Research Roundup: H5N1 Vaccines; Memory Loss; Psilocybin; Mental Health
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
CIDRAP:
Study Suggests Earlier US-Licensed H5N1 Vaccines Prompt Antibodies To Current Strain
Though federal health officials are moving ahead with a plan to produce 4.8 million doses of H5N1 avian influenza vaccine that targets the clade (strain) circulating globally and infecting US dairy herds and some farm workers, older H5N1 vaccines in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) might be useful in a pinch. (Schnirring, 7/17)
ScienceDaily:
Scientists Define New Type Of Memory Loss In Older Adults
Researchers have established new criteria for a memory-loss syndrome in older adults that specifically impacts the brain's limbic system. It can often be mistaken for Alzheimer's disease. (Mayo Clinic, 7/17)
ScienceDaily:
Psilocybin Generates Psychedelic Experience By Disrupting Brain Network
Researchers report that psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, destabilizes a critical network of brain areas involved in introspective thinking. The findings provide a neurobiological explanation for the drug's mind-bending effects. (Washington University School of Medicine, 7/17)
CIDRAP:
COVID-19 Lockdowns, Quarantines Linked To Mental Distress In Teens
A study of 7,800 teens aged 16 to 18 years in Norway ties stringent COVID-19 public health protocols and quarantine with mental distress, particularly among 16-year-olds and those with less-educated parents and a lower genetic susceptibility to depression. (Van Beusekom, 7/17)
