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- NIMH Staff Honored for Work on Behalf of Returning Veterans
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December 31, 2008
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Science Update
Several NIMH staff members will be awarded the 2008 Hubert H. Humphrey Award for Service to America for their work in addressing the mental health needs of returning veterans.
- Three NIMH Grantees Receive White House Award
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December 30, 2008
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Science Update
Three NIMH grantees were among the 67 recipients of Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) for 2007.
- New NIMH Strategic Plan Accelerates Mental Health Research
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September 8, 2008
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Science Update
Building on the recent rapid advances in understanding the science of brain and behavior, the new National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) strategic plan is designed to maintain momentum in research and transform the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders.
- Virtual Reality, Psychotherapy, Show Promise in Treating PTSD Symptoms; Civilian Access to Care Remains a Concern
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May 7, 2008
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Science Update
Early data from an NIMH-sponsored double-blind study of 24 war veterans shows a marked reduction in acoustic startle ─ the reflex response to sudden loud sounds ─ in those treated with virtual reality exposure therapy combined with either d-cycloserine, an antibiotic that has been shown to facilitate the extinction of fear memories; pill placebo; or the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam (Xanax).
- New Therapies Show Promise for Vascular Depression; Heart, Metabolic, Risks of Some Antipsychotic Medications Flagged
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May 7, 2008
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Science Update
Researchers see new treatments on the horizon for a type of depression related to blood vessels that affects the elderly, and have discovered why some elderly people fail to respond to current medications. In other studies, scientists urge caution regarding use of antipsychotics (usually for schizophrenia or other psychosis) in this and other populations to minimize metabolic, heart, and stroke risks.
- Clues to Role of Brain Development as Risk for Mental Disorders May Also Lead to Better Treatments
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May 6, 2008
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Science Update
Increasing evidence points to links between the timing and growth rates of specific brain areas in the young brain and the likelihood of developing a wide range of mental disorders later in life, say researchers convened by NIMH
- Imaging Identifies Brain Regions and Chemicals Underlying Mood Disorders; May Lead to Better Treatments
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May 6, 2008
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Science Update
Recently developed imaging techniques allow the mapping of the brain circuits and chemical systems believed responsible for a range of mood abnormalities including depression and bipolar disorder, and hold promise for improved treatments, scientists say.
- Studies Identify Subtle Genetic Changes’ Risk for Mental Disorders; May Lead to Targets for New, Better, Therapies
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May 5, 2008
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Science Update
Epigenetics ─ the examination of how environmental factors like diet, stress, and post-natal maternal behavior can change gene function without altering DNA sequence ─ plays a major role in depression and in the actions of antidepressant medications. New studies in the field are revealing new molecular targets for better therapies for depression, scientists say.
- Mark Your Calendars, NIMH Science Track at APA Annual Meeting, May 3-8, 2008
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April 17, 2008
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Science Update
NIMH will host science track symposia, lectures, press conferences at the American Psychiatric Association 161st Annual Meeting.
- Foreign Nativity May Not Always Protect Against Mental Disorders in the US
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January 3, 2008
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Science Update
Though all Latino immigrants tend to display better overall mental health compared to their US-born counterparts, a recent study by NIMH-funded researchers has found that the protective benefits of foreign nativity vary widely across subgroups of this population.
