DBS for Schizophrenia; Top Psych Hospital Money Makers; Nature Prescriptions

People with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder may be candidates for deep brain stimulation. “It’s our responsibility to ensure these novel and advanced therapeutics are available to populations who feel they have run out of options,” said study author Judith Gault, PhD, of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. (Frontiers in Surgery)

The prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors didn’t increase for most U.S. veterans throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. (JAMA Psychiatry)

Rogers Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin topped the list of U.S. psychiatric hospitals with the highest revenue in 2022, followed by McLean Hospital in Massachusetts. (Behavioral Health Business)

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), has been released from inpatient treatment for depression and is opening up about the “downward spiral” that led him to seek care. (CBS News)

Kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were more likely to have dysbiosis of the fungal mycobiome and intestinal permeability, according to a study of fecal samples. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry)

A prescription for nature? These were tied to reduced blood pressure, lower depression and anxiety scores, and a higher daily step count, a meta-analysis showed. (Lancet Planetary Health)

In related news, researchers in Barcelona estimated that more than €45 million in annual savings for mental health costs and a 13% reduction in mental health specialist visits could result from the city’s implementation of more green spaces. (Environment International)

Compared with 2023, inpatient psychiatric facility payments are expected to increase by 1.9% in 2024 under a proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (Healthcare Finance)

The FDA cleared the Masimo Opioid Halo system, an over-the-counter wearable that can detect opioid-induced respiratory depression and warn individuals’ friends and family of an overdose, the company announced.

Zevra Therapeutics said it asked the FDA for authorization to start phase I testing of its investigational narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia drug KP1077 containing serdexmethylphenidate.

Across the U.S., recovery high schools aim to help kids heal from an addiction. (NPR)