Antidepressants, cognition, and emotional blunting: what’s the evidence?

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Angharad de Cates reviews a recent Danish trial, which finds that escitalopram reduced participants’ reinforcement sensitivity compared to those on placebo. This lower reinforcement sensitivity may be similar to the emotional blunting effect often reported by patients during SSRI treatment.

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The potential of virtual reality to address social functioning impairments in people with psychosis

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Andie Ashdown and Theophanis Kyriacou summarise a systematic review on virtual reality-based assessment and treatment of social functioning impairments in psychosis.

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Cannabis use in the developing brain: evidence from a recent cross-sectional meta-analysis

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Joe Barnby considers the findings of a recent meta-analysis of cross-sectional observational data, which explores the association of cannabis with cognitive functioning in adolescents and young adults.

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Memory lane: the road to recovery in depression?

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Becci Strawbridge explores a prospective cohort study that looks at variation in the recall of socially rewarding information and depressive symptom severity.

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Reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family carers: REMCARE trial

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Elizabeth Collier writes her debut blog on the REMCARE randomised controlled trial of reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family carers.

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What factors can ameliorate cognitive ageing?

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Raluca Lucacel summarises a systematic review of individually modifiable risk factors to ameliorate cognitive ageing. The study included Mediterranean diet, Tai Chi, Soy isoflavones, B Vitamins and Vitamin D.

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Guess who? Put a face to a name

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Kirsten Lawson reviews a randomised controlled trial looking at the impact of providing clinician photos on inpatient’s recall of names and roles. Is this an effective way to improve communication between inpatients and their care team?

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Ketamine for severe depression: what can we conclude from a small open label study?

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Last week the media reported widely on a study of ketamine for depression (McShane et al, 2014). As usual the headlines made bold assertions, the Telegraph running with “Horse tranquilliser Ketamine could cure severe depression” (Knapton, 2014). But what did the paper authored by an Oxford group and published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology really [read the full story…]