Aspirin During Pregnancy May Lower Baby’s Risk for Behavioral Problems.

HealthDay (http://tinyurl.com/aspirin-in-pregnancy 12/22, Thomas) reported the children of women who take low-dose aspirin during pregnancy because they are at high risk for delivering prematurely might have fewer behavioral problems at age 5.  In the study, French researchers used data on 656 children born before 33 weeks of gestation to 584 women from nine regions in France.  About 21 percent of the women took low-dose aspirin during pregnancy.  At age 5, children whose mothers had taken aspirin were slightly less likely to have behavioral difficulties or hyperactivity, though the results were not statistically significant, according to the study.   Still, much remains unknown about the role of aspirin in pregnancy, including exactly how well or why aspirin works.  One theory is that fetal growth restriction might be caused by tiny blood clots in the placenta, and aspirin helps blood flow between the placenta and the fetus. 

Seasonal Allergies Increase Suicidal Thoughts.

According to MedWire (http://tinyurl.com/allergies-and-suicide 12/23, Davenport)  a history of seasonal allergies is associated with an increased risk for suicide ideation, but not attempts.  Erick Messias (Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, USA) and colleagues explain that previous studies have indicated an association between atopy and mood, and “a seasonality of suicide has also been described.”  The researchers found that a history of seasonal allergies was associated with a statistically significant 1.27-fold increased risk for suicide ideation.  However, a history of seasonal allergies was not associated with a significantly increased risk for suicide attempts, at an odds ratio of 1.17.  Messias and team conclude: “In a large, nationally representative sample of the English speaking US population, history of seasonal allergies was associated with suicidal ideation without attempts.” 

Functional MRI Sheds Light on Social Woes in Autism.

HealthDay (http://tinyurl.com/self-reflection-autism 12/18, Preidt) reported the brains of autistic people are less active than expected when they’re engaged in self-reflective thought, a finding that helps explain autism-related social difficulties, say British researchers.  Using functional MRI, they measured the brain activity of 66 males, half of whom had autism, while they were asked questions about their own or the Queen’s thoughts, opinions,preferences, or physical characteristics.  The researchers were particularly interested in an area of the brain called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is known to be active when people think about themselves.  In non-autistic volunteers, this part of the brain was more active when they were asked questions about themselves than when they were thinking about the Queen. But the response was equal when those with autism were asked about themselves and the Queen.  “This new study shows that within the autistic brain, regions that typically prefer self-relevant information make no distinction between thinking about the self or another person. This is strong evidence that in the autistic brain, processing itself is atypical,” said Michael Lombardo of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge.  “The atypical way the autistic brain treats self-relevant information as equivalent to information about others could derail a child’s social development, particularly in understanding how they relate to the social world around them.”

Sunniest States are Happiest Places to Live.

The AP (http://tinyurl.com/sunny-states 12/17, Schmid) reported, people in sunny states such as Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida say they’re the happiest Americans.   The places where people are most likely to report happiness also tend to rate high on studies comparing things like climate, crime rates, air quality and schools.  Ranking No. 1 in happiness was Louisiana, home of Dixieland music and Cajun/Creole cooking.   Rounding out the happy five were Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee and Arizona.  At the other end of the scale, last in happiness — is New York state.   It is suggested that the long commutes, congestion and high prices around New York City account for some of the unhappiness. 

FDA Approves Longer-Lasting Form of Lilly’s Zyprexa.

The AP (http://tinyurl.com/long-lasting-zyprexa 12/15) reports Drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co said regulators have approved a longer-lasting version of its top-selling drug, the anti-psychotic Zyprexa.  The Food and Drug Administration approved Zyprexa Relprevv, an injection that can last up to four weeks, for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults.  Patients on Zyprexa currently take a pill daily. Lilly also makes a fast-acting injection of the drug that can be absorbed by the body in a few hours to treat agitation.  For the new version, patients will visit their doctors every two or four weeks to receive the injection, spokeswoman Janell Smith said.  She said the longer-lasting version makes it easier for patients to stay on the medication, and it allows doctors to track whether they’re doing that since they have to make office visits for the injections. 

Safe Blood Lead Levels Can Cause Mental Illness.

According to a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry (http://tinyurl.com/lead-and-psychiatry), in young adults with low levels of lead exposure, higher blood lead levels were associated with increased odds of major depression and panic disorders. Exposure to lead at levels generally considered safe could result in adverse mental health outcomes.  The mean blood lead level was 1.61 µg/dL.  Increasing blood lead levels were associated with higher odds of major depression and panic disorder but not generalized anxiety disorder.  Persons with blood lead levels in the highest quintile had 2.3 times the odds of major depressive disorder  and 4.9 times the odds of panic disorder as those in the lowest quintile.  Cigarette smoking was associated with higher blood lead levels and outcome, but models that excluded current smokers also resulted in significantly increased odds of major depression and panic disorder with higher blood lead quintiles.

Arm Swing Asymmetry During Walking May be Sign of Early Parkinson’s Disease.

According to a study published online Nov. 27 in the journal Gait and Posture (http://tinyurl.com/pakinson-s-gait) the later stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are characterized by altered gait patterns.  Although decreased arm swing during gait is the most frequently reported motor problem in individuals with PD, quantitative descriptions of gait in early PD have largely ignored upper extremity movements.  This study was designed to perform a quantitative analysis of arm swing magnitude and asymmetry that might be useful in the assessment of early PD.   Strikingly, the PD group showed significantly greater arm swing asymmetry compared to the control group.  Unlike arm swing magnitude, arm swing asymmetry unequivocally differs between people with early PD and controls.  Such quantitative evaluation of arm swing, especially its asymmetry, may have utility for early and differential diagnosis, and for tracking disease progression in patients with later PD.

Postpartum Depression Can Affect Fathers.

According to a recent New York Times article (12/8, D6 http://tinyurl.com/depressed-dads) up to 80 percent of women experience minor sadness after giving birth, and about 10 percent plummet into severe postpartum depression.  But it turns out that men can also have postpartum depression.  4 percent of fathers have clinically significant depressive symptoms within eight weeks of the birth of their children.  A 2006 study on marmoset monkeys, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, reported that new fathers experienced a rapid increase in receptors for the hormone vasopressin in the brain’s prefrontal cortex. Along with other hormones, vasopressin is involved in parental behavior in animals, and it is known that the same brain area in humans is activated when parents are shown pictures of their children.  There is also some evidence that testosterone levels tend to drop in men during their partner’s pregnancy, perhaps to make expectant fathers less aggressive and more likely to bond with their newborns.  Given the known association between depression and low testosterone in middle-aged men, it is possible that this might also put some men at risk of postpartum depression.  By far the strongest predictor of paternal postpartum depression is having a depressed partner.  In one study, fathers whose partners were also depressed were at nearly two and a half times the normal risk for depression.

Grape Juice Can Reduce Memory Loss

The UK’s Telegraph(http://tinyurl.com/grape-juice-and-memory 12/9) reports that scientists from the University of Cincinnati’s psychiatry department carried out a study which involved 12 people with early memory loss drinking pure 100 per cent Concord grape juice for 12 weeks.   The results showed an improvement the longer the trial went on in the half of the group who were drinking the juice.  Experts believe this proves the brain-boosting powers of antioxidants contained in the skin and juice of the grapes.  A simple, easy-to-incorporate dietary intervention that could improve or protect memory function, such as drinking Concord grape juice, may be beneficial for the ageing population.   A 2006 US study conducted at Vanderbilt University revealed drinking fruit and vegetable juices frequently could significantly cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  US researchers followed almost 2,000 people for up to 10 years – providing a powerful set of results. They found the risk was 76 per cent lower for those who drank juice more than three times a week, compared with those who drank it less than once-a-week.   Alzheimer’s is linked to the accumulation of clumps of beta-amyloid protein in the brain.  There is a suggestion this process may be controlled by the chemical hydrogen peroxide.

Seroquel XR Approved as an Add-On Treament for Major Depressive Disorder.

The AP ( 12/4 http://tinyurl.com/seroquel-xr-mdd) reported Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC has won U.S. approval for use of its schizophrenia drug Seroquel XR as an add-on treament for major depressive disorder.  But the London-based company said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked for more information before allowing the drug’s use as a single agent to treat major depressive disorder, or MDD.  Seroquel XR is an extended-release version of AstraZeneca’s schizophrenia medication Seroquel, a major seller for the company. It is already approved for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.  AstraZeneca said it is evaluating the FDA’s request.  “AstraZeneca will continue discussions with the FDA and will provide a response to the agency in due course,” it said in a statement.