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Mental Health
Un flags increase in young people with mental disorders
According to alarming statistics from the United National Children’s Fund (Unicef), one in seven young people between 10 and 19 lives with a diagnosable...
Teens’ anxiety, depression, rises after four hours’ screen time, say experts
Teenagers who spend four or more hours in front of the screen each day are more likely to experience anxiety and depression, according to a new report from...
Doctor blames US politics for unpublished puberty blocker study
An influential doctor and advocate of adolescent gender treatments said she had not published a long-awaited study of puberty-blocking drugs because of the charged...
Meditation may worsen mental health issues, warns expert
Because mindfulness is free, and something you can practise at home, it often sounds like the perfect tonic for stress and mental health issues....
Convicted murderer Lauren Dickason served with deportation order
South African doctor Lauren Dickason has reportedly been served with a deportation order by Immigration New Zealand after having been found guilty of murdering...
Tragedy sparks concern over medicinal cannabis oversight
A recent tragic case in Australia has cast a spotlight on the booming but little-policed cannabis industry now being accessed by hundreds of thousands...
Omega-3 cuts aggression by nearly 30% – US meta-analysis
A recent meta-analysis suggests that omega-3, available as dietary supplements via fish oil capsules and thought to help with mental and physical well-being, could...
Why schizophrenic patients hear voices – Chinese-US study
Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of auditory hallucinations, and the “hearing of voices”, a symptom affecting many with schizophrenia.
A recent study from...
Viral infections linked to Alzheimer’s – large US study
In a study of more than 450 000 people, researchers found a significant 22 connections between viral infections and neurodegenerative conditions, suggesting that people...
Impact of severe Covid on brain’s ‘control centre’ – UK study
British researchers have suggested that severe Covid infections may drive inflammation in the brain’s “control centre”, causing damage that could explain the long-term breathlessness,...
First new schizophrenia drug in decades approved by FDA
No new treatments for schizophrenia have been approved in nearly three decades, but last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Cobenfy for the...
Prescription amphetamine tied to higher psychosis risk – US study
Amphetamine use has risen steadily in the US over the past few years – up 70% between 2011 and 2021 – with a recent...
How to tackle South Africa's high suicide rate
Not only does South Africa have the third highest suicide rate in Africa, but Africa itself has higher rates of suicide than any other...
MIND diet slows cognitive decline for women, black people – US study
Sticking to the MIND diet for 10 years produced a small but significant decrease in the risk of developing thinking, concentration and memory problems,...
Collaborative study on a quest to find Parkinson’s cure
A three-year research programme will investigate Parkinson’s disease in unprecedented detail, with the aim of discovering a cure for the condition.
The Landmark programme will...
Steady rise in antidepressant-linked OD deaths over 20 years
Recent data have revealed that overdoses involving antidepressants have been climbing each year from 1999 until 2022 in the US, but the experts say...
Diabetes drug linked to lower dementia risk – Korean study
A drug used to treat type 2 diabetes may reduce the risk of dementia by 35%, according to a large study carried out by...
US Surgeon-General flags pressure of parenting
Nearly half of all American parents feel overwhelming stress on any given day, compared with 25% of non-parents, and it's time to do something...
Questions remain on weight loss drugs' suicide risk – US study
A recent study of an international drug safety database – suggesting people taking semaglutide are likelier to think about suicide than those taking other...
Cape teens struggle with depression – SA study
Western Cape researchers are concerned after findings that 33% of 10- to 14-year-olds had experienced symptoms like sadness and hopelessness, with more than 80%...
South African workers overly stressed, global poll finds
A recent report by Gallup reveals South African employees are suffering from extremely high stress levels, with 36% of the workforce experiencing excessive stress daily, and...
Some antidepressants may be tied to weight gain – Harvard study
Recent studies have suggested that weight gain may be an unwanted side effect of certain antidepressants, with the researchers highlighting the importance of full...
Approval at last for Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug
After decades of trying to develop a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, and several hiccups along the way, Eli Lilly has finally won FDA approval...
Breakups tied to emotional trauma in students – SA study
A romantic breakup can be devastating and traumatic during emerging adulthood (between 18 and 25), a critical stage in the life course, especially for...
High incident of PTSD in patients post ICU stay – SA study
The burden of mental health diseases in ICU survivors is substantial, a recent study has found, and can have lasting effects on well-being, and...
Risk of fatal side effects from Alzheimer’s drug, warn experts
Some potentially fatal complications linked to the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi (lecanemab) have raised concerns among health professionals, who question whether its risks are worth its...
Millions for NPO rehab centre diverted to Life Healthcare account
A forensic investigation by Gauteng’s Department of Social Development (DSD) department has found that R112m of taxpayers’s money meant for drug recovery patients was...
‘Internet addiction’ and neurological changes in teens – systematic review
A study in in PLOS Mental Health suggesting that in teens with “internet addiction”, there is a disruption of the signalling between brain regions important...
Positive effect of intensive lifestyle changes on Alzheimer’s – small US trial
Intensive lifestyle changes improved cognitive outcomes and slowed disease progression in a phase II trial of early Alzheimer’s, with the patients’ scores in cognition and...
Gender-affirming healthcare matters in SA
Gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth has sparked intense debate globally. In South Africa, we need to significantly improve accessibility countrywide, ensure services are well-resourced,...
Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms common – meta-analysis
At least 15% of people who stop taking antidepressants will suffer from withdrawal symptoms, suggests a recent analysis, which found dizziness, headache and nausea...
FDA says no to ecstasy for PTSD treatment
US Food and Drug Administration advisers have voted against a therapy based on the mind-altering drug MDMA, known as “ecstasy”, for patients with post-traumatic...
Premenstrual disorders tied to higher suicide risk – Swedish study
Women with premenstrual disorders (PMDs) have been associated with a higher risk of death from non-natural causes, a study in Sweden has suggested, with...
Multi-million-rand Gauteng rehab centres under investigation
Two large drug rehabilitation centres in Randfontein and Witpoort, operated by Life Healthcare, are under investigation by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, while...
Mental health admissions on the rise – Netcare
Netcare, which owns 14 mental health hospitals with 1 007 beds, has said that paid patient days grew 7% in the half-year to March,...
Medical community at a crossroads on child gender-affirming care
The release of a major review of gender identity services for children has sparked debate about the best approach to providing care for young...
Depression risk ‘40% higher’ in perimenopause – UK meta-analysis
British researchers have suggested that women who are approaching menopause have a 40% higher risk of suffering from anxiety and depression than those with...
UK issues side effect alert for men on hair loss, prostate drug
Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will introduce a patient alert card to boost awareness among men taking finasteride, warning about potential...
Pollution linked to stress, heart disease deaths – US study
A study in more than 3 000 US counties, involving more than 315m residents, has suggested that air pollution is linked with stress and...
Top job for disgraced former hospital CEO
Former Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital CEO Dr Nozuko Mkabayi, slammed by former Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba for her appalling performance during her...