Transmission of Distress Across Generations Based on Epigenetic Changes Researchers looking at victims of severe trauma, such as concentration camp survivors, have long known that the effects of these events are transmitted in some fashion to the children and even the children’s children. The mechanism of this transmission has usually been assumed to be based on changes in parenting behavior …
Nutrition and Diet Update
Nutrition and Diet Update We recently updated the overall guidelines in our healthy diet page to incorporate information from the largest study today looking at diet and its effect on overall mortality. It’s worth summarizing both the strengths and weaknesses of this study which was published in two articles in the Lancet. It is the largest study to date. Nearly 140,000 …
Blue Blocking Glasses for Mania
Blue blocking glasses may be a useful adjunct to medications for mania. Bright light is one of the most rapidly effective treatments for depression and may be helpful for depression even in people without a clear seasonal pattern (winter depression). A recent study suggests that the opposite may be true, that avoiding light may treat mania. The portion of the …
Dr. Forster Appointed to DSM Taskforce
Dr. Peter Forster has been appointed to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Task Force of the American Psychiatric Association. The new edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) is the product of more than 10 years of effort by hundreds of international experts in all aspects of mental health. The DSM defines and classifies mental …
Bipolar 101 Group Fall 2017
We are excited to announce a repeat of our very successful Bipolar 101 Group Fall 2017. Do you want to learn more about bipolar disorder and connect with others who may have experienced similar symptoms to you? Gateway Psychiatric we will be hosting an online psychoeducation group this fall beginning on September 8th for adults diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It will …
Reduced Gene Expression in Reward Center is Linked to Depression
Researchers from the University of Maryland have conducted a series of experiments in mice and humans leading them to conclude that reduced gene expression in the reward center is linked to depression. Specifically, the researchers found that there was reduced expression of the Slc6a15 gene in the brains of people with major depression who committed suicide, and that expression of this …
Genetic Tests for Antidepressants – CNS Dose
About a year ago we reviewed the data on the use of genetic tests for antidepressants as well as other medications and identified three pharmacogenetic panels that seem to have research support: Genecept by Genomind, Genesight, and CNS Dose. Of these three we have been using Genecept and Genesight with some success but now we are happy to add to …
Lithium Mechanism of Action
Understanding the lithium mechanism of action may allow us to predict which bipolar patients will respond to the medication (and which will not) and may shape our understanding of the causes of bipolar disorder itself. Research at the University of California, San Diego could lead to just these kind of breakthroughs in the next few years. In the first of …
Brain Response to Stress in Depression
A study looking at the brain response to stress in depression offers important clues about changes in brain function that may be associated with vulnerability to depression and what happens when a vulnerable individual becomes depressed. Researchers looked at brain activity using functional MRI in three groups of people: people with untreated first episode major depression, people with a history …
Enlyte – methylfolate and more
Enlyte is a therapeutic food that has been designed to help people at risk of functional deficits in folate and methylfolate that may be associated with treatment resistant depression. It contains a mixture of folate, folinic acid and l-methylfolate as well as other co-factors. EnLyte/EnBrace HR/EnLyte-D helps with concentration, motivation, and sleep. Symptoms include depressed mood, loss of interest, problems concentrating, insomnia, …