Risk factors predictive of psychiatric symptoms after traumatic brain injury

ScienceDaily (July 11, 2011) — A history of psychiatric illness such as depression or anxiety before a traumatic brain injury (TBI), together with other risk factors, are strongly predictive of post-TBI psychiatric disorders, according to an article published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

In addition to a pre-injury psychiatric disorder, two other factors are early indicators of an increased risk for psychiatric illness one year after a TBI: psychiatric symptoms during the acute post-injury period, and a concurrent limb injury. Kate Rachel Gould, DPsych, Jennie Louise Ponsford, PhD, Lisa Johnston, PhD, and Michael Schönberger, PhD, Epworth Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and University of Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, also describe a link between risk of psychiatric symptoms and unemployment, pain, and poor quality of life during the 12-month post-TBI period.

In the presence of a limb injury, patients who suffered a TBI had a 6.4 greater risk of psychiatric disorders at 1 year, and a 4-fold greater risk of depression in particular, compared to patients without a limb injury.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

Kate Rachel Gould, Jennie Louise Ponsford, Lisa Johnston, Michael Schönberger. Predictive and Associated Factors of Psychiatric Disorders after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Study. Journal of Neurotrauma, 2011; : 110613150039035 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2010.1528

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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Children born after unplanned pregnancy are slower to develop, UK study finds

ScienceDaily (July 27, 2011) — Children born after unplanned pregnancies tend to have a more limited vocabulary and poorer non-verbal and spatial abilities; however this is almost entirely explained by their disadvantaged circumstances, according to a new study published online in the British Medical Journal. The same study reported no adverse effects of infertility treatment on the children.

In the UK, as many as 30-40% of pregnancies that end in childbirth are unplanned, while the number of children born after assisted reproductive technologies is growing every year.

It is already known that children born after a prolonged time to conception or assisted reproduction are at greater risk of poor health outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and congenital anomalies, and some researchers have reported lower cognitive (mental) scores in such children.

Unplanned pregnancies also have poorer outcomes, but there has been little research to assess whether child development is associated with pregnancy planning.

So a team of UK researchers set out to investigate how pregnancy planning, time to conception, and infertility treatment influence a child's cognitive development at three and five years old.

They analysed data from approximately 12,000 children from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large UK study of families and infants born in 2000-2. Parents who took part were interviewed when their child was nine months old and then revisited when the child was three and five years old.

Mothers reported whether the pregnancy was planned, their feelings when first pregnant, time to conception, and details of any infertility treatment.

Each child's verbal, non-verbal and spatial abilities were tested at age three and five using the British Ability Scales.

Initial analyses showed that children born after an unplanned pregnancy were four to five months behind planned children in verbal abilities, while children born after assisted reproduction were three to four months ahead.

However, these differences all but disappeared when the researchers took into account the socioeconomic circumstances of each child.

The authors conclude: "These differences are almost entirely explained by socioeconomic factors, providing further evidence of the influence of socioeconomic inequalities on the lives of children in the UK. To help children achieve their full potential, policy makers should continue to target social inequalities."

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

C. Carson, Y. Kelly, J. J. Kurinczuk, A. Sacker, M. Redshaw, M. A. Quigley. Effect of pregnancy planning and fertility treatment on cognitive outcomes in children at ages 3 and 5: longitudinal cohort study. BMJ, 2011; 343 (jul26 1): d4473 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.d4473

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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One in six fast-food customers cut calories after US food labeling system introduction

ScienceDaily (July 27, 2011) — Around a sixth of fast food customers used calorie information and, on average, bought food with lower calories since the introduction of a labelling system in the US, says a new study published on the British Medical Journal website.

US researchers found there has been a small but positive impact from a law introduced in 2008 in New York requiring chain restaurants with 15 or more branches nationally to provide calorie information on menus and menu boards in the city.

Obesity rates in the US are at an all time high in both adults and children and currently a third of adults and 17% of children and teenagers are obese. Several studies support an association between fast food consumption and excessive energy intake, but customers often underestimate the number of calories in restaurant meals and before 2007, nutrition information was seldom available at the point of purchase.

So a team of researchers decided to assess the impact of the calorie labelling regulation on the energy content of individual purchases at fast food restaurants in New York City. High street chains in England are about to embark on a similar, though voluntary scheme, as part of the government's Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Surveys were carried out during lunchtime hours in spring 2007 (one year before the regulation) and in spring 2009 (nine months after its implementation) at 168 randomly selected locations of the top 11 fast food chains in the city.

Adult customers provided register receipts and answered survey questions. Data from 7,309 customers in 2007 and 8,489 customers in 2009 were analysed.

Overall, there was no decline in calories purchased across the full sample. However, three major chains saw significant reductions.

For example, at McDonalds, average energy per purchase fell by 5.3%, at Au Bon Pain, it fell by 14.4% and at KFC, it dropped by 6.4%. Together, these three chains represented 42% of all customers in the study.

However, average energy content increased at one chain -- Subway -- by 17.8% where large portions were heavily promoted.

Analysis also showed that 15% of customers reported using the calorie information and, on average, these customers purchased 106 fewer kilocalories than customers who did not see or use the calorie information.

The researchers say that calorie labelling is only one part of a framework to address the obesity epidemic and call for additional strategies to reduce energy intake on a population basis. "Special attention should be focused on educating customers on how to interpret and use nutrition information," they conclude.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr Susan Jebb from the MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre in Cambridge believes that labelling is a step forward, but changes in food supply must follow. She writes: "Calorie labelling will help consumers make an informed choice about what they eat, but sustained improvements in the nation's diet will require a transformation of the food supply too."

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal References:

T. Dumanovsky, C. Y. Huang, C. A. Nonas, T. D. Matte, M. T. Bassett, L. D. Silver. Changes in energy content of lunchtime purchases from fast food restaurants after introduction of calorie labelling: cross sectional customer surveys. BMJ, 2011; 343 (jul26 1): d4464 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.d4464S. A. Jebb. Calorie labelling on the high street. BMJ, 2011; 343 (jul26 1): d4502 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.d4502

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Risk factors predictive of psychiatric symptoms after traumatic brain injury

ScienceDaily (July 11, 2011) — A history of psychiatric illness such as depression or anxiety before a traumatic brain injury (TBI), together with other risk factors, are strongly predictive of post-TBI psychiatric disorders, according to an article published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

In addition to a pre-injury psychiatric disorder, two other factors are early indicators of an increased risk for psychiatric illness one year after a TBI: psychiatric symptoms during the acute post-injury period, and a concurrent limb injury. Kate Rachel Gould, DPsych, Jennie Louise Ponsford, PhD, Lisa Johnston, PhD, and Michael Schönberger, PhD, Epworth Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and University of Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, also describe a link between risk of psychiatric symptoms and unemployment, pain, and poor quality of life during the 12-month post-TBI period.

In the presence of a limb injury, patients who suffered a TBI had a 6.4 greater risk of psychiatric disorders at 1 year, and a 4-fold greater risk of depression in particular, compared to patients without a limb injury.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

Kate Rachel Gould, Jennie Louise Ponsford, Lisa Johnston, Michael Schönberger. Predictive and Associated Factors of Psychiatric Disorders after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Study. Journal of Neurotrauma, 2011; : 110613150039035 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2010.1528

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Risk factors predictive of psychiatric symptoms after traumatic brain injury

ScienceDaily (July 11, 2011) — A history of psychiatric illness such as depression or anxiety before a traumatic brain injury (TBI), together with other risk factors, are strongly predictive of post-TBI psychiatric disorders, according to an article published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

In addition to a pre-injury psychiatric disorder, two other factors are early indicators of an increased risk for psychiatric illness one year after a TBI: psychiatric symptoms during the acute post-injury period, and a concurrent limb injury. Kate Rachel Gould, DPsych, Jennie Louise Ponsford, PhD, Lisa Johnston, PhD, and Michael Schönberger, PhD, Epworth Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and University of Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, also describe a link between risk of psychiatric symptoms and unemployment, pain, and poor quality of life during the 12-month post-TBI period.

In the presence of a limb injury, patients who suffered a TBI had a 6.4 greater risk of psychiatric disorders at 1 year, and a 4-fold greater risk of depression in particular, compared to patients without a limb injury.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

Kate Rachel Gould, Jennie Louise Ponsford, Lisa Johnston, Michael Schönberger. Predictive and Associated Factors of Psychiatric Disorders after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Study. Journal of Neurotrauma, 2011; : 110613150039035 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2010.1528

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Panic symptoms increase steadily, not acutely, after stressful event

ScienceDaily (June 20, 2011) — Just like everyone else, people with panic disorder have real stress in their lives. They get laid off and they fight with their spouses. How such stresses affect their panic symptoms hasn't been well understood, but a new study by researchers at Brown University presents the counterintuitive finding that certain kinds of stressful life events cause panic symptoms to increase gradually over succeeding months, rather than to spike immediately.

"We definitely expected the symptoms to get worse over time, but we also thought the symptoms would get worse right away," said Ethan Moitra, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

But even if the events don't seem to trigger an immediate panic attack, said Dr. Martin Keller, professor of psychiatry and human behavior and principal investigator of the research, patients, family members, or their psychiatrists need to keep their guard up.

"If they have the event and they are not feeling much different then maybe the vigilance on the individual's part decreases somewhat," Keller said. "With the knowledge we have, you may need to stay vigilant for three months or maybe longer. This is something you have to watch for."

In their study, published in advance June 11 in the Journal of Affective Disorders, lead author Moitra, Keller, and their co-authors also found that panic symptoms did not seem to increase in advance of stressful life events, even if they were predictable, such as a divorce becoming official.

The study is based annual assessments of 418 adults with panic disorder or panic disorder with agoraphobia, who were enrolled in the Harvard/Brown Anxiety Research Project (HARP) between 1998 and 2004. Research staff asked the volunteers detailed, standardized questions about important events in their lives and their levels of anxiety.

A statistical analysis of the results found that for stressful life events in the categories of "work," such as a demotion or layoff, or "friends/family/household," such as a family argument, panic symptoms that had meandering severity before the event, increased steadily but gradually for at least 12 weeks afterward.

Stressful events in seven other categories, such as "crime/legal" or "deaths" did not seem to affect panic symptoms at all.

While the findings about the effect of some stressful life events on symptoms of people already diagnosed with panic disorder are new, other researchers have connected stress to panic attacks before. Stressful events are associated with the onset of panic disorder in the vast majority of cases, Moitra said.

Moitra said a possible biological explanation for the association is that stressful life events might exacerbate an underlying proclivity in people with panic disorder to perceive oncoming bouts of hyperventilation, which in turn lead to panic responses.

But while some stressful events have proven to be associated with changes in panic symptom levels, more research is needed to determine what kind of causal role stressful events may have.

"This may be one of those reasons why panic disorders can get worse," Moitra said.

In addition to Moitra and Keller, other authors include Brown psychiatry and human behavior researchers Ingryd Dyck, Courtney Beard, Andri Bjornsson, and Nicholas Sibrava. Author Risa Weisberg is also affiliated with the Alpert Medical School's Department of Family Medicine. The National Institutes of Health funded the research.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Brown University.

Journal Reference:

Ethan Moitra, Ingrid Dyck, Courtney Beard, Andri S. Bjornsson, Nicholas J. Sibrava, Risa B. Weisberg, Martin B. Keller. Impact of stressful life events on the course of panic disorder in adults. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2011; DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.05.029

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here