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A new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology looked at physical and mental activity, disease susceptibility, and risk of dementia. “In the present study, we aimed to assess the associations between physical and mental activity and the subsequent risk of dementia,” study author Huan Song told us. “We further hoped to explore whether such associations would differ for individuals with different susceptibility to dementia.” [More]

Smartphone and computer-based treatments are effective at reducing symptoms of depression. Research published in the Psychological Bulletin found that digital interventions could be effectively used as a treatment for depression for a variety of groups with different levels of depression. [More]

Excess deaths among those with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. A UK study of more than 160 thousand patients found that deaths from COVID-19 among people with learning disabilities were nine times higher than among the general population during the first UK lockdown and were five times higher among those with eating disorders. [More]

The number of people affected by a mental disorder is growing, along with vagueness around the term “mental disorder ”A recent Psychological Medicine article explores the controversy around defining what thoughts and behavior indicate a diagnosis and suggests that the psychiatric field would “benefit from developing more sharply defined indicators of dysfunction” [More]

As the world grapples to come to terms with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of mask wearing across the United States and around the world is highly variable. Now a study from MIT has found that a public feeling of “collectivism” predicts whether or not mask use is common. [More]

COVID-19 has had a significant mental health impact on both residents and staff members in aged care facilities. Research published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found those working or residing in aged care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic are experiencing high levels of stress and negative mental health impacts. [More]

The findings of a new study on diabetes and dementia were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. The results of the study may be able to help reduce the risk of dementia in diabetic patients with poor glycemic control. “Our study looks at the link between diabetes and the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases,” study author Dr. Carlos Celis-Morales told us. "We would like to better understand the link between diabetes but also glycemic control with dementia risk and whether these associations are explained by existing risk factors such as being obese, a smoker or having existing heart diseases or other chronic diseases.” [More]

A year ago, trying to get patients at Michigan Medicine to agree to telehealth for their mental health appointments was a challenge. The academic medical centre associated with the University of Michigan had only 26 video appointments in a six month period compared with 30 thousand in person visits. COVID-19 changed all that. [More]

Across the country, the New Year means some new laws take effect. These state laws affect how mental health treatment is covered, how schools tackle the issue with kids, and how to help patients in the future. [More]

A new study published in the BMJ Open looked at the need for recovery amongst emergency physicians in the UK and Ireland. “Our study is about using a tool called the Need for Recovery scale (NFR) to understand the physical and psychological impact of shift work in emergency departments in the UK and Ireland,” study author Laura Cottey told us. [More]