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Latest News Around the Web
Asking Caregivers If They Are Concerned About Clutter Or Possible Hoarding May Help Identify Neurocognitive Disorders, Study Indicates
Healio (3/9, Gawel) reports, “Asking caregivers if they are concerned about clutter or possible hoarding may help identify neurocognitive disorders, according to a study.” Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting an “observational construct validity study” that “used retrospectively gathered data from 135 patients (mean age, 70.9 years; 39% women; 73% white) at an academic memory disorders clinic between October 2018 and August 2021.” The findings were published in The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.
Related Links:
— “Single question about hoarding identifies possible neurocognitive disorders,”Richard Gawel, Healio , March 9, 2026
Nearly Half Of Seniors 65 And Older Showed Measurable Improvement In Brain Health, Physical Function, Or Both Over Time, Research Finds
HealthDay (3/9, Thompson) reports, “Nearly half of seniors 65 and older showed measurable improvement in their brain health, physical function or both over time, researchers” found. The investigators “tracked more than 11,000 people participating in a long-term federally funded study of older Americans.” The researchers found that “during a follow-up period of up to 12 years, 45% of participants improved in either physical or mental fitness.” Approximately “32% had improvements in their brain health, and 28% improved physically.” The findings were published in Geriatrics.
Related Links:
— “Many Seniors Gain Physical, Mental Fitness As They Age, Study Finds,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay , March 9, 2026
Childhood obesity reaches record high in recent years
The Hill (3/8, Cochran) said that a CDC report (PDF) last month “showed more than 1 in 5 U.S. children and teenagers” had obesity “between 2021 to 2023, compared to only 5.2% between 1971-1974. The number of children with severe obesity in recent years has hit 7%.” To reverse this trend, “experts point to school meals and increased activity as key ways to address childhood obesity, with research showing school meals are the healthiest eating options some students have all day.”
Related Links:
— “Childhood obesity at a record high as MAHA presses for changes to kids’ diets,”Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, March 8, 2026
Multiple Healthy Diets Were Tied To Better Cognitive Function, Lower Risk For Cognitive Decline, Study Indicates
Healio (3/6, Rhoades) reported, “Multiple healthy diets, especially the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension-style diet, were tied to better cognitive function and a lower risk for cognitive decline, a study…indicated.” Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting a study that “utilized 1986 to 2017 data taken from the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to assess the impact of six dietary patterns on subjective cognitive decline…and objective cognitive function.” The findings were published in JAMA Neurology.
Related Links:
— “Several healthy diets lower the risk for cognitive decline,”Andrew (Drew) Rhoades , Healio, March 6, 2026
Telemedicine Failing To Close Mental Health Gap In Rural Communities, Study Suggests
HealthDay (3/6, Neff) reported a study suggests that telemedicine has not led to a significant rise in new mental health patients from rural or underserved communities. The researchers “analyzed Medicare billing records for more than 17,000 mental health specialists between 2018 and 2023 in all regions of the United States. They looked at the share of their visits to patients living in rural, low-access-to-care or distant communities.” They found that “specialists who used telemedicine the most saw only a tiny increase – less than one percentage point – in patients from rural regions compared to specialists who rarely used video calls. Interestingly, most of these long-distance visits weren’t with new rural residents; instead, they were existing patients originally from the city who had moved away and kept their old doctors via the screen.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
Related Links:
— “Telemedicine Not Closing the Mental Health Gap in Rural Areas,”Deanna Neff, HealthDay, March 6, 2026
Foundation News
Cooper to Receive Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award
Damion Cooper, Th.M. will be awarded the 2019 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for his op-ed, “Surviving a gunshot, one man’s story” in the October 18, 2018 Baltimore Sun. The MFP Board unanimously felt that his article was the most deserving of this year’s recognition. Being shot is unfortunately a somewhat common experience for some residents of Baltimore, and the culture of not talking about it makes recovery very difficult for survivors. The Board believes that his courage may empower others to seek help and speak more openly about their own or their family’s suffering.
The Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award carries a $500 prize, which will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on April 25.
The Foundation established this annual prize for a worthy piece published in a major newspaper (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.
Related Links:
— “Surviving a gunshot, one man’s story,” Damion J. Cooper, Baltimore Sun, October 18, 2018
Latest Foundation Ad Examines Reliving Trauma Via News and Events
Events and reports in the news can activate painful memories, causing people to relive and have to deal with abuse years after they thought they had successfully handled it via therapy or repression. A new public service ad by the Foundation is airing now that explores how someone to talk to, particularly a psychiatrist, can help cope.
Trauma: Never too late to speak, especially to a psychiatristTrauma: Never too late to speak, especially to a psychiatrist, MP3, 2.5MB
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.
This Is My Brave Project Added to Featured Websites
This Is My Brave (TIMB) has been added to our Links & Publications page. The goal of the non-profit aligns directly with our own here at the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry: to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues. They focus on sharing personal stories of individuals living successful, full lives despite mental illness through poetry, essay and original music, on stage in front of a live audience, through stories submitted and published to their blog, and via their YouTube channel.
Two of our directors, Dr. Komrad and Mr. Wiggins, recently attended a local event and reported the program was well-attended and very moving. TIMB has 17 more shows planned across the United states and 2 upcoming in Australia. You can find more information about the organization via their web site: https://thisismybrave.org/
Dr. Daniel Hale to Receive Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award
W. Daniel Hale, Ph.D. has been awarded the 2018 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for his op-ed, “We need to talk about depression” in the June 13, 2016 Baltimore Sun. The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry Board of Directors chose the piece from among several nominees. Dr. Hale eloquently writes in a very personal way about his daughter’s depression and suicide and his own depression and successful recovery. His courage to speak openly about suffering may give others the courage to speak about their own, or their family’s experiences. Hiding depression only makes it harder to get help and delays recovery.
The award carries a $500 prize, which will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on April 26.
The Foundation established this annual prize for a worthy piece published in a major newspaper (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.
Foundation Radio Ad Looks At Mental Health after School Shootings
To date in 2018 there have been 18 school shootings, and the effects upon those who experience them as well as those fearing such a thing might happen to their school are real and long term. A new public service ad by the Foundation is airing now that explores how and why student, teachers, and parents may be acting as they are and how psychiatry can help them heal and get beyond the trauma.
Anxiety and Mental Health in Wake of School ShootingsAnxiety and Mental Health in Wake of School Shootings, MP3, 1.5MB
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.