Having a Trusted Person to Turn To Is Linked to Better Mental Health in LGBQ+ Teens
Tulane University researchers analyzed a national survey of U.S. adolescents ages 12 to 17. Gay and lesbian teens who had at least one trusted person to turn to with a serious problem had notably lower rates of depression and suicidal thoughts than those without one — 61% vs 35% for depression in the past year, and 66% vs 27% for seriously considering suicide. The study, published October 12 in JAMA Pediatrics, is observational, so it shows an association rather than proving cause.
Source: News-Medical
Choline Supplementation in Early Childhood Shows Lasting Cognitive Benefits in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Researchers at the University of Minnesota followed up children from three randomized controlled trials that gave nine months of choline (or placebo) to children ages 2 to 5 diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. When 58 of the children were reassessed around age 9 — about five years later — those treated with choline scored higher on nonverbal IQ (about 7% higher) and working memory (about 9% higher), with larger gains at higher doses. The follow-up, published in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, found no differences on some other measures, including parent-rated behavior, so the gains appear specific rather than across the board.
Source: Medical Xpress
Better Cognitive Function Linked to Fewer Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults, Large Chinese Study Finds
A new longitudinal study followed 8,800 Chinese adults aged 60 and older across five survey waves from 2011 to 2020, using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Older adults with higher cognitive function scores consistently had fewer depressive symptoms, a link that held after accounting for demographics, health status, behaviors, and social security factors. Published October 13 in Frontiers in Psychology, the observational design means it cannot confirm that cognitive changes cause changes in depression.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology