Traditional, Complementary, Alternative, and Psycho-Social Modalities of Treatment

by Larry Lachman, PsyD

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Stillbirth risks linked to maternal mental illness

A study of 1.45 million live births including 7,021 stillbirths over a 25 year period as reported in the Danish Civil Registration System, Dr. Kathryn Abel at the University of Manchester found that the risk of a baby being stillborn was twice as high for those with mothers diagnosed and hospitalized for serious psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia or a mood disorder like depression, than mothers without such a history. Dr. Abel concludes, “Providing appropriate care that is acceptable to women and that responds to the needs they have expressed may be the best way to better outcomes of these vulnerable women and their families. But much more research is needed.” Another consideration to keep in mind is the pre-natal impact of anti-psychotic or anti-depressant medication as well.

Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal Edition, November 2008 on-line edition

No initial protection against breast cancer found with Vitamin D or calcium

Dr. Powel Brown and colleagues at the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Cancer Center at Baylor College in Houston report that Calcium and vitamin-D supplements were found not to reduce breast cancer in 32,282 post-menopausal women aged 50 to 79 who participated in the randomized Women’s Health Initiative clinical trial study – with acknowledging potential confounds to their study involving age, post-menopausal status, the moderate level of doses given (1,000 mg of calcium carbonate plus 400 IU of vitamin D), and the seven year duration of the trial. Dr. Brown concludes, “To conclude that vitamin D is not a cancer-preventive agent is premature… "Longer follow-up may be needed.” (This study is contradicted by findings in many other studies.)

Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2008, 100:1581-1591

Link between teen aggression and violent video games

Dr. Craig Anderson of Iowa State University published a questionnaire survey of 1, 231 nine to 18 year old Japanese teens, and through teacher and peer reporting of 364 nine to 12 year old American teenagers over several months. He reports that playing violent video games may cause adolescents to become aggressive over time. Teens who habitually played these violent videos were more likely to get into fights than those who didn’t. Dr. Anderson concludes, “Violent games are certainly not the only thing that can increase children's aggression…"but these studies show that they are one part of the puzzle in both America and Japan.”

Pediatrics 2008, 122: 5, 1067-1072

Increase in PMS symptoms among women who smoke

Dr. Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson of the University of Massachusetts and colleagues, analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study II involving 116,678 nurses since 1989. They found that women aged 27 to 44 who smoked were twice as likely to develop PMS (premenstrual syndrome as evidenced by such symptoms as backaches, bloating, tenderness and acne) than women who did not smoke. Among the women who smoked who developed the PMS symptoms, approximately 20% had severe enough symptoms to affect their relationships and normal day-to-day activities. Dr. Bertone-Johnson concludes, “Previous studies suggest that smoking may alter levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones, many of which may be involved in the development of PMS. Some studies have found that smokers have shorter and more irregular menstrual cycles than non-smokers. Smoking may also lower levels of vitamin D in the body, which also may increase a woman's risk of developing PMS.”

American Journal of Epidemiology, 2008, 168: 8; 938-945

Quitting and Smelling Cigarettes

Dr. Hayden McRobbie and colleagues at the University of Auckland studied 1,100 smokers who recently quit smoking. Even though about 25% stated that they had found the scent from other people’s cigarettes pleasant, that fact did not affect their ability to abstain from smoking for several weeks at a time. Their ability to abstain was not significantly different from responses of those smokers quitting who DID find second hand smoke unpleasant. Dr. McRobbie concludes, “Recent quitters can be reassured that finding the smell of cigarette smoke pleasant is not likely to lead them back to smoking.”

Addiction 2008. 103: 1883-1887

Larry Lachman, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in La Jolla, California, who is the co-author of a book on coping with cancer entitled, “Parallel Journeys.” Dr. Lachman is a Psychology Instructor at Chapman University and Argosy University in San Diego.  Contact: www.DrLarryLachman.com  

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