News: December 2011
The following is an archive of all news from December 2011.
 | DNA Copying Errors Linked To Bipolar Disorder by Daniel Bader - 12-23-2011 A scientific article published in the journal Neuron linked bipolar disorder to what are called "copy number variants" (CNVs) in DNA. CNVs occur when a given strand of DNA replicates either too many or too few copies. It is what is called a de novo... |
 | "Harry Potter" Director David Yates to Helm "Your Voice In My Head" by Daniel Bader - 12-22-2011 The director of the last four Harry Potter films, David Yates, will be heading up a new film, "Your Voice In My Head." The film is based on the memoir by journalist Emma Forest about her struggles with bipolar disorder. The memoir focuses on Forest... |
 | AstraZeneca Announces $380m Write-Down by Daniel Bader - 12-21-2011 AstraZeneca, the maker of Seroquel, just announced a $380m write-down, meaning that the company is worth $380 million less than it had previously estimated. AstraZeneca faces a number of challenges. This year, two of its new drugs, the cancer drug ... |
 | Inquest Underway Into Staff Who Ignored Dying Bipolar Woman by Daniel Bader - 12-20-2011 On March 29th, Krystyna Szalajko, aged 59, died on the floor of her room at a residential apartment complex run by Suffolk Mind in Cambridgeshire, England. She had often lain prone in what staff called "attention-seeking behavior." Ms Szalajko had ... |
 | New Biography of Virginia Woolf Discusses Bipolar Disorder and Loss by Daniel Bader - 12-19-2011 A new biography of Virginia Woolf by Alexandra Harris takes a new approach to the subject. Rather than simply discuss the details of her life, she examines each of Woolf's works one by one and discusses the inspiration behind each of them. Perhaps ... |
 | Abilify Approved in Canada for Use in Some Teens
by Daniel Bader - 12-16-2011 The atypical antipsychotic, Abilify, has been approved in Canada for use in schizophrenia for teenagers aged 15-17. This is the first atypical antipsychotic to be approved in Canada for use in youth under the age of 18. This situation differs from ... |
 | Newt Gingrich's Alleged Bipolar Disorder Becomes Issue by Daniel Bader - 12-15-2011 As Newt Gingrich has become the leader in the Republican primaries, questions about his mental health have started to be raised in the media. Specifically, journalists are starting to ask whether or not he has bipolar disorder. His mother was known... |
 | TV's Homeland Delves Into Mania *Spoilers* by Daniel Bader - 12-14-2011 *Spoiler Alert* The television show "Homeland" on Showtime has had a bipolar main character since the beginning, Carrie Mathison. While her bipolar disorder has often led to some erratic behavior, including an affair with terrorist suspect Nichol... |
 | Man Imprisoned For Offense While Committed by Daniel Bader - 12-13-2011 Joe Paraskeva of the United Kingdom was convicted for arson as the result of an attempted escape from a psyciatric institution. His mother, Linda Morgan has put together a petition asking for her son's conviction to be overturned. Mr. Paraskeva, 21... |
 | Adasuve Fails to Receive FDA Endorsement by Daniel Bader - 12-12-2011 The controversial inhaled antipsychotic, Adasuve, failed to get an endorsement from the FDA advisory panel today (December 12th). While the panel was convinced of the efficacy of the product for treating acute agitation in bipolar and schizophrenic ... |
 | "Teen Mom" Star's Bipolar Disorder Raises Questions by Daniel Bader - 12-09-2011 Amber Portwood was one of four teen mothers on MTV's popular reality television show Teen Mom. As the show progressed, her behavior became increasingly erratic, leading ultimately to charges against her of physical abuse toward her now-ex-boyfriend ... |
 | Fluorescent Protein Opens New Possibilities For Brain Research by Daniel Bader - 12-08-2011 Scientists have discovered a protein that fluoresces when exposed to firing brain neurons, according to a new study published in the journal science. The protein, called archaerhodopsin-3 is derived from a microbe that lives in the Dead Sea. Unlike... |
 | Acute Postpartum Symptoms Linked To Bipolar Disorder by Daniel Bader - 12-07-2011 A new study published in the journal has linked acute postpartum symptoms with later diagnoses of bipolar disorder. Acute postpartum symptoms include severe depression or even psychosis and affect about 0.1% of new mothers. The study took place in ... |
 | Irish Psychiatrist Suggests Adding Lithium To Water by Daniel Bader - 12-06-2011 A psychiatrist and former politician in Ireland, Dr. Moosajee Bhamjee, has suggested that lithium be added to the water supply in order to lower the suicide rate. He cites studies in Texas from 1990 and Japan from 2009 that show that the suicide rat... |
 | New Study Examines Bipolar Disorder and OCD by Daniel Bader - 12-05-2011 A new study in Anxiety and Depression, the official journal of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, examined the link between obsessive compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder, as well as other mental illnesses. They discovered two importa... |
 | Toronto Exhibition Features Artists With Mood Disorders by Daniel Bader - 12-02-2011 Coopers Fine Art Gallery in Toronto will be featuring artwork by artists with mood disorders on December 8th. This show, called "Touched By Fire" will feature two Kingston artists, Leah Murray and Tanya Gwen Minnic, who had their work selected from ... |
 | Inspector Says Antipsychotics Overused for Dementia in the Elderly by Daniel Bader - 12-01-2011 Government inspectors in the United States asked lawmakers to help ensure that antipsychotics are not used for the treatment of dementia among elderly patients. Antipsychotics are FDA approved for use in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but the i... |
