Category Archives: Mental Health

Sundowning, commonly seen in dementia patients, refers to behavioral changes that take place in the evening when the sun sets. Patients may become more agitated, aggressive, or confused as the night approaches. This is often seen in more severe cases of dementia. Sundowning, or sundown syndrome may be a result of disturbances to the patient’s ...click here to read more

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in veterans can be improved with tai chi. Rates of PTSD among the general population is 8.7 percent, but among veterans it is 23.1 percent. Tai chi is the practice of gentle and graceful exercise where movements are performed slowly and there is a strong focus on one’s breath. There ...click here to read more

Schizophrenia symptoms are significantly lower with aerobic exercise, according to study findings. The researchers combined data from 10 independent clinical trials with a total of 385 schizophrenia patients. The researchers found that just 12 weeks of aerobic exercise is enough to improve symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia patients may experience memory problems, impaired information processing, ...click here to read more

Pets have been found to help aid in mental illness management based on research findings. Researchers from the U.K. surveyed over 50 adults with long-term mental illness to uncover the role which pets play. The responses unveiled that 60 percent of respondents placed pets in the central and most important circle – above family, friends ...click here to read more

Millions of Americans suffer from severe depression or anxiety, and while some people have turned to antidepressants to help quell the symptoms, we have learned that yoga breathing exercises can be effective for some people. Antidepressants were discovered by accident back in the 1950s when scientists were searching for a schizophrenia treatment. They found that ...click here to read more

A new study has found that adolescents with a high body mass index (BMI) are at a higher risk of suffering from cognitive impairment in their midlife years. To investigate this association, the researchers analyzed 507 people who were tracked on average for 33 years, beginning at the age of 17. The participants completed computerized ...click here to read more

Colonic diverticular disease patients can be at risk for dementia, according to research findings. The scientists analyzed data from 66,377 patients with colonic diverticular disease and 265,508 patients without the condition. Cases of dementia were identified between 2000 and 2011. During the follow-up period, there were 1,057 dementia cases reported in the colonic diverticular group. ...click here to read more

Higher levels of mental and physical well-being are seen among older adults using computers and cellphones. Seniors have been adopting technology as a means of connecting with others and it seems that their newfound use of technology is offering up great benefits for their mental health in return. Researcher Tamara Sims explained, “Using tech to ...click here to read more

Physical activity improves psychological well-being and reduces the risk of heart attack in older adults. Lead author of the study Julia Boehm explained, “Researchers have long studied how physical activity can lead to improved mood and feelings of well-being, however, less well understood is whether being happy and optimistic might actually encourage a person to ...click here to read more

Atrial fibrillation raises the risk of dementia, according to research findings. The study also found that atrial fibrillation patients taking warfarin (the blood thinner) to reduce their risk of stroke were more likely to develop dementia, compared to patients who used this medication for other conditions. The researchers looked at over 6,000 patients on warfarin ...click here to read more

Stress is one thing most of us face in our hectic lives. But post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) is a disease of intense mental anguish from the kind of life or death trauma faced by soldiers in combat, a car crash, serious injury, sudden death of a loved one, or sexual violence. Trauma to this degree ...click here to read more

Lewy body dementia (LBD) may often be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, according to research findings. Howard I. Hurtig, chair at the department of neurology, Pennsylvania Hospital warned, “While the symptoms of LBD may be similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, the treatment strategy is more challenging because fewer medications can be used safely. I cannot ...click here to read more

In dementia patients, depressive symptoms may be reduced with high-intensity exercise and group activities. Author of the dissertation Gustaf Boström explained, “Unfortunately, depression is common among older people, especially in people with dementia. Treatment with antidepressant drugs is often ineffective in older people and people with dementia. In addition, the risk of drug-related side effects ...click here to read more

Delirium after cardiac surgery is linked to prolonged loss of cognitive function. The findings of the study suggest that interventions to prevent delirium in advance of surgery could help cardiac patients avoid long-term cognitive consequences. Co-lead author Jane Saczynski explained, “Our findings now suggest that postoperative delirium, once thought of as an acute, transient cognitive ...click here to read more