Scientists teach computers to assess psychiatric risk

LONDON (REUTERS) - Computer programmes can be taught to select between brain scans of healthy young people and scans showing adolescents who are at higher risk of developing mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, scientists said on Thursday.

In a study in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE journal, British researchers said their findings suggest it may be possible to design programmes to predict which at-risk adolescents will go on to have psychiatric problems, giving doctors more time to intervene before illnesses set in.

'Combining machine learning and neuroimaging, we have a technique which shows enormous potential to help us identify which adolescents are at true risk of developing anxiety and mood disorders, especially where there is limited clinical or genetic information,' said Janaina Mourao-Miranda of University College London, who led the study.

'1 in 10 will suffer from mental illness': Study

The Singapore Mental Health Study, which involved 6,616 people being interviewed last year, has found that while mental illness starts occurring in most people while they are in their 20s, two in three never seek help, and even those who eventually do take years to do so. -- FILE PHOTO

More than one in 10 people in Singapore will be stricken by mental illness in their lifetime, according to a large, new study here.

Many are likely to face depression, the commonest mental illness here. It is projected to affect 170,000 adults, with more women affected than men.

Childhood hardship linked to adult disease risk

NEW YORK - CHILDREN who are abused, lose a parent, or suffer other hardships may be at increased risk of chronic health conditions later in life, according to an international study.

Looking at over 18,000 adults from 10 countries, the study found that those who said they'd faced childhood adversities like abuse, the death of a parent, or a parent's alcohol or drug abuse, had higher risks of heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and other conditions. The same pattern was seen among people who said they'd suffered from depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions before the age of 21, the study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, said.

Habits to Keep the Brain Healthy

The brain is considered as the central processing unit of the human body. It is the main organ that controls the rest of the bodily parts. And since the brain is like a muscle, it needs to be exercised regularly in order for it to stay in optimum condition.

It’s true that every organ in the body has an important role to play, but besides the heart, the brain is one organ you would want to keep healthy all the time. It is through the brain that we learn, think, and remember things, and if we fail to maintain its health, we may end up with a high risk for degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. It’s a good thing that there are several things you can do to take proper care of your brain so that you don’t easily succumb to mental problems and brain diseases.