Medscape (10/5, Brauser, Subscription Publication) reports researchers found “substance use disorders, particularly opioid addiction and smoking, are tied to an increase risk for COVID-19 and serious adverse outcomes including hospitalization and death.” The findings were published in Molecular Psychiatry. Dr. Andrew J. Saxon, professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a member of the APA’s Council on Addition Psychiatry, said, “I found it pretty convincing that people who have substance use disorders are probably at higher risk for getting COVID-19 infection and more complications once they are infected.”

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

The New York Times (10/5, Belluck) reports in a study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, researchers at Northwestern Medicine found that almost a third of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 “experienced some type of altered mental function – ranging from confusion to delirium to unresponsiveness – in the largest study to date of neurological symptoms among coronavirus patients in an American hospital system.” In addition, the researchers found that “patients with altered mental function had significantly worse medical outcomes.”

TIME (10/5, Ducharme) reports the researchers also found that “out of 509 people admitted…for coronavirus care this spring, 82% had a neurologic symptom at some point.” TIME adds, “The most common neurologic symptoms were muscle aches and headaches, which were experienced by about 45% and 38% of patients, respectively.”

HealthDay (10/5, Preidt) also covers the study.

Related Links:

— “Nearly One-Third of Covid-19 Patients in Study Had Altered Mental State “Pam Belluck, The New York Times, October 5, 2020

Healio (10/3, Downey) reported, “There was a 32.5% increase in THC-exposed newborns at a Michigan hospital following the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state,” investigators concluded after identifying “the rate of newborn exposure to marijuana in utero prior to and following the legalization of recreational marijuana in Michigan in a 2018 vote.” The findings were presented during the AAP National Conference & Exhibition.

Related Links:

— “Number of THC-exposed newborns increases after recreational marijuana legalized “Ken Downey Jr., Healio, October 3, 2020

HealthDay (10/3, Preidt) reported, “Abuse of” prescription opioids in the US “fell by more than one-quarter between 2007 and 2018,” investigators concluded after analyzing “analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual survey of about 70,000 Americans aged 12 and older who are asked about their use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs.” The findings were scheduled for presentation at the virtual annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Related Links:

— “Signs America’s Opioid Epidemic Might Finally Be Waning “Robert Preidt, HealthDay, October 3, 2020

Psychiatric News (10/2) reported, “Adults with good cardiorespiratory fitness – the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen during sustained physical activity – have half the risk of developing symptoms of depression,” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from 1,730 adults aged 40 to 75 years.” The findings were published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Cardiorespiratory Fitness May Cut Risk of Depressive Symptoms, Psychiatric News , October 2, 2020