Research Snapshot

Depression More Damaging to Life Than Other Conditions: Depression alone is more damaging to everyday life than are many chronic physical conditions, such as diabetes, angina and asthma, a World Health Organization study published in the Lancet indicates. And, in combination with physical conditions, depression intensifies the severity of those conditions. (Reuters, 9/7/07)

Mental Health Treatment Not Easily Available Globally: Many people throughout the world who have mental illnesses receive no treatment at all, an NIMH study published in the Lancet indicates. This finding was true in less developed countries, as might be commonly expected due to a lack of resources, but was also true in developed nations, including the United States, where only about one-half of people who meet the criteria for serious mental illnesses receive any treatment. The group least likely to be in treatment is married men with little education who are either very young or old. (Reuters, 9/6/07)

Only One-Third of Kids Who Have ADHD Get Treatment: Although there is often a perception that ADHD is overdiagnosed and overtreated, of the roughly 9 percent of American children who have ADHD, only about one-third take medication that can help them manage their symptoms, a study published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine indicates. “ Our study shows that ... the opposite problem—underdiagnosis and undertreatment—seems to be occurring,” the study’s lead researcher said. (HealthDay, 9/4/07)

Excessive T.V. Viewing Can Lead to Later Attention Problems: New Zealand researchers report in the journal Pediatrics that young children who watch more than two hours of television each day are at an increased likelihood of experiencing attention problems as teenagers. (Reuters, 9/7/07)

Bullying Has Long-Lasting Effect on Bullies and Victims: Boys who are bullies are at a significantly increased risk for developing antisocial personality disorder in adulthood, while boys who were bullies' targets are at an increased risk for developing anxiety disorders, a Finnish study published in Pediatrics indicates. (Reuters, 8/6/07)

Researchers Id Resilience Traits: Researchers who studied how American prisoners of war coped in Vietnam have identified six personality traits that they say might help military personnel— and civilians—to be resilient in the face of severe physical and psychological trauma. The traits, most of which can be learned, range from being physically fit to having the ability to draw strength from negative events. (Hartford Courant, 8/25/07)

Meth Users at Risk for Developing Parkinson’s-Like Condition: Young people who use methamphetamine, or meth, are at an increased risk for developing a condition similar to Parkinson’s disease later in life, a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience indicates. The Medical University of South Carolina researchers speculate that such a condition could exist because meth reduces levels of a brain chemical called dopamine, lower levels of which are also found in people with Parkinson’s. (Reuters, 8/28/07).