Genius, Madness Linked to Gene

Research slowly unravels genetic causes of mental illnesses

(NEWSER) - Scientists have discovered genetic variations that link schizophrenia to manic depression for the first time, the Independent reports. Research made possible by technical advances found that thousands of tiny genetic faults raised the risk of both mental illnesses, which had previously been believed to be completely distinct conditions. Experts hope the findings will lead to new and more effective treatments for both disorders. More»

Term goes the way of smelling salts as experts seek accuracy

(NEWSER) - “Nervous breakdown” has long been a catchall for psychological conditions as varied as depression and schizophrenia. But as psychiatric patients emerge from stigmatized isolation—and as the DSM fattens—scientists are chucking the antiquated term in favor of a more descriptive and accurate taxonomy. “I haven’t heard that term in years,” one expert tells MSNBC. More»

Mania, depression may help leaders through crises

(NEWSER) - People often complain about the madness of America's leaders in Washington—but what if that madness is actually a good thing? After looking at famous leaders from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Dr. Nassir Ghaemi has concluded that being manic or depressed often makes for better leaders, reports NPR . "Historians have often not paid much attention to these features of their lives; they've just written them off as irrelevant to their leadership," said Ghaemi. "I wanted to show that these symptoms not only were present in their lives, but were relevant to their leadership." More»

Exercise in fresh air boosts mood; for greater benefits, just add water

(NEWSER) - Moving your workout outdoors improves overall mental health, and the benefits kick in within the first 5 minutes, researchers say. To get the greatest mood boost from exercise in fresh air, work out near a body of water, British scientists advise. In an analysis of 10 studies involving 1,250 subjects, young people and those diagnosed with mental illness showed the greatest improvement, reports the BBC . More»

(NEWSER) - Mental health experts have lost touch with the benefits of old-fashioned insane asylums, where patients once enjoyed a sense of community and jobs like cleaning and farming, Oliver Sacks writes in the New York Review of Books. Touching on a new book of Christopher Payne photographs called Asylum—which offers "a mute and heartbreaking testimony" to "once-heroic structures"—Sacks argues that modern state hospitals, which rely on antipsychotic drugs, ignore "the benign aspects of asylums." More»