MedPage Today (12/15, George) reports a study found that “six midlife symptoms of depression were tied to an increased risk of dementia.” Results show that “depressive symptoms that emerged as midlife indicators of increased dementia risk” include: losing confidence in oneself; not able to face up to problems; not feeling warmth and affection for others; feeling nervous and strung-up all the time; not satisfied with the way tasks are carried out; and difficulty concentrating. Researchers noted “these associations were independent of established dementia risk factors like APOE4 status, cardiometabolic conditions, and lifestyle factors.” The study was published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

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— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (12/15) reports a study found that “in 2022, national spending on behavioral health care for children ages 6 to 17 was nearly $42 billion – including nearly $3 billion in out-of-pocket spending from families.” That figure “represented 40% of all pediatric health care expenditures, nearly twice as much as in 2011.” Researchers noted that “overall pediatric behavioral health expenditures rose from about $18 billion in 2011 to $41.8 billion in 2022. Spending on in-person and telehealth outpatient visits increased from 2011-2022, while spending on medications decreased and spending on emergency department or inpatient services remained stable.” The study was published in JAMA Pediatrics.

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— “Pediatric Behavioral Health Spending Rising Dramatically, Psychiatric News, December 15, 2025

HealthDay (12/12, Thompson) reported, “Smokers who use cigarettes and vape devices interchangeably might not be doing themselves as much of a disservice as once feared, a new study says.” Investigators found that “these ‘dual users’ are more likely to eventually quit smoking than people who smoke without vaping.” Additionally, “dual users…are more likely to reduce their cigarette smoking rate, and thus reduce the amount of harmful chemicals they inhale from smoke.” The findings were published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

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— “Smokers Who Vape More Likely To Quit Or Cut Back, Study Argues,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, December 12, 2025

Psychiatric News (12/12) reported a systematic review and meta-analysis of 76 clinical trials found that “when it comes to preventing depression or anxiety relapse, slowly tapering off an antidepressant while receiving psychological support is comparable to remaining on the medication.” Researchers observed that “slow tapering with support and medication continuation both reduced relapse risk by about 50% compared with abrupt discontinuation – with moderate evidence to support the finding. Dose reduction reduced relapse risk by 38% compared with abrupt discontinuation, though this approach was supported by low levels of evidence.” Furthermore, “slow tapering without support and fast tapering with or without support were not superior to abrupt discontinuation.” The review was published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

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— “Slow Tapering of Medication and Psychological Support Limits Depression Relapse, Psychiatric News, December 12, 2025

Medical Economics (12/10, Littrell) reports that a study “takes a close look at a simple but increasingly popular idea in physician practices: setting aside protected time during the workday for electronic health record (EHR) tasks.” In the study, “one ambulatory network reserved a dedicated appointment slot each half day for activities such as patient messaging, prescription refills and prior authorizations. Researchers tracked what happened to productivity, after-hours work and message volume over nearly three years.” Study “results suggest that small scheduling changes can have an outsized impact on physician workload. After-hours and weekend EHR time dropped quickly after protected time was introduced, while productivity took only a modest short-term dip and then stabilized.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

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— “Protected EHR time cuts after-hours work with little productivity loss, study finds,”Austin Littrell, Medical Economics, December 10, 2025