Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis. It’s suggested that genetic variation in the AKT1 gene might influence this adverse effect.

Researchers at Kings College London, in the UK, studied the connection. (more…)

Several health organizations have come together to review the evidence.

Here’s what we know. (more…)

Researchers at Royal Edinburgh Hospital, in the UK are the first to follow patients over 2 years. (more…)

Researchers at Catholic University Leuven, in Belgium, reviewed the evidence for physical therapy in people with schizophrenia.

First, the details.

10 studies were included in the review.

• 6 studies addressed the use of aerobic and strength exercises.
• In 2 of these studies, yoga techniques also were investigated.
• 4 studies addressed the use of progressive muscle relaxation.

And, the results.

• There’s evidence that aerobic and strength exercises and yoga reduce psychiatric symptoms, anxiety and psychological distress, and improve health-related quality of life.
• Aerobic exercise improves short-term memory.
• Progressive muscle relaxation reduces anxiety and psychological distress.

The bottom line?

The authors concluded, “Physical therapy offers added value in the multidisciplinary care of people with schizophrenia.”

The differences between studies in terms of design and the small number of patients studies, say the researchers, make it necessary to conduct additional studies to confirm these findings.

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Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University, in Taiwan reviewed the evidence related to music’s effect on people with different mental illnesses. (more…)

Low intake of fish, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and vitamin D deficiency has been suggested to play a role in the development of schizophrenia.

Researchers from Scandinavia evaluated the association between the intake of different fish species, PUFA, and vitamin D, and the prevalence of psychotic-like symptoms in Swedish women. (more…)

Research suggests that patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics have low vitamin D blood levels and may have a higher risk of hip fractures in their later years than the general population.

Researchers at Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, in France, evaluated whether the vitamin D levels in adolescent psychiatric inpatients were lower than the 30 ng/mL recommended to protect against osteoporosis. (more…)

Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder that involves involuntary movements, especially of the lower face.

Researchers at Peking University, in Beijing, China studied the value of EGb-761, a standardized extract given in capsule form, in patients with schizophrenia. (more…)

People with schizophrenia frequently report benefit from cannabis use. Yet, cannabis may be a risk factor for schizophrenia.

Researchers from the University of Bergen, in Norway reviewed the medical research for a connection. (more…)

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, hypothesized that cannabis use (or a cannabis use disorder) at a younger age relates to a high-risk symptoms at a younger age.

And a second study comes to rather odd conclusions about marijuana and schizophrenia severity. (more…)

In this Cochrane Library review, researchers from the University of Toronto, in Ontario evaluated the mental health effects of exercise/physical activity programs for people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illnesses. (more…)

Researchers from the Norwegian University tell us, “The benefits of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for humans with mental disorders have been well-documented using cats and dogs.”

But what about farm animals? (more…)

 Brain levels of glutathione are lower in schizophrenia — a disorder that often is chronic and not responsive to treatment. Since N-acetylcysteine (NAC) increases brain levels of glutathione in rodents, an international group of researchers sought to determine its effect in patients. (more…)

According to a study in The Lancet, “There is now sufficient evidence to warn young people that using cannabis could increase their risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life.” (more…)

Yoga instructor Janette Scott wrote in Yoga Magazine, “Yoga has been shown to give many positive benefits to people with the disease for maintaining balance and harmony in their lives.” She also knew, “there needs to be a lot of further research and verification of the effects and benefits of yoga for this condition.”

Now, 10 years later, here’s a study from the National Institute of Mental Health and NeuroSciences in Bangalore, India. (more…)

NORML, the medical marijuana advocacy group, thinks this is a positive study.

I don’t see it that way. (more…)

Dr. Alastair Cunningham of Toronto, Ontario and Dr. Abram Hoffer of Victoria, BC received the honor at an award ceremony in Vancouver last November. (more…)

The Cochrane Library reviewed the literature and found 3 small studies. (more…)

The Cochrane Collaboration review of 7 studies suggests the following.

(more…)

There’s growing interest in the relationship between fatty acids and variability in mood, behavior, and personality.

Here are the findings of a study conducted by researchers at the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh in the US.

(more…)