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FEATURED NEWS Overdose Deaths Reach Record High A record 72,300 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, many from synthetic opioids.  Stressed at Work? Open Office Plan Might Help A record 72,300 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, new preliminary government estimates show. The death toll is higher than the peak yearly death totals from HIV, car crashes or gun deaths, according to The New York Times reported Wednesday.The figures, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicate a spike in overdose deaths from synthetic opioids and a decline in deaths from heroin, prescription opioid pills and methadone. "Because it's a drug epidemic, as opposed to an infectious disease epidemic like Zika, the response is slower," Dan Ciccarone, a professor of family and community medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told The Times. "Because of the forces of stigma, the population is reluctant to seek care. I wouldn't expect a rapid downturn; I would expect a slow, smooth downturn," said Ciccarone, who studies heroin markets. A 2016 federal government phone survey suggested that around 2.1 million Americans had opioid use disorders. However, not all drug users have telephones and some respondents may not mention their drug use. The actual number could be as high as 4 million, Ciccarone said. The number of opioid users has been rising "in most places, but not at this exponential rate," Brandon Marshall, an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown University School of Public Health, told the newspaper. "The dominant factor is the changing drug supply." Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE Is a Haywire Body Clock Tied to Mood Disorders? Latest Mental Health News U.S. Political Climate Frightening for Teens Stressed at Work? Open Office Plan Might Help U.S. Overdose Deaths Reach Record High Is a Haywire Body Clock Tied to Mood Disorders? Magnetic Stimulation Device Approved to Treat OCD Want More News? Sign Up for MedicineNet Newsletters! FRIDAY, Aug. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- There may be a genetic link between mood disorders and the body's internal clock, a new study suggests. Research published earlier this year linked disruptions in the body clock (circadian rhythms) with an increased risk of mood issues such as depression and bipolar disorders. In this new study, researchers analyzed data from 71,500 people in the United Kingdom and identified two areas of the genome -- the complete set of human genes -- that may contain variants that disrupt the body's natural circadian cycles of activity and rest. Circadian cycles control many aspects of our lives, from sleeping and eating to hormone levels. They are fundamental to maintaining health and well-being. The researchers found that one of these areas contains the gene neurofascin, which is linked to another gene responsible for bipolar disorder. This suggests a biological connection between circadian cycle disruption and mood disorders, the study authors said. "These new findings extend our understanding of the complex genetic architecture of rest-activity cycles and how these might relate to mood instability, neuroticism, depression and bipolar disorder," said study senior author Daniel Smith. He's a professor of psychiatry at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. "Ultimately, our goal is to use this genetic information to develop and efficiently target or stratify new and improved treatment options," Smith added in a university news release. The study was published Aug. 15 in the journal EBioMedicine. -- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE SOURCE: University of Glasgow, news release, Aug. 15, 2018 Magnetic Stimulation Device Approved to Treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder FRIDAY, Aug. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The Brainsway Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).OCD is a chronic condition characterized by uncontrollable, recurring thoughts and actions that a person feels the need to continually repeat. Government statistics show about 1 percent of people in the United States had OCD in the past year, the FDA said Friday in a news release. The condition typically has been treated with medication, psychotherapy or a combination of both. "With today's marketing authorization, patients with OCD who have not responded to traditional treatments now have another option," said Carlos Peña, Ph.D., director of the FDA's Division of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic fields to stimulate the brain's nerve cells. The procedure was approved in 2008 to treat major depression and in 2013 to treat certain migraines, the FDA said. To evaluate the procedure's performance for OCD, the agency said it reviewed a clinical study involving 100 people, of whom 49 were treated with the actual device and 51 were treated with a non-working model. Some 38 percent of people treated with the Brainsway device responded positively, versus 11 of people treated with the sham device. The most common adverse reactions from the Brainsway device included headache, jaw pain, facial pain, muscle pain, spasms and twitching, the FDA said. No serious adverse reactions were reported. The device shouldn't be used by people who have had metal devices, stimulating devices or stents implanted. People shouldn't wear jewelry or hair barrettes while being treated, the FDA said. The device is produced by the Israeli firm Brainsway Ltd. -- Scott Roberts Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE U.S. Political Climate Frightening for Teens: Study By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Donald Trump's America might be harming the mental health of teens, especially minority teens, a new study suggests. Fear of discrimination became more common among Los Angeles-area teenagers between the 2016 election and the months following Trump's presidential inauguration in 2017, researchers found. Trump's proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall, his travel ban largely targeting Muslim countries, and the immigration crackdown under his watch appear to be contributing to a climate of fear among adolescents, said lead researcher Adam Leventhal. He's a professor and psychologist with the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. As that anxiety increased, teens became more likely to turn to cigarettes, marijuana or alcohol as a means of coping, according to findings published Aug. 20 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. "How concerned they were about discrimination in society was associated with an acceleration in their risk of substance use, and was associated with increased odds of depression symptoms and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] symptoms," said Leventhal. But the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Regular news of police shootings and the protests they spark may also be contributing to the feeling that America has become a hostile place to live, he added. "These major public events like police-involved shootings of racial and ethnic minorities could change youth perceptions regarding a shift in the way society is treating people of racial minorities," Leventhal explained. Dr. Nia Heard-Garris, an attending pediatrician at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, said she's seen firsthand the effect such fear can have on a child. "I had a Muslim-American patient who had anxiety and couldn't sleep for fear her family was going to be deported, even though they're all born here as fully American citizens," Heard-Garris said. "There's no question they have American citizenship, but she's anxious." Another patient experienced terrible stomach pains after her father was taken away during an immigration raid and held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, Heard-Garris added. In the study, researchers twice surveyed 2,572 11th-graders at Los Angeles County public high schools, first during the 2016 campaign season and then again during the first eight months of the Trump administration in 2017. They found that societal discrimination loomed large in teens' minds in 2016 and even larger in 2017. For example, about 42 percent of students said they were very or extremely concerned about discrimination in 2016, and that proportion grew to 45 percent in 2017. Those reporting worries about discrimination increased from 30 percent to 35 percent, and those feeling stressed over the matter increased from 14 percent to nearly 16 percent. The strain of these fears is showing in the kids' health, the researchers said. Teens concerned about discrimination tended to take up cigarettes or smoke more often, the study found. They also used marijuana or alcohol more frequently. These concerns affected black and Hispanic teens more than whites. For example, minority teens more often turned to smoking as their discrimination fears mounted, researchers said. "Some of the risky behaviors they mention, those are methods to cope with some of the emotions of fear and anxiety kids are experiencing," said Heard-Garris, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. Worse, these teens had increased risk of symptoms linked to depression and ADHD. These fears are being driven more by a perceived increase in hostility toward their racial or ethnic group than any personal discrimination the teens are experiencing in their day-to-day lives, Leventhal said. "That led us to believe there may be something going on about their perceptions of society at large, regardless of what's happening in their own local community and their lives," Leventhal said. Pediatricians, teachers, parents and role models need to reach out to teens about their feelings regarding these issues, even if it's uncomfortable, Heard-Garris said. "To me it's similar to when people were scared to ask teens about having sex," Heard-Garris said. "We need to ask, 'Have you seen anything that's been upsetting to you since the last time I've seen you, or has anything happened to you that was upsetting?' "You want to know how they're feeling about all of the things that are happening in our government and society, especially if that's going to have a negative impact on their health," she said. Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE SOURCES: Adam Leventhal, Ph.D., professor and psychologist, University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine; Nia Heard-Garris, M.D., attending pediatrician, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; Aug. 20, 2018, JAMA Pediatrics Stressed at Work? Open Office Plan Might Help By Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Maybe it's time to retire the office cubicle. A new study suggests that open workspaces without partitions between desks encourage employees to be more active and help curb stress. "We are becoming an increasingly sedentary workforce, and anything that we can do, even passively, to nudge physical activity up will have enormous benefits," said lead researcher Casey Lindberg. "There is not a one-size-fits-all design solution here, as office cultures, job types and individuals differ widely," he added. Lindberg is a research associate with the University of Arizona Institute on Place and Wellbeing in Tucson. He and his colleagues tracked physical activity and stress levels of 231 government employees, all of whom were described as healthy. Some worked in an open office, with either low partitions between desks or none at all. Others worked in offices outfitted with high-walled cubicles or in fully walled-off spaces. Workers in open offices were 20 percent more active than those in cubicles, and 32 percent more active than colleagues in private offices, the study found. And compared to more sedentary colleagues, more active workers had 14 percent lower stress levels outside the office. The researchers noted that office workers are at risk for low levels of physical activity and related health problems, and workplace-related illnesses cost the U.S. economy $225 billion a year. But just how does an open office get people moving? Not in the way you might think. "The difference in activity at the office may be in part due to an increased awareness of others when in an open workstation setting," Lindberg said. That may prompt workers to move around in search of privacy when engaging with others in person or by phone. For three days and two nights, participants in the study wore devices to monitor their heart and overall activity. They also completed hourly surveys to track mood swings on the job. A longer survey at the end gauged overall stress levels. After adjusting for a range of factors -- including age, gender and obesity -- researchers observed that overall, men were more active at the office than women, and younger and leaner workers were less stressed on the job than their older, heavier peers. And more stress at work was associated with more stress off the clock as well. On average, though, those working in open settings were found to be significantly more active and less stressed out on the job than those in less open work environments. That said, Lindberg noted that while an open office layout appears to be associated with better mental health, the study does not prove cause and effect. Other office design features -- such as access to stairwells or informal meeting spaces -- might also affect worker stress, Lindberg said. Still, he and his team hope that their findings lead to "a new conversation about the pros and cons of different aspects of office design on health outcomes." Dr. Joe Verghese, chief of the Divisions of Cognitive and Motor Aging at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, reviewed the findings. "It makes sense that workplace environments, where people spend a major part of their weekdays, may influence stress levels," he said. "A caveat is that there are a number of other factors -- including the type of work, workflow, education, cultural and gender differences, and personality types -- that might also influence stress levels," Verghese added. But the possible link between office structures and stress "should spur further research into optimal office designs," he said. The study appears in the current online edition of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Casey M. Lindberg, Ph.D., M.Arch., postdoctoral research associate, University of Arizona Institute on Place and Wellbeing, Tucson; Joe Verghese, M.B.B.S., professor, neurology, and chief, Divisions of Cognitive and Motor Aging, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City; current 2018 (online) Occupational and Environmental Medicine READ MORE