According to Healio (10/22, Michael), valproate use “during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring during early childhood.” investigators concluded after analyzing “data from the French national health data system” that “included singleton livebirths that occurred from January 2011 through December 2014.” The findings were published online Oct. 22 in Scientific Reports.

Related Links:

— “Antiepileptic drug exposure in pregnancy linked to neurodevelopmental disorders “Erin Michael, Healio, October 22, 2020

Healio (10/22, Gramigna) reports, “An increase in green space may improve children’s mental health,” investigators concluded after seeking “to examine the effects of several environmental factors, including artificial light at night…near-roadway air pollution,” noise “and green space, on self-reported stress among 2,290 children living in eight densely populated urban communities in southern California.” The findings of the “cohort study” were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “More green space may improve children’s mental health “Joe Gramigna, Healio, October 22, 2020

Healio (10/21, Weller) reports, “Higher levels of psychological flexibility were associated” with “lower prevalence and incidence of depression among patients who had chronic kidney disease [CKD] and were treated with peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis or no dialysis,” investigators found. Included in the “cross-sectional” analysis were 433 patients. The findings were published online in the journal Kidney Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Psycological Flexibility linked to lower rates of depression among patients with CKD “Madison Weller , Healio, October 21, 2020

The New York Times (10/21, Bakalar) reports, “A mother’s psychological distress during pregnancy may increase the risk for asthma in her child,” investigators concluded in a study that “had the parents of 4,231 children fill out well-validated questionnaires on psychological stress in the second trimester of pregnancy, and again three years later.” When their offspring “were 10 years old, parents reported whether their child had ever been diagnosed with asthma.” The findingswere published online in the journal Thorax.

Related Links:

— “Depression in Pregnancy May Raise Risk of Childhood Asthma “Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times, October 21, 2020

Healio (10/21) reports, “Americans are significantly more anxious now compared with this time last year, according to poll results released” Oct. 21 by the American Psychiatric Association. In 2020, “62%” of 1,004 “respondents reported increased anxiety vs. last year, which marks a significant increase over APA polls from the past three years” in which “poll results for anxiety ranged from 32% to 39%.” In a news release, APA President Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH, said, “It’s not surprising that more Americans are anxious, given the circumstances we all find ourselves in this year.” Dr. Geller added, “However, given the huge jump in anxiety, coupled with the impact the pandemic is having on those who were already living with mental illness or substance use disorders, the most important thing that we can do as a country is to invest in our mental health system.”

Related Links:

— “APA poll shows 62% of Americans more anxious now vs. this time last year, Healio, October 21, 2020