Did You Know

Talk of the Down

• Depression has its own patterns of speech. University of
Texas researchers find that depressed people use more negative words,
express more negative thoughts and think and talk more about themselves
than the nondepressed do.

An Eye Opener

• In people with age-related macular degeneration, depression
accelerates the decline in visual function. Depression is not normal,
even in persons with visual loss.

Safe Bet?

• The same mood stabilizers that help control manic
depression (lithium, divalproex) also help control pathologic gambling, a
preliminary study finds. The drugs reduce gambling urges but not as a
result of mood improvement.

Crossed Swords

• While the jury is still out on whether St. John's Wort is
effective against depression, doctors report that the popular herbal
agent interferes with the effectiveness of one anti-cancer drug,
irinotecan, and probably others.