthDay (8/28, Edwards) reports a study found that “teens who feel connected to their school may be better protected from depression linked to bullying.” Researchers observed that “school connectedness – feeling safe, included and supported at school – significantly reduced the risk of depression for teens who had recently been bullied, but not for those bullied earlier in childhood.”
According to the study: “11.9% of participants experienced bullying at both ages 9 and 15 (long-term);” 43% said they “experienced bullying only at age 9, while 5.7% reported bullying only at age 15;” and “those bullied both in childhood and adolescence had the highest depression and anxiety scores, with average anxiety levels of 6.9 on an 18-point scale and depression scores of 4.7 out of 15.
Importantly, extracurricular activities did not significantly buffer anxiety or depression symptoms, suggesting that feeling connected within the school environment itself plays a larger role.” The study was published in BMC Public Health.
Related Links:
— “School Connection May Protect Teens From Depression Linked To Bullying,” I.Edwards, HealthDay, August 28, 2025
Nonalcoholic Drinks Growing In Popularity, Though Health Experts Urge Caution For Sober Individuals
The AP (8/27, Ungar) reports that nonalcoholic (NA) beers and mocktails are fueling a “booming industry” as people are trying to reduce their drinking for health reasons, in addition to “the rising number of young adults forgoing alcohol altogether.” A typical beer has about 5% alcohol by volume, while “NA drinks are only allowed to have up to 0.5%, about the same as a ripe banana.” A recent online survey conducted by researchers at Stanford University “found that the vast majority of people who drink both beverages say NA drinks help them reduce their alcohol use.” Nevertheless, health experts warn that “nonalcoholic beverages aren’t for everyone, especially if they might trigger cravings for alcohol. These so-called NA drinks are meant to mimic alcohol in many ways, such as appearance, smell and taste.”
Related Links:
— “Nonalcoholic beer and mocktails can help people stay sober or drink less, but are not for everyone,” Laura Ungar, Associated Press, August 27, 2025
Patients With OUD Treated In Primary Care With Collaborative Care Model Experience Greater Reduction In Nonmedical Use Of Opioids, Study Suggests
Psychiatric News (8/27) reports a study found that “individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) treated in primary care with a collaborative care model (CoCM) focused on medications for OUD experienced a greater reduction in nonmedical use of opioids than those receiving collaborative care that only treats co-occurring mental health symptoms.” Researchers found that “at three months, patients receiving the OUD-focused CoCM had an average of 1.44 days using opioids compared with 3.98 days among those receiving standard CoCM; at six months, patients in the intervention group had 0.72 days using opioids compared with 3.92 days in the control group. Scores on the MCS improved in both groups, but there was no statistical difference.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Collaborative Care for Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care,” John C. Fortney, PhD; Anna D. Ratzliff, MD, PhD; Brittany E. Blanchard, PhD, JAMA Psychiatry, August 20, 2025
Few Teens With Depression Receive Treatment, Study Suggests
HealthDay (8/26, Solomon) reports, “Few teens with depression receive treatment, with disparities seen based on residence, gender, and race, according to a study.” The investigators “found that 19.2 percent of adolescents experienced [major depressive episodes], but only 47.5 percent received treatment within the past year.” Researchers found “there were significantly lower odds of receiving specialist treatment for adolescents in rural areas versus their urban counterparts.” The findings were published in PLOS Mental Health.
Related Links:
— “Less Than Half of Teens With Major Depression Receive Treatment,” Lori Solomon, HealthDay, August 26, 2025
Foundation News
Seeking Nominations for 2022 Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award
The annual Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award recognizes a worthy piece published in a major newspaper that accomplishes one or more of the following:
- Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family member, or simply in the community.
- Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental illness.
- Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.
A Maryland author and/or newspaper is preferred. Click here for past winners and published articles.
The award carries a $500 prize, which is given at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting in April. To nominate a piece to be considered for the 2022 award, email it to mfp@mdpsych.org no later than January 10, 2022. The article should be published during the period from January 15, 2021 to January 10, 2022.
New PSA Examines Anxiety as Pandemic Improves
As the pandemic improves and restrictions and shutdowns are lifted, many people may be experiencing anxiety at returning to the world and being amongst people. This new PSA from the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc. examines fears people may have as they try to navigate uncertainty about going outside as well as deal with conflicting messages about how to stay safe and healthy.
Post-Pandemic AnxietyPost Pandemic Anxiety, MP3, 1.3MB
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.
Jamie and Sarah Raskin Recognized with Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award
Congressman Jamie Raskin and Sarah Bloom Raskin were awarded the Foundation’s 2021 Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for the tribute about their son, Tommy, posted on January 4, 2021. The MFP board of directors felt that it was very effective in conveying what a wonderful and gifted person their son was, that depression did not detract from this, and how painful and sad his loss and the loss of others suffering from depression can be. The board also greatly admired their courage in writing about him in such a forthright manner. The Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award was formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on April 22.
The Foundation established this annual prize for a worthy media piece, preferably local or regional, that accomplishes one or more of the following:
- Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family member, or simply in the community.
- Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental illness.
- Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.
Click here for information about past winners.
Psychiatrist Weighs Taking The COVID Vaccine in New Radio Ad
Psychiatrists aren’t necessarily on the front lines treating COVID patients in a hospital, so should they take or not take a COVID vaccine? In this new ad from The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc., one psychiatrist goes trough his thoughts as he decided whether to take it. He examines the science, the risks, possible complications, and what his decision means to his patients as well as to mental health in general.
COVID Vaccination — Why You Should Take ItCOVID Vaccination — Why You Should Take It , MP3, 1.3MB
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.
Political Anxiety PSA is Timely Again
As this election cycle nears election day, there is no guarantee we will know the results very soon. A combination of many factors, including a pandemic that brings its own anxiety and has seen record numbers use absentee voting and early voting to avoid crowds on election day, could cause delays in vote counts and that can add to the stress and anxiety of many people. We are featuring our PSA from 2017 which examines the wide variety of feelings people experience after a particularly divisive political campaign and things that can be done to help, ranging from breaks from Facebook and Twitter and similar sites to seeking actual help from professionals.
Listen to the PSA on our home page or on our PSA collection here, where you can listen to or download other advice given in past PSAs, also.