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Monday, January 07, 2013

Shots - Health News

Triage System Helps Colleges Treat Mentally Ill Students

Meredith Was, a senior at the University of Virginia, heads a chapter of the mental health advocacy group Active Minds.

January 7, 2013 KHNOver the past decade, colleges and universities across the country have seen an influx of students with mental health needs. Some campus health centers are exploring new systems to help meet the growing demand for services.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Shots - Health News

Kids' Eating Binges Could Signal Other Problems Ahead

Did eating binges come first?

December 11, 2012 Children between the ages of 9 and 15 who went on eating binges at least once a week were more likely to use marijuana or to show strong signs of depression as those who didn't. There's no proof of cause and effect, but the researchers say it's another reason parents and doctors should keep an eye on kids' eating habits.

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Shots - Health News

Mental Disorders And Evolution: What Would Darwin Say About Schizophrenia?

Charles Darwin

November 16, 2012 Given the pressure of evolution, why have genes behind schizophrenia, autism and others disorders persisted? A study that looks at the likelihood someone is to have kids tries to figure it out.

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Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Shots - Health News

Depression And Health Spending Go Together

Among common health problems, depression was linked to the highest increase in annual spending by employers' on workers' health care.

November 6, 2012 KHNPeople with high blood sugar had medical expenses that were almost one-third higher than average, as did people with high blood pressure. But among common health problems, depression was linked to the highest spending increase.

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Monday, October 15, 2012

Shots - Health News

Brain Scientists Uncover New Links Between Stress And Depression

Scientists say they're learning more about how to keep stress from damaging mental health.

October 15, 2012 Scientists say new insights about how stress affects the brain could lead to new treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

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Thursday, October 04, 2012

Shots - Health News

Ketamine Relieves Depression By Restoring Brain Connections

A rat neuron before (top) and after (bottom) ketamine treatment.  The increased number of orange nodes are restored connections in the rat's brain.

October 4, 2012 A few years ago, scientists discovered that the club drug ketamine worked as a quick and effective treatment for people depression who didn't respond to other treatments. New research goes further in explaining just how it works.

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Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Shots - Health News

Medicare Boosting Coverage For Mental Health Issues

Medicare coverage for mental health services will reach 80 percent in 2014.

April 3, 2012 KHNMedicare now covers screening for depression without any cost-sharing when patients visit their primary care doctor. That's a big deal, because the condition often goes undiagnosed in the elderly.

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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Shots - Health News

New Depression Drugs Offer Hope For Toughest Cases

Chris Stephens, 28, who has been battling depression all of his life, plays with his dogs at home in Concord, Calif., on Friday. After a dose of ketamine, Stephens says, "I actually wanted to do things. I wanted to live life."

January 31, 2012 The anesthetic and club drug ketamine seems to lift depression symptoms in a matter of hours. But how does it work? Researchers are searching for the answer in an attempt to make a new class of depression medications. "We can take care of a migraine in hours," one researcher asks. "So why do we have to wait weeks or months with depression?"

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Monday, January 30, 2012

Shots - Health News

Could A Club Drug Offer 'Almost Immediate' Relief From Depression?

Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic for decades. It's also a widely popular but illegal club drug known as "Special K." When administered in low doses, patients report a rapid reduction in depression symptoms.

January 30, 2012 Currently, there's no quick fix for severe depression. Antidepressants usually take weeks to work, if they work at all. But patients who received experimental doses of ketamine — long used as an anesthetic, and an illegal club drug — report an astounding relief from their symptoms in less than a day.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Shots - Health News

Working Long Hours Can Be Depressing, Truly

Working long hours may get you more than a paycheck.

January 26, 2012 People who work long hours are more likely to become depressed, even if they're working in the executive suite. That's according to a study of British civil servants. Other studies have found that people with higher incomes are less vulnerable to depression, but they didn't factor in work hours.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Shots - Health News

Your Brain On Psilocybin Might Be Less Depressed

This could be your forest on psilocybin.

January 24, 2012 Magic mushrooms remain popular at music festivals. But scientists say their mind-altering effects might help people with depression. Happy memories are stronger in people tripping on psilocybin, a new study finds, while brain areas overactive in depression are reined in.

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Shots - Health News

When It Comes To Depression, Serotonin Isn't The Whole Story

The antidepressant Prozac selectively targets the chemical serotonin.

January 23, 2012 The antidepressant Prozac selectively targets the chemical serotonin. When the drug was introduced in the 1980s, it helped solidify the idea in many minds that depression was the result of a chemical imbalance. But the real story is far more complicated.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Shots - Health News

Fear Of Antidepressants Leads People To Shun Treatment

As common as antidepressant use has become, many depressed people still fear treatment.

September 14, 2011 Many people don't want to tell their doctor that they have symptoms of depression. And they've got a variety of reasons: fear of antidepressants, fear of being sent to a psychiatrist and worries about the confidentiality of medical records.

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