Depression does not lead to violent
behaviour
Contrary to popular perception, people suffering
from depression may not be more prone to commit violent acts in the future,
says a new research.
The fact that the German co-pilot suspected to be behind the deadly plane crash in the French Alps last month, killing himself along with the 149 people on board, was apparently suffering from depression has prompted many to speculate that most psychiatric disorders could lead to violent behaviour.
According to the new findings only substance use disorders predict future violence.
"Our findings are relevant to the recent tragic plane crash in the French Alps. Our findings show that no one could have predicted that the pilot -- who apparently suffered from depression -- would perpetrate this violent act," said corresponding author Linda Teplin, professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in the US.
"It is not merely a suicide, but an act of mass homicide," Teplin noted.
The study did find, however, that males with mania were more than twice as likely to report current violence than those without. But these relationships are not necessarily causal, the researchers noted.
Delinquent youth with psychiatric illness have multiple risk factors -- such as living in violent and impoverished neighbourhoods -- the study emphasised.
The study used data from youth who were detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago between 1995 and 1998. Violence and psychiatric disorders were assessed via self-report in 1,659 youth aged 13 to 25 years.
"We must improve how we address multiple problems -- including violent behaviour -- as part of psychiatric treatment," study first author Katherine Elkington, assistant professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at Columbia University Medical School, pointed out.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
28.04.2015
Swollen neck glands may indicate
cancer
Persistent swollen neck glands indicate a high risk
of lymphoma, a type of cancer, according to a new research.
The findings suggested that those patients with unexplained swollen neck glands should be referred for specialist investigations.
"Our research has revealed the importance of persistent swollen lymph glands, particularly in the neck, as part of cancer," said professor Willie Hamilton from University of Exeter Medical School in Britain.
"Of course swollen glands are common with throat infections, but in cancer, they are usually larger and painless. It has been known for a long time that this could represent cancer - this study shows that the risk is higher than previously thought," Hamilton noted.
Each year, more than 14,500 people in Britain are diagnosed with a form of lymphoma, and nearly 5,000 die from the disease, according to the researchers.
The researchers from University of Exeter Medical School worked with colleagues in Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Bangor in two associated studies.
Both papers focussed on patients over the age of 40. The first was a large-scale assessment of symptoms which were markers of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The team used data from 4,799 cases, with more than 19,000 controls.
The second study assessed 283 patients over the age of 40 with Hodgkin Lymphoma, comparing them with 1,237 control cases.
The findings were remarkably similar in both studies - demonstrating the importance of swollen lymph glands - particularly in the neck.
No blood tests were really helpful in confirming or refuting the diagnosis.
The study was published in the British Journal of General Practice.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
28.04.2015
If you don’t know the nature of fear, you can’t be fearless
Pema Chödrön
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