Research roundup: Drugs, driving, dozing off.... and a stroke of happiness.

Widely used physical health drugs may help treat serious mental illness

Summary: Medications commonly used to combat physical health diseases, such as high blood pressure, could bring significant benefits to people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or non-affective psychoses, according to a large cohort study.

Talking point: The study assessed the health data records of 142,691 patients with SMI in Sweden who had been prescribed a class of drugs commonly known as statins. Researchers analysed patients' health records relating to self-harm and psychiatric hospitalisation and whether they were taking statins at the time. The study found that exposure to statins was associated with reduced rates of psychiatric hospitalisation compared with unexposed periods, and self-harm was reduced in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These results could eventually lead to new drug development to benefit those with SMI.

Worrisome statistics around medical cannabis users operating vehicles

Summary: More than half of people who take medical cannabis for chronic pain say they've driven under the influence of cannabis within two hours of using it, at least once in the last six months, according to a new survey. One in five of them said they'd driven while 'very high' in the past six months.

Talking point: Though this survey of 790 medical cannabis users in Michigan, a study by Public Safety Canada suggests that Canadians are not much safer. One in four survey participants reported they have operated a vehicle while under the influence and one in three reports that they have ridden in a vehicle operated by a driver who was under the effects of cannabis. This is troubling as cannabis impairs the cognitive and motor abilities necessary to operate a motor vehicle and doubles the risk of crash involvement. With Shopper’s Drug Mart moving into the medical cannabis market, it’s possible we will see increased public adoption of this drug which will require a strong public awareness campaign to mitigate any risks associated with intoxicated driving.

Breakthrough in our understanding of insomnia

Summary: Researchers have revealed that there are five types of insomnia. Type 1 scores high on many distressing traits such as neuroticism and feeling down or tense. Types 2 and 3 experienced less distress and were distinguished by their high versus low sensitivity to reward. Type 4 and 5 experienced even less distress and differed by the way their sleep responded to stressful life events.

Talking point: An estimated 3.3 million Canadians aged 15 or older, or about one in every seven, have problems going to sleep or staying asleep. Why some treatment is effective for some, but gives no relief to others has remained an enigma. The five insomnia types discovered by the researchers did not differ at all on sleep complaints (difficulty falling asleep versus early morning awakening) but rather by personality trait profiles. Effectiveness of treatment with sleeping pills or cognitive behavioral therapy differed per type. This type of subtyping enables much more efficient research into the prevention of depression linked to insomnia, by studying specifically those with the highest risk.

Two-thirds of stroke survivors are in exceptionally good mental health

Summary: Two-thirds of stroke survivors are in complete mental health despite the impact of their stroke, according to a large, nationally representative Canadian study.

Talking point: In Canada, there are more than 50,000 strokes a year. Complete mental health, the metric measured in the study, refers to respondents that were happy and/or satisfied with their life on an almost daily basis and that they were free of suicidal thoughts, substance dependence, depression and anxiety disorder for the past year. Having a confidant and being free of chronic pain were important predictors while a history of childhood maltreatment and a lifetime history of mental illness decreased one's likelihood of achieving complete mental health after a stroke. These findings of incredible resiliency in stroke survivors can encourage stroke patients and their families regarding a positive post-stroke life.