Latest news with #psychiatric
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Alabama execution remains on hold to evaluate whether man is competent
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The scheduled execution of an Alabama Death Row inmate will not go forward next week as the state waits for the completion of a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. A judge last month stayed the Aug. 21 execution of David Lee Roberts until a mental evaluation could be conducted to see if Roberts is competent to be executed. The Alabama Department of Corrections said Friday that the report will not be completed by the scheduled Aug. 21 execution date. 'As a result, the Department anticipates that the execution scheduled for August 21 will not occur on that date. Accordingly, the Department has halted all preparations for Mr. Roberts' currently scheduled execution,' prison system officials wrote in a press release. Roberts, 59, was scheduled to be put to death next week by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. He was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992. Attorneys representing Roberts argued that his death sentence should be suspended due to severe mental illness. Roberts has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, hears voices and is delusional, they wrote in a court filing. He also recently attempted to burn tattoos off his arm and leg because he believed they 'are trying to control his thoughts,' his lawyers wrote. In 1992, Roberts was a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. Prosecutors said that on the afternoon of April 22, he came to the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. He then set the house on fire after dousing Jones' body and the floor with a flammable liquid, prosecutors said. Jurors convicted Roberts of capital murder and voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life in prison without parole. A judge overrode that and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows judges to override jury sentences in capital cases. Twenty-eight men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the United States. At least nine other people across seven states are scheduled to be put to death this year. The number of executions carried out this year exceeds the 25 carried out last year and in 2018. It is the highest total since 2015, when 28 people were put to death.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Associated Press
Alabama execution remains on hold to evaluate whether man is competent
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The scheduled execution of an Alabama Death Row inmate will not go forward next week as the state waits for the completion of a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. A judge last month stayed the Aug. 21 execution of David Lee Roberts until a mental evaluation could be conducted to see if Roberts is competent to be executed. The Alabama Department of Corrections said Friday that the report will not be completed by the scheduled Aug. 21 execution date. 'As a result, the Department anticipates that the execution scheduled for August 21 will not occur on that date. Accordingly, the Department has halted all preparations for Mr. Roberts' currently scheduled execution,' prison system officials wrote in a press release. Roberts, 59, was scheduled to be put to death next week by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. He was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992. Attorneys representing Roberts argued that his death sentence should be suspended due to severe mental illness. Roberts has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, hears voices and is delusional, they wrote in a court filing. He also recently attempted to burn tattoos off his arm and leg because he believed they 'are trying to control his thoughts,' his lawyers wrote. In 1992, Roberts was a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. Prosecutors said that on the afternoon of April 22, he came to the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. He then set the house on fire after dousing Jones' body and the floor with a flammable liquid, prosecutors said. Jurors convicted Roberts of capital murder and voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life in prison without parole. A judge overrode that and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows judges to override jury sentences in capital cases.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Winnipeg woman brainwashed in Montreal psychiatric hospital hospital seeks apology
Lana Ponting, seen on Aug. 14, 2025, was part of the infamous MK-ULTRA program. (Daniel Halmarson/CTV News Winnipeg) Lana Ponting was only 16 years old when she was hospitalized at Montreal's Allan Memorial Institute on the campus of McGill University. Ponting said she was admitted by her parents to the psychiatric hospital in 1958 after she ran away from home several times. 'I had behaviour problems like any normal teenager and I guess they thought putting me into the Allan would help me and help them,' Ponting told CTV News Winnipeg. The now 84-year-old, who lives in Winnipeg, spent a month under the care of psychiatrist Ewen Cameron. 'I've been sick all my life because of what they did to me,' Ponting said. 'And sometimes I wake up in the night screaming.' Unknowingly, Ponting was part of the infamous MK-ULTRA program, a Cold War era CIA project partially funded by the Canadian government. Ponting said she was forced to take drugs like LSD and subjected to a series of mind control and brainwashing experiments. 'We never [gave] consent. They just did what they wanted to us—we were guinea pigs.' In late July, a Quebec Superior Court judge authorized a class-action lawsuit against McGill University, Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital, and the Government of Canada. Ponting is a representative plaintiff in the suit, which alleges hundreds of patients like her were subjected to experiments without their consent or knowledge. Ponting said Ottawa needs to apologize for the harm done and the lawsuit is seeking compensation. 'I don't look at myself as a hero,' Ponting explained. 'I look at myself as an 84-year-old woman who will talk. I will not shut up for anyone.' McGill University and the federal government didn't respond to requests seeking comment on the lawsuit.
National Post
5 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Enveric Biosciences Reports Second Quarter 2025 Financial and Corporate Results
Article content Article content Q2 marked a critical inflection point in EB-003 development with mechanism confirmation, therapeutic opportunity expansion, IND-enabling progress, and continued strengthening of Enveric's differentiated neuroplastogen pipeline and IP platform. Q2 financial results were consistent with overall performance over the previous four quarters, and development costs were in line with budgeted IND-enabling activities. Article content Article content CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Enveric Biosciences (NASDAQ: ENVB) ('Enveric' or the 'Company'), a biotechnology company advancing next-generation neuroplastogenic small molecules to address psychiatric and neurological disorders, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025, and provided a comprehensive business update. Article content CEO Commentary Article content 'The second quarter of 2025 represented a period of focused execution across all key areas of our business, most notably with the advancement of EB-003, our lead drug candidate,' said Joseph Tucker, Ph.D., Director and CEO of Enveric. 'We disclosed important new data demonstrating that EB-003 engages both the 5-HT₂ A and 5-HT₁ B receptors through a dual mechanism of action. We believe this receptor pairing forms the foundation for a novel pharmacological class. With this discovery, we believe EB-003 has emerged as a first-in-class therapeutic candidate with a dual mechanism that represents a unique therapeutic target with real-world clinical utility.' Article content 'This new pharmacological class is defined by agonism at the 5-HT₁ B receptor, which modulates affective tone, impulsivity, and reward pathways, as well as concurrent partial agonism at the 5-HT₂ A receptor, which supports cortical neuroplasticity. We believe this novel and unique profile has the potential to promote adaptive rewiring of brain circuits (i.e. neuroplasticity) while stabilizing emotional reactivity, motivational control, and behavioral regulation (i.e., generally psychological stability). It is expected to unlock the therapeutic benefits of serotonin mediated plasticity and guide those effects toward outcomes that are durable, broadly accessible, and clinically relevant for real-world patient populations.' Article content 'By targeting this specific set of neural receptors, the intent is for EB-003 to recalibrate emotional reactivity, facilitate extinction of maladaptive fear responses, and restore motivational tone. These are mechanisms believed to support lasting recovery in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment resistant depression, and generalized anxiety. The addition of 5-HT₁ B agonism is intended to guide plasticity into emotionally grounded outcomes; thus, the designation of EB-003 as a first-in-class drug candidate.' Article content 'With these advances, EB-003 continues to differentiate itself in a competitive neuropsychiatric drug development landscape, with pre-IND test data for EB-003 pointing to a fast acting, durable, and non-hallucinogenic treatment for serious mental health conditions where currently available therapies are either too slow, poorly tolerated, or not very effective.' 'Beyond EB-003, we made meaningful progress in expanding our intellectual property portfolio, which remains a foundational pillar of our strategy. During the second quarter, we secured an additional patent grant in our EVM-301 portfolio and patent allowances across multiple distinct chemical classes in our EVM-301 and EVM-401 portfolios, further reinforcing Enveric's leadership in the discovery of rationally designed neuroplastogens. With a growing portfolio of issued patents and new filings underway, we are seeking to build a durable, competitive moat around our lead assets and future pipeline candidates.' Article content 'Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025 and into 2026, we remain sharply focused on filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for EB-003 and preparing for its first-in-human study. We also continue to benefit from ongoing dialogue and growing interest from established pharmaceutical companies with a strategic focus in neuropsychiatry, which underscores the increasing relevance of our platform in a field that has lacked innovation for far too long.' Article content Second Quarter and Recent Corporate Highlights Article content Revealed EB-003's Dual Mechanism of Action: Enveric confirmed that EB-003, its lead compound, engages both 5-HT₂ A (partial agonist) and 5-HT₁ B (agonist) receptors, a dual mechanism not previously reported in clinical-stage neuropsychiatric drug candidates. This unique pharmacology forms the basis of a new pharmacological class designed to promote therapeutic neuroplasticity, emotional recalibration, and enhanced control over affective and behavioral responses without the need for hallucinogenic intervention. Progressed Toward IND Submission: IND-enabling studies for EB-003 remain on track, with submission to the U.S. FDA anticipated in early 2026. Enveric continues to generate data supporting EB-003's safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile, including results supporting extended, repeat-dose oral use. Expanded Therapeutic Opportunity: PTSD: In a validated preclinical model, EB-003 produced rapid extinction of contextual fear responses following a single administration. Chronic Depression: Mice treated with EB-003 exhibited a statistically significant reduction in behavioral despair (p < 0.01) in the forced swim test, a standard model of antidepressant efficacy. Dosing Profile: Supporting data indicate EB-003 is well tolerated with daily oral administration, distinguishing it from hallucinogenic agents that require intensive supervision and infrequent dosing. Article content Intellectual Property Expansion Article content Broadened Patent Portfolio Across Two Molecular Classes: Filed a new patent application covering a novel chemical structure with potential relevance in neurodegenerative and cognitive indications. Received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a second mescaline-derivative analogs patent, reinforcing Enveric's leadership in modifying classical psychedelic frameworks into non-hallucinogenic, drug-like structures. Secured a composition of matter patent on N-Substituted Tryptamine Derivatives, extending the Company's IP coverage of EVM-301 molecules into this new class of drugs and the serotonergic field. Article content Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results Article content Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $2.5 million for the quarter ending June 30, 2025, or $0.97 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.9 million, or $3.72 per share, for the same period in 2024. The net loss for the quarter included approximately $0.2 million in non-cash expenses related to stock-based compensation and other non-cash charges. As of June 30, 2025, Enveric had cash and cash equivalents of $2.8 million. The Company continues to fund its operations through the use of various financing tools. The Company has raised net proceeds of $4.9M for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Article content About Enveric Biosciences Article content Enveric Biosciences (NASDAQ: ENVB) is a biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation, small-molecule neuroplastogenic therapeutics that address unmet needs in psychiatric and neurological disorders. By leveraging a differentiated drug discovery platform and a growing library of protected chemical structures, Enveric is advancing a pipeline of novel compounds designed to promote neuroplasticity without hallucinogenic effects. Enveric's lead candidate, EB-003, is the first known compound designed to selectively engage both 5-HT₂ A and 5-HT₁ B receptors to deliver fast-acting, durable antidepressant and anxiolytic effects with outpatient convenience. For more information, please visit Article content Forward-Looking Statements Article content This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'plans,' 'expects' or 'does not expect,' 'proposes,' 'budgets,' 'explores,' 'schedules,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' 'forecasts,' 'intends,' 'anticipates' or 'does not anticipate,' or 'believes,' or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, should, would, or might occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements may include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future and are based on the beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, the ability of Enveric to: finalize and submit its IND filing to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; carry out successful clinical programs; achieve the value creation contemplated by technical developments; avoid delays in planned clinical trials; establish that potential products are efficacious or safe in preclinical or clinical trials; establish or maintain collaborations for the development of therapeutic candidates; obtain appropriate or necessary governmental approvals to market potential products; obtain future funding for product development and working capital on commercially reasonable terms; scale-up manufacture of product candidates; respond to changes in the size and nature of competitors; hire and retain key executives and scientists; secure and enforce legal rights related to Enveric's products, including patent protection; identify and pursue alternative routes to capture value from its research and development pipeline assets; continue as a going concern; and manage its future growth effectively. Article content A discussion of these and other factors, including risks and uncertainties with respect to Enveric, is set forth in Enveric's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Enveric's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Enveric disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Investor Relations Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. David Irish (231) 632-0002 dirish@ Media Relations Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. Casey McDonald (646) 577-8520 cmcdonald@ Article content
Medscape
10-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Which Brain Stim Offers the Best Outcomes With Depression?
TOPLINE: Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) was associated with reduced depressive symptoms in a new meta-analysis – but individual types of tES were linked to different outcomes. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was associated with greater improvements in patients with psychiatric or medical comorbidities compared to those with major depressive disorder (MDD) alone, while transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) was associated with reduced MDD symptoms and increased response rates. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 88 randomized clinical trials. The data included more than 5500 participants (mean age, 43 years; 60% women) with MDD, depression with medical comorbidities, or depression with psychiatric comorbidities. The investigators evaluated tES modalities, including tDCS (79 trials), tACS (six trials), and transcranial random noise stimulation, or tRNS (three trials), compared with sham or other treatment modalities. Primary outcomes included depression severity, rates of response and remission, and adverse events (AEs). TAKEAWAY: tES overall vs sham or no treatment was associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.59) and a greater improvement in patients with medical (SMD, -1.05) or physical comorbidities (SMD, -0.78). Mild to moderate AEs were more frequent with tES vs sham treatment. tDCS was associated with significantly reduced depressive symptoms in patients with medical (SMD, -1.05) or physical comorbidities (SMD, -0.88), but not with MDD only. Active tDCS plus antidepressant use vs sham tDCS plus the medication was linked to a reduction in MDD symptoms (SMD, -0.51) and an increase in response rates (odds ratio [OR], 2.25). Compared with sham treatment, tACS was linked to a significant reduction in MDD symptoms (SMD, -0.58) and to a greater likelihood of increased response rates (OR, 2.07). Anodal left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation was associated with improved outcomes. Transcranial random noise stimulation was not associated with significant improvements in any type of depressive symptoms or response rates. IN PRACTICE: "These findings suggest that tES is well-tolerated, associated with mild to moderate AEs, and poses a minimal risk of serious AEs. Future research should study ideal stimulation parameters and individualize tES interventions," the investigators wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Caili Ren, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. It was published online on June 18 in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: Limited data on tACS and tRNS, with most of the studies' findings reflecting tDCS, led to an inability to perform robust subgroup analyses. Other limitations included potential confounding in categorizing tDCS monotherapy vs combined therapy when medication use was unspecified; a lack of stratification by depression severity; incomplete safety profiling because more than 40% of the studies did not report AEs; and potential publication bias in tDCS vs sham comparisons, especially in depression with medical comorbidities. DISCLOSURES: The study was funded by the Mayo Clinic and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. One investigator reported numerous disclosures, including being a paid member of corporate scientific advisory boards and a co-founder and/or chief medical officer of another company. He also reported receiving grants from several foundations and holding patents on real-time integration of transcranial magnetic stimulation with electroencephalography and MRI. Additional disclosures are fully listed in the original article. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
