Cell types underlying schizophrenia identified

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and University of North Carolina, USA, have identified the cell types underlying schizophrenia in a new study published in Nature Genetics. The findings offer a roadmap for the development of new therapies to target the condition.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180521131602.htm

Genetics researchers close in on schizophrenia

 Researchers at the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics at Cardiff University have discovered 50 new gene regions that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. They have also used state-of-the-art information about brain development to accurately pinpoint new genes and biological pathways implicated in this disorder.

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          https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180227111701.htm

The Mental Health Risks of Adolescent Cannabis Use

Dependence is an underappreciated risk of cannabis use [1]. There has been an increase in the numbers of adults requesting help to stop using cannabis in many developed countries, including Australia [4] and the Netherlands [1, 5]. Regular cannabis users develop tolerance to many of the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [6–8], and those seeking help to stop often report withdrawal symptoms [9–11]. Withdrawal symptoms have been reported by 80% of male and 60% of female adolescents seeking treatment for cannabis dependence

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http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0030039

Higher Death Rate Among Youth with First Episode Psychosis

A new study shows that young people experiencing first episode psychosis have a much higher death rate than previously thought. Researchers analyzed data on approximately 5,000 individuals aged 16-30 with commercial health insurance who had received a new psychosis diagnosis, and followed them for the next 12 months. They found that the group had a mortality rate at least 24 times greater than the same age group in the general population, in the 12 months after the initial psychosis diagnosis. This study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health, underscores that young people experiencing psychosis warrant intensive and proactive treatments, services and supports.

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https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2017/higher-death-rate-among-youth-with-first-episode-psychosis.shtml