HealthDay (4/9, Thompson ) reports a study found that “brain diseases like stroke, dementia and depression share common risk factors, and changing any can lower a person’s risk of all three conditions.” Researchers said that “at least 60% of strokes, 40% of dementia cases, and 35% of late-life depression diagnoses are linked to lifestyle-related risk factors.” They explained that addressing 17 modifiable risk factors “as varied as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, physical activity, sleep, stress, alcohol consumption and smoking can significantly reduce risk of the three age-related brain diseases.” They concluded, “Because they share these overlapping risk factors, preventive efforts could lead to a reduction in the incidence of more than one of these diseases, which provides an opportunity to simultaneously reduce the burden of age-related brain diseases.” The study was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Stroke, Dementia, Depression Share Many Risk Factors,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, April 9, 2025

Healio (4/9, Kellner ) reports a study found that “most Medicaid managed care plans cover at least one FDA-approved medication for alcohol use disorder, but less than half covered all four.” Researchers investigated “which Medicaid managed care plans cover AUD medications – including acamprosate, disulfiram, oral naltrexone and injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol, Alkermes) – based on 2021 benefit data for 241 managed care plans.” They determined that “217 (90%) plans covered at least one AUD medication, and 103 (42.7%) covered all four.” Although most plans did not require prior authorizations for the oral medications, “nearly half (42.8%) of those that covered injectable naltrexone required it.” Researchers also noted that “less than half of enrollees in 19 states were covered by a plan that covered all AUD medications, and 12 states had no plans that covered all four.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Only 43% of Medicaid managed care plans cover all medications for alcohol use disorder,”Sara Kellner, Healio, April 9, 2025

Bloomberg Law (4/8, Anne Pazanowski , Subscription Publication) reports the Department of Health and Human Services said it will follow a federal judge’s order and block plans to cease $11 billion in public healthcare grants to 23 states and Washington, DC. On April 3, US Judge Mary S. McElroy “granted the mostly Democratic-led states’ motion for a temporary restraining order in the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island.” Although HHS filed a notice of compliance Monday, “saying it would notify all its departments, employees, and contractors of the order,” the agency also “filed an emergency motion for reconsideration the same day, saying McElroy should have considered whether she had jurisdiction under the Administrative Procedure Act before entering the TRO.” McElroy explained in an April 5 opinion “that the states were likely to win on the merits of their challenge because HHS didn’t reasonably end the grants or provide a reasonable explanation for doing so.”

Related Links:

— “HHS to Restore States’ Public Health Funds to Comply With Order,”Mary Anne Pazanowski, Bloomberg Law, April 8, 2025

Psychiatric News (4/8) reports a study suggests that providing comprehensive care “increases the likelihood that inpatients with opioid use disorder (OUD) will not only initiate medications for OUD during hospitalization but connect with OUD care after discharge.” Researchers analyzed data from a clinical trial of the Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Team (START) addiction consult service, which is a “collaborative care model in which an addiction medicine specialist and a case management team provide a tailored intervention based on motivational interviewing, addiction-focused discharge planning, and one month of follow-up calls.” They found that “57.3% of patients receiving START initiated medications for OUD while they were hospitalized, compared with 26.7% of those who received usual care. In addition, 72% of START participants attended at least one OUD-related care visit within 30 days of discharge, compared with 48.1% of those who received usual care.” The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Comprehensive Care Improves Chances of Hospitalized Patients Starting OUD Medications, Psychiatric News, April 8, 2025

Neurology Advisor (4/7, Lopez) reports, “Greater physical activity levels and less sedentary behavior protect against the risk of developing neuropsychiatric diseases, according to study results presented at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting.” Researchers found that “moderate to vigorous physical activity energy expenditure had a protective effect against neuropsychiatric diseases, while increased sedentary behavior was a risk factor.” Specifically, they noted that “proteomic and metabolic analyses confirmed the significant effect of physical activity on the peripheral biomarkers, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and integrin alpha V (ITGAV) proteins. Inflammation and metabolic processes were shown to mediate the relationship between physical activity and risk of neuropsychiatric diseases.”

Related Links:

— “Greater Physical Activity May Lower Risk for Neuropsychiatric Diseases,”Maria Arini Lopez, Neurology Advisor, April 7, 2025