August/September 2017
National Institute of Mental Health
Monthly Update
MAMH is proud to partner with the National Institute of Mental Health to disseminate knowledge about science-based mental health each month. With each update, we offer the emerging research, important dates and publications to be aware of, and opportunities to get involved in research.
Emerging Research
  • NIMH-funded scientists have used brain imaging to track the effects of treatment for PTSD to identify a brain circuit on which a frequently used and effective psychotherapy acts to quell symptoms. The papers appeared in the American Journal of Psychiatry in the July 18 edition. Read more here.
  • There are several new SAMHSA reports that focus on the opioid epidemic. One report indicates that opioid misuse among adults aged 50 or older in 2014 was higher than 2002. Another report indicates that 4.31% of people aged 12 or older in the U.S. used prescription pain relievers non-medically in the past year. A final report shows that from 2003 to 2016, use of opioid treatment facilities has increased dramatically.
  • An NIMH - funded study found that brain gene expression associated with depression is significantly different between men and women. These divergent gene expressions may signal differing illness processes that require sex-specific treatments. Read more here.
  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the appointment of national experts to the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee that was established by the 21st Century Cures Act to improve federal coordination of efforts around the pressing needs of individuals with serious mental illness. Click here to learn more about the committee and its members.
Publications, New Resources, and Upcoming Events
  • Minorities and Mental Health: Moving Beyond Stigma: This National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities blog post reviews the research needed to address mental health disparities.
  • A Message from the Director of NIMH summarizes Dr. Gordon's summer reading on identifying biomarkers for depression. One study used fMRI scans to characterize how an individuals' brain regions connect to one another and create "biotypes" of connectivity. The idea is that specialized treatment could be established based on an individual's biotype. The other study built off the hypothesis that there might be two types of depression—one in which too much cingulate connectivity to other regions of the brain drove depression and needed to be downregulated, and one in which too little drove depression and needed to be upregulated. This study tested different treatments for each type and found that cingulate connectivity predicted different responses to psychotherapy and medication.
  • As students head back to college this month, there is additional focus on mental health on college campuses. This report documents best practices and emerging trends for supporting college students with mental health challenges.
  • SAMHSA's National Wellness Week is held the third week of September. This year's theme is Connecting All Aspects of Behavioral Health. Materials and graphics are available here to support local Wellness Week activities.
  • The Department of Labor's Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion is hosting a webinar about effective approaches for ensuring that employees with mental health condition can succeed on the job.
Get Involved
  • NIH is funding a study to learn more about depression in teenagers. They are recruiting medically healthy teenagers between the ages of 12-17 who meet the diagnosis for major depressive disorder and who are in treatment with a physician. Call 1-301-496-8381 [TTY: 1-866-411-1010] or email depressedkids@mail.nih.gov to get involved.
  • To learn more about clinical trials near you, visit the this website.
  • NIMH is seeking public for a number of initiatives including: statistics in research, the AHRQ Effective Health Care Program Report, parity implementation, grants, and Healthy People 2030. If any of those are of interest to you, please email genevievemulligan@mamh.org for more information.
  • NIH is launching a new initiative called All of Us. It is an historic effort to gather data from one million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research and improve health. Click here to learn more and to join this important effort.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Please join us in spreading the word to end suicide. Below are some resources and ways to get involved this month.
  • The NIMH Director has made suicide prevention a top priority, read why here. As part of this push, NIMH is encouraging you to visit their suicide prevention page and read their brochures on suicide prevention to learn more about what you can do to prevent suicide in your community.
  • The Suicide Prevention Resource Center's website is full of resources about preventing suicide. Highlighted this month is this short video that provides an overview of the Effective Suicide Prevention Model. Also this month is a webinar on safe care transitions in the Zero Suicide framework.
  • Samaritans, an organization dedicated to reducing the risk of suicide and increasing awareness about suicide prevention, is having their annual 5k run/walk on September 23, click here to participate. They are also accepting new volunteers for their crisis hotline, support services, and other opportunities, click here to learn more.

MAMH | 617-742-7452 | genevievemulligan@mamh.org | mamh.org