Little understood and lacking effective drugs for addressing the scope of its symptoms, bipolar disorder can wreak havoc with the lives of people who suffer from it. Now an over-the-counter drug is offering…
Media stories about crime and grief often centre on the concept of “closure”. It’s assumed families affected by crime or loss need to achieve closure and can’t begin the grieving process until the perpetrator…
A paper published earlier this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry claims reactions to unfamiliar sounds, smells and objects at four-months could predict the development of anxiety disorders later…
Soldiers returning from combat have heightened activity in the part of the brain that regulates fear but this usually normalises after around 18 months, a study has found. The amygdala, the tiny part of…
You just have to turn on the television or catch a glimpse of a magazine newsstand to see how girls are being thrust into adulthood earlier and earlier. But does biology match societal change? Are girls…
Since the 1960s, the number of hospital beds for treating people with mental illnesses has declined dramatically in most OECD countries. Australia has been among the most assiduous in implementing reform…
Nearly a fifth of all complaints against doctors in private practice in Victoria are made against a small group of medical professionals. So taking early action against these complaint-prone doctors may…
Scientists have discovered similarities in the brain activity patterns of autistic teens and their non-autistic siblings, hinting at a new ‘biomarker’ for autism risk within families. In a paper published…
Men with wide faces are more likely to lie and cheat to get ahead than their narrow-faced brethren, according to new research. However, the study has drawn criticism from psychologists who say it may have…
Early intervention mental health policies may be gaining favour in Australia, Europe and the U.S. but there is limited evidence to show they help sufferers of psychosis in the longer term, a major literature…
Left handers have copped their share of bad publicity in the past. The term used to describe left handers in English is “sinistral”, which is derived from the word “sinister”. And it’s no better in other…
A controversy is brewing on the website Psychology Today and subsequently in The Australian newspaper. At the heart of the issue is US psychiatrist Dr Allen Frances’ comments on the Australian Federal…
“When people get sick or injured or want advice about their health, they want to see a doctor” Dr Andrew Pesce, AMA President. As a child psychiatrist, I work with general practitioners to enhance the…