Month: June 2024

Breaking Free From Meth: UCLA’s Dual Drug Therapy Proves Effective in Clinical Trials

By UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – LOS ANGELES HEALTH SCIENCES: Click through for the full post…

Research from UCLA demonstrated that a combination therapy of naltrexone and bupropion effectively reduced methamphetamine use in trial participants over 12 weeks, suggesting the potential of pharmacological interventions in addressing rising overdose rates.

A clinical trial on a two-drug therapy for methamphetamine use disorder reduced use of the highly addictive drug for up to 12 weeks after initiation of treatment, according to the results of UCLA-led research.

Participants in the ADAPT-2 clinical trial who received a combination of injectable naltrexone plus extended-release oral bupropion (NTX+BUPN) had a 27% increase in methamphetamine-negative urine tests, indicating reduced usage. By contrast, the placebo group had an 11% increase in negative tests.

The study will be published in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction.

Autism Support: Autism Toolkit Unveils New Resources Tailored for Rural Communities

From Georgia: Click through for the full post…

Autism Toolkit launches in Georgia. Unlike any other hub offering access to Autism resources, the website includes a virtual map, tools, and referrals for those impacted by Autism in the rural communities of Georgia.

Changing the game for those impacted by Autism in Georgia, Autism Toolkit was created by Sarah Rotschafer, Ph.D, esteemed faculty members at Mercer University School of Medicine. After receiving initial funding through G08 grants from the National Institutes of Health: National Library of Medicine, the new website launched in 2024 – with more robust options to serve a much needed autism-services-drought in Georgia.

Autism Toolkit exists to provide a vital resource for those in the neurodivergent community within the outlying, rural areas of Georgia, to bring much-needed attention and help to a lack of help in underserved communities that so desperately need access to Autism education and medical referrals.

Antidepressant withdrawal affects one in six people

By Philippa Roxby: Click through for the full post…

One out of every six people have symptoms when they stop taking antidepressants – fewer than previously thought, a review of previous studies suggests.

The researchers say their findings will help inform doctors and patients “without causing undue alarm”.

The Lancet Psychiatry review looked at data from 79 trials involving more than 20,000 patients.

Some had been treated with antidepressants and others with a dummy drug or placebo, which helped researchers gauge the true effect of withdrawing from the drugs.

Some people have unpleasant symptoms such as dizziness, headache, nausea and insomnia when they stop taking antidepressants, which, the researchers say, can cause considerable distress.

Previous estimates suggested antidepressant discontinuation symptoms (ADS) affected 56% of patients, with almost half of cases classed as severe.

But this review, from the Universities of Berlin and Cologne, estimates:

  • One out of every every six or seven patients can expect symptoms when stopping antidepressants
  • One in 35 will have severe symptoms
  • Symptoms are more common with some antidepressants than others

How Long Concussion could offer new insights into Long Covid

By David Cox: Click through for the full post…

There are striking parallels between the two syndromes – and scientists hope the link could help to unravel the mysteries of both.

Midway through 2023, the neurologist Ioannis Mavroudis was working his way through the latest backlog of cases when he was struck by a revelation.

As a concussion specialist who had spent many years in his post at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Mavroudis had found himself dealing with a growing influx of patients with Long Covid – a loose assortment of health problems developed after an infection with Covid-19.

Many of these patients were presenting with a range of neurological symptoms. Mavroudis could not help but notice that their symptom patterns – fatigue, sleep disturbances, light and noise sensitivity, exercise intolerance and problems with memory and concentration – were strikingly similar to those associated with another mysterious long-term condition known as post-concussion syndrome or ‘Long Concussion’. 

Instead of being triggered by a viral infection, post-concussion syndrome can affect anyone who has suffered some form of a knock to the head, leaving them with symptoms lasting for months or years. The initial impact can range from extremely mild to severe, and it can affect both professional and amateur athletes, military veterans, victims of physical abuse and epileptic patients who have fallen during a seizure.

Service Dogs for Veterans and Military Members With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

By Sarah C. Leighton, et al.: Click through for the full post…

Key Points

Question  For military members and veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a partnership with a trained psychiatric service dog associated with lower PTSD symptom severity, lower anxiety, lower depression, and greater psychosocial functioning?

Findings  In this nonrandomized controlled trial of 156 military members and veterans with PTSD, the addition of a service dog to usual care was associated with lower PTSD symptom severity, lower anxiety, and lower depression after 3 months of intervention.

Meaning  Findings of this trial suggest that trained psychiatric service dogs may be an effective complement to usual care for military service–related PTSD.

Startling Statistic: 1 in 8 Older Americans Face Traumatic Brain Injury

By UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – SAN FRANCISCO: Click through for the full post…

Research indicates that among Medicare enrollees, those who are healthier, wealthier, white, and female could be at a higher risk.

According to a study conducted by UC San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Health Care System, approximately 13% of older adults have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), typically resulting from falls at ground level.

Researchers followed about 9,200 Medicare enrollees, whose average age was 75 at the start of the study, and found that contrary to other studies of younger people, being female, white, healthier, and wealthier was associated with higher risk of TBI.

The study was recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

The researchers, led by first author Erica Kornblith, PhD, of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and the San Francisco VA Health Care System, tracked TBI Medicare claims of participants enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study, a long-term study of a representative sample of older Americans.

While TBI can be successfully treated, these injuries increase the likelihood of a number of serious conditions, including dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and seizures, as well as cardiovascular disease and psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety.

“The number of people 65 and older with TBI is shockingly high,” said senior author Raquel Gardner, MD, formerly of the UCSF Department of Neurology and the San Francisco VA Health Care System. “We need evidence-based guidelines to inform post-discharge care of this very large Medicare population, and more research on post-TBI dementia prevention and repeat injury prevention.”

A Psychologist Explains The Concerning Rise Of ‘Drunkorexia’

By Mark Travers: For Complete Post, Click Here…

Drunkorexia,” a portmanteau of the words “drunk” and “anorexia,” refers to a worrisome trend that combines alcohol abuse and disordered eating behaviors. Some researchers believe that it may represent a new eating disorder while others find that it cannot be solely classified as either an eating disorder or a substance abuse disorder but has elements of both.

Research shows that behaviors associated with drunkorexia include fasting, binge drinking and getting drunk. Although not yet an official medical diagnosis, the term highlights a planned pattern of behavior where individuals restrict their food intake, engage in excessive exercise or in purging to “make room” or compensate for the high caloric content of alcohol they will consume.

This behavior is particularly prevalent among college students and young adults. For instance, in a research sample of Australian female university students, over 79.1% of participants reported engaging in Drunkorexia behavior.

Older Veteran Behavioral Health Resource Inventory

From USVA: Click through for the full post…

Overview
This inventory provides information on resources to help health and social service professionals support older Veterans and other older adults who have or are at risk for behavioral health conditions. This inventory is not exhaustive. Rather, it provides an overview of programs and publications on topics including posttraumatic stress disorder, suicide prevention, long-term services and supports, and much more.

In addition to using this inventory, health and social service professionals can connect with the nationwide network of state and local aging and disability agencies, known as the No Wrong Door (NWD) System (nwd.acl.gov/).

Through partnerships with community organizations, including behavioral health entities, the NWD System helps all populations, including Veterans and their caregivers, take advantage of an array of services that support community living. The NWD System has access points across the country staffed by people living in local communities.

Google Maps Adds Wheelchair Accessible Icon To Business Listings

by Barry Schwartz: Click through for the full post…

Google has added a wheelchair-accessible icon to the Business Profile listings in Google Maps of businesses that self-claim they are wheelchair-accessible. There is a little wheelchair-accessible icon next to the business name, but this only shows in Google Maps, not in Google Search – for now.

This was spotted by Anuj Thaker who shared this with me on X – I was able to replicate it, so it seems to be live. Again, I only see this in Google Maps, but not for Google Business Profiles in Google Search. Here is a screenshot:

Smart Home Pilot: An Innovative Model Of Residential Care

From MOKA: Click through for the full post…

MOKA has been in operation in the West Michigan for over 45 years, tirelessly working on new and inventive  ways for adults with disabilities to live their most independent and autonomous lives. We are currently piloting an innovative model for residential living that incorporates technology enabled supports to create a Smart Home. In other states, this model has demonstrated the capacity to increase independence for adults with disabilities as well as implements a more effective utilization of direct support hours in the midst of a nationwide staffing shortage.