The AP (9/2, Tanner) reports researchers at Boston University found “half of U.S. adults surveyed reported at least some signs of depression, such as hopelessness, feeling like a failure or getting little pleasure from doing things,” which is “double the rate from a different survey two years ago.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

HealthDay (9/2, Reinberg) and MedPage Today (9/2, Hlavinka) also cover the story.

Related Links:

— “Depression, anxiety spike amid outbreak and turbulent times “Lindsey Tanner, AP, September 2, 2020

NPR (9/1, Hamilton) reports on the challenges and benefits of distance learning for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) “and other learning disabilities.” For some children, not being “around peers” can make it “easier to focus.” For other youngsters, however, distractions in the home make distance learning much more difficult, and lack of peer interaction, “recess and the physical activity that goes with it” may prove trying to both kids and their parents. Several parents and experts are interviewed in the article.

Related Links:

— “Remote Learning’s Distractions Put Extra Pressure On Students With ADHD “Jon Hamilton, NPR, September 1, 2020

Psychiatric News (9/1) reports, “Racial and ethnic discrimination may increase the risk that members of minority groups will experience severe alcohol use disorder,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data from 17,115 racial/ethnic minorities who participated in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol-Related Conditions III (NESARC-III), a national survey that took place in 2012-2013.” The findings were published online ahead of print in the November issue of the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Related Links:

— “Discrimination May Increase Risk of Severe Alcohol Use in Minorities Psychiatric News, September 1, 2020

MD Edge ObGyn (9/1, Craven) reports Dr. Dolores Malaspina of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai spoke about the role of epigenetics in the development of psychiatric conditions at a virtual meeting presented by Current Psychiatry, the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists, and other groups. Dr. Malaspina said there are not enough genes to account for all human diversity, so more research needs to be done into the role of gene expression in developing psychiatric conditions. Dr. Malaspina said, “The fetus does not simply develop from a genetic blueprint of the genes from its father and mother. Instead, signals are received throughout the pregnancy as to the health of the mother and signals about the environment.”

Related Links:

— “More research needed on how fetal exposure affects later development “Jeff Craven, MD Edge ObGyn, September 1, 2020

Healio (9/1, Gramigna) reports, “Anhedonia severity differed across various disorders,” investigators concluded after analyzing “168 articles featuring 16,494 participants.” Researchers then “found that those with current major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, Parkinson’s disease and chronic pain exhibited higher scores on the” Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, “which is a widely used questionnaire for assessing anhedonia,” than “healthy participants.” The findings of the systematic review and meta-analysis were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Inability to experience pleasure varies across psychiatric disorders, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, September 01, 2020