The leaders in online ADHD assessment and testing say studies show ​30% of ​people ​diagnosed ​with ADHD ​have disordered eating​

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., September 27, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Mentavi Health, home of ADHD Online and a leader in clinical framework-based approaches to mental health telehealth, announces the addition of a screening for binge eating disorder (BED) to the testing capabilities of its existing mental health evaluations. The addition makes ADHD Online the first provider to offer asynchronous assessment for BED alongside assessment for ADHD, anxiety, depression, problematic social media usage, and OCD, part of a holistic and preventive approach to mental health.   

According to a healthline.com study, an estimated 2.8 million people – almost 3% of the U.S. population – have BED, making it the country’s most common eating disorder. It often starts in the late teens or early 20s, especially in women. Binge eating disorder affects individuals of all weights - normal, overweight and obese - and impacts three times the number of people diagnosed with bulimia and anorexia combined.

“Binge eating disorder is under-recognized, under-diagnosed, and under-treated, especially in the primary care setting,” said Dr. Barry Herman, chief medical officer of Mentavi Health and a board-certified psychiatrist in both adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. “It is primarily a disorder of adults, sometimes beginning in late adolescence, and is commonly a comorbidity of several psychiatric disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, and ADHD – up to 30% of people with ADHD have disordered eating.”  

People with BED also have an increased risk of medical conditions such as metabolic syndrome, beyond the effect of obesity alone, which makes BED a public health concern. “The untreated presence of BED presents a considerable public health concern,”  Dr. Herman said. “These comorbidities make the treatment and management of BED even more challenging, as addressing multiple conditions simultaneously requires a comprehensive and holistic approach.”

Recognizing that broad health concern prompted Mentavi Health to add the new condition screening, known as the 7-Item Binge Eating Disorder Screener, or the BEDS-7, to its assessment engine. If the screening identifies symptoms of BED, patients are advised to consult a healthcare provider for an in-depth evaluation. 

Binge eating disorder is recognized as a distinct eating disorder under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). It is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating atypically large quantities of food within a short time and experiencing a loss of control over one’s eating behavior. It also has a specific set of symptoms, including eating more rapidly than usual, eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment, or experiencing feelings of disgust, guilt, or depression after binge eating.

Marked distress over binge eating is a key requirement for diagnosis, and overeating must occur at least once a week for three months to meet the criteria for a BED diagnosis. BED is not associated with the compensatory behaviors, such as purging or over-exercising, that are associated with bulimia or anorexia nervosa.

Studies show that up to 43% of individuals diagnosed with BED are classified as obese, underscoring the complex interplay between psychological and physiological factors in eating disorders. Fewer than 40% of individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of BED have ever received treatment for an eating disorder, according to the World Health Organization.

However, BED is treatable, with the primary therapeutic interventions being psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication. Lisdexamfetamine, marketed as Vyvanse, is FDA-approved for the treatment of moderate to severe BED in adults.

The aim for Mentavi Health is that the addition of BED screening to its assessments will lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of the disorder.    

Mentavi's online assessment system, including the BED screener and ADHD assessment, notifies one of our psychologists once responses are in. The psychologist reviews the results to identify potential conditions like ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, or indications of BED. Without additional patient interaction, an assessment report is generated. Patients can then seamlessly transition to Mentavi's virtual treatment, where our online providers guide them on the next steps.

“Given the health risks associated with untreated BED and its substantial impact on overall well-being, it is imperative for primary care physicians to be able to recognize the signs of BED, understand its potential comorbidities, and determine the most suitable course of treatment for their patients,” Dr. Herman said. “By enhancing awareness, knowledge, and skills in identifying and managing BED, healthcare professionals can contribute to improved outcomes and better quality of life for people struggling with this disorder.” 

For more information on Mentavi Health and ADHD Online, please visit https://adhdonline.com.   

About ADHD Online 

ADHD Online was founded in 2018 with the mission that everyone should have access to quality ADHD assessments regardless of who and where they are. The ADHD Online team has experts across the United States who share a passion for ADHD and related mental health conditions and ensuring patients have access to critical mental health services. ADHD Online provides a critical voice for those who struggle with ADHD and has a unique offering of HIPAA-secured ADHD assessments online with reviews and results from licensed psychologists in all 50 states. ADHD Online is a brand under Mentavi Health. Mentavi Health addresses ADHD and adjacent mental health conditions in conjunction with organizational customers. 

Contact Information:
Mike Albanese
[email protected]


Original Source: Mentavi Health to Begin Screening for Binge Eating Disorders 

The leaders in online ADHD assessment and testing say studies show ​30% of ​people ​diagnosed ​with ADHD ​have disordered eating​

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., September 27, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Mentavi Health, home of ADHD Online and a leader in clinical framework-based approaches to mental health telehealth, announces the addition of a screening for binge eating disorder (BED) to the testing capabilities of its existing mental health evaluations. The addition makes ADHD Online the first provider to offer asynchronous assessment for BED alongside assessment for ADHD, anxiety, depression, problematic social media usage, and OCD, part of a holistic and preventive approach to mental health.   

According to a healthline.com study, an estimated 2.8 million people – almost 3% of the U.S. population – have BED, making it the country’s most common eating disorder. It often starts in the late teens or early 20s, especially in women. Binge eating disorder affects individuals of all weights - normal, overweight and obese - and impacts three times the number of people diagnosed with bulimia and anorexia combined.

“Binge eating disorder is under-recognized, under-diagnosed, and under-treated, especially in the primary care setting,” said Dr. Barry Herman, chief medical officer of Mentavi Health and a board-certified psychiatrist in both adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. “It is primarily a disorder of adults, sometimes beginning in late adolescence, and is commonly a comorbidity of several psychiatric disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, and ADHD – up to 30% of people with ADHD have disordered eating.”  

People with BED also have an increased risk of medical conditions such as metabolic syndrome, beyond the effect of obesity alone, which makes BED a public health concern. “The untreated presence of BED presents a considerable public health concern,”  Dr. Herman said. “These comorbidities make the treatment and management of BED even more challenging, as addressing multiple conditions simultaneously requires a comprehensive and holistic approach.”

Recognizing that broad health concern prompted Mentavi Health to add the new condition screening, known as the 7-Item Binge Eating Disorder Screener, or the BEDS-7, to its assessment engine. If the screening identifies symptoms of BED, patients are advised to consult a healthcare provider for an in-depth evaluation. 

Binge eating disorder is recognized as a distinct eating disorder under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). It is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating atypically large quantities of food within a short time and experiencing a loss of control over one’s eating behavior. It also has a specific set of symptoms, including eating more rapidly than usual, eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment, or experiencing feelings of disgust, guilt, or depression after binge eating.

Marked distress over binge eating is a key requirement for diagnosis, and overeating must occur at least once a week for three months to meet the criteria for a BED diagnosis. BED is not associated with the compensatory behaviors, such as purging or over-exercising, that are associated with bulimia or anorexia nervosa.

Studies show that up to 43% of individuals diagnosed with BED are classified as obese, underscoring the complex interplay between psychological and physiological factors in eating disorders. Fewer than 40% of individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of BED have ever received treatment for an eating disorder, according to the World Health Organization.

However, BED is treatable, with the primary therapeutic interventions being psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication. Lisdexamfetamine, marketed as Vyvanse, is FDA-approved for the treatment of moderate to severe BED in adults.

The aim for Mentavi Health is that the addition of BED screening to its assessments will lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of the disorder.    

Mentavi's online assessment system, including the BED screener and ADHD assessment, notifies one of our psychologists once responses are in. The psychologist reviews the results to identify potential conditions like ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, or indications of BED. Without additional patient interaction, an assessment report is generated. Patients can then seamlessly transition to Mentavi's virtual treatment, where our online providers guide them on the next steps.

“Given the health risks associated with untreated BED and its substantial impact on overall well-being, it is imperative for primary care physicians to be able to recognize the signs of BED, understand its potential comorbidities, and determine the most suitable course of treatment for their patients,” Dr. Herman said. “By enhancing awareness, knowledge, and skills in identifying and managing BED, healthcare professionals can contribute to improved outcomes and better quality of life for people struggling with this disorder.” 

For more information on Mentavi Health and ADHD Online, please visit https://adhdonline.com.   

About ADHD Online 

ADHD Online was founded in 2018 with the mission that everyone should have access to quality ADHD assessments regardless of who and where they are. The ADHD Online team has experts across the United States who share a passion for ADHD and related mental health conditions and ensuring patients have access to critical mental health services. ADHD Online provides a critical voice for those who struggle with ADHD and has a unique offering of HIPAA-secured ADHD assessments online with reviews and results from licensed psychologists in all 50 states. ADHD Online is a brand under Mentavi Health. Mentavi Health addresses ADHD and adjacent mental health conditions in conjunction with organizational customers. 

Contact Information:
Mike Albanese
[email protected]


Original Source: Mentavi Health to Begin Screening for Binge Eating Disorder

SAN FRANCISCO, September 27, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Soundable Health, a health tech startup that offers innovative AI-based health monitoring solutions using smartphones, is thrilled to announce its acceptance into the Google for Startups Cloud Program. As part of this program, the company will receive a range of benefits from Google, including Google Cloud credits worth up to $350,000 for AI startups, networking and co-marketing opportunities within the Google Cloud Startup Community, business and technical support, Google-wide service offerings, and more. 

Soundable Health specializes in AI-based health monitoring solutions in the fields of urology and respiratory health. Its flagship product, proudP, is an FDA-listed Software Medical device designed for monitoring urinary symptoms related to prostate and bladder problems. Using an acoustic AI/ML engine, it calculates health parameters that assist in urological diagnosis when patients record urination sounds using their smartphones at home, with an accuracy rate of 98%. Another product, Coughy, enables remote monitoring of patients’ cough symptoms and frequency, aiding in characterization of respiratory diseases. The results of a recent clinical study utilizing Coughy was published in Allergy in January of this year. To date, more than 10,000 patients and doctors have benefitted from Soundable’s data-backed assessment of treatment efficacy and shared decision-making. 

“2023 marks a significant turning point for Soundable Health. With strong endorsements from clinical societies this year, our AI-based sound analytics technology has gained recognition from esteemed leaders and experts in the field. We are excited to get accepted into the Google for Startups Cloud Program, and its timing is impeccable. As a state-of-the-art AI health tech startup, this program will enable us to further advance our AI technology, providing significant economic and technological benefits. We are also looking forward to the networking and co-marketing opportunities that lie ahead,” said Catherine Song, PhD, founder and CEO of Soundable Health.

In addition to this achievement, Soundable Health was recently selected as a quarterfinalist for the Digital Health Awards 2023 in the category of Best Use of AI in Health Tech. This recognition underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to developing innovative health monitoring solutions using AI sound analytics. 

Soundable Health

Soundable Health is a health tech startup that provides innovative health monitoring solutions using everyday sounds. With its unsurpassed AI sound analytics, Soundable Health is leading the discovery and development of new digital audible biomarkers that can be detected using smartphones. The new audible biomarkers pioneered by Soundable Health range across various medical fields, especially with underserved chronic symptoms including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and overactive bladder (OAB) in urology (proudP®) and respiratory signs and symptoms including coughs (Coughy®). For more information, visit www.soundable.health.

Contact Information:
Jennifer Cho
VP Marketing
[email protected]
310-709-1116


Original Source: Soundable Health Selected for Google for Startups Cloud Program

Specialty pharmaceutical research company’s new retinal vascular dysfunction model can have a major impact on research and development of new drugs for retinal vascular diseases.

ALBANY, N.Y., September 26, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Humonix Biosciences, Inc., has developed a new 3D human tissue model, called the retinal vascular dysfunction model.

Humonix’s new model is a physiologically relevant 3D model of the blood-retinal barrier. This model expresses key physiological and biological characteristics, providing a platform for testing therapies related to retinal vascular dysfunction.

Humonix’s new model incorporates two cell types, whereas most current in vitro models utilize a single cell type, thereby missing important determinants of barrier function. Humonix’s retinal vascular dysfunction model can recapitulate organ-specific vascular dysfunction, and therefore be applied to diseases such as macular edema and diabetic retinopathy.  

This novel model can aid in the drug development process and expedite progress of life-changing therapies for patients living with retinal vascular diseases.

"During discussions with key opinion leaders and drug developers, we saw a trend that in vitro models and, to a certain extent, animal models are not good at narrowing down the best clinical candidates. The significant lack of models of the blood-retinal barrier that incorporate human retinal cells and mimic the pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema hampers the chances of identifying high-potential candidates to move forward in the drug development pipeline. We at Humonix are proud to have engineered a 3D human tissue model of the blood-retinal barrier that can accelerate the development of new and improved therapies."

- Karen Torrejon, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Humonix

"A reproducible and approachable model of the blood-retinal barrier needs to be more complex than a monolayer of cells; interactions between endothelial cells and pericytes are central to the development and maintenance of barrier function, a fact well recapitulated in the Humonix model." 

- Patricia A. D’Amore, PhD, MBA, Associate Chief for Basic and Translational Research, Mass Eye and Ear and Humonix Scientific Advisor

Additional information:

• Learn more about our new Retinal Vascular Dysfunction Model: https://www.humonixbio.com/rvdm 
• Read our poster about our new Retinal Vascular Dysfunction Model presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Conference in 2023 here: https://www.humonixbio.com/presentations-arvo-2023

Contact Information:
George Torrejon
Senior Director
[email protected]
(631) 487-5553


Original Source: Humonix Biosciences Launches New 3D Human Tissue Model

You Are Not Alone: Call the National Suicide Hotline’s Veterans Crisis Line at 988 (Press 1), Chat Live or Text 838255 for 24/7 Confidential Crisis Support for Veterans and Their Loved Ones

WASHINGTON, September 26, 2023 (Newswire.com) - The first year out of the service – a period known as the “deadly gap” – is a particularly vulnerable time as new veterans navigate location, employment and identity changes. In this “deadly gap,” the risk of suicide increases. During September’s Suicide Prevention Month, when mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness, Onward Ops is highlighting its mission of providing timely support, meaningful connections and valuable tools so all transitioning service members and new veterans can experience a successful transition into civilian life.

“While there is no shortage of resources available to assist veterans, transitioning service members and new veterans are often left to navigate access on their own. The process is unwieldy and overly bureaucratic. No one’s coming to them and saying, ‘Just check this block and we’ll get you enrolled in the VA’ or ‘Sign here and we’ll process your disability,’” said retired Army Brigadier General Michael Eastman, executive director of the Expiration Term of Service Sponsorship Program (ETS-SP), a national non-profit organization bridging the gap between military and civilian life, and its Onward Ops (OnwardOps) military transition support program. “Compounded by limited support and the lack of clear pathways to accessing resources, ‘deadly gap’ stressors contribute to a less-than-ideal adjustment out of the military. Early on, we dug into transition challenges new veterans face and found one outcome of poor transition preparation was suicide.”

In the “deadly gap,” veterans no longer have access to Defense Department resources and may not yet have access to Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) resources, leaving them with limited mental health support. VA research shows the suicide rate among new veterans during the “deadly gap” is more than double that of their civilian peers and almost twice as high as the general veteran population. The VA also found that many “deadly gap” difficulties can be eased by community interventions that promote connectedness and strengthened with the help of sponsors.

Through its certified sponsors, community integrators and partnerships nationwide, Onward Ops – available at no cost to all transitioning service members – assists with employment, benefits, care, housing, and more, to assist in a successful move into civilian life. When service members enroll, they connect with a sponsor and community integration coordinator in their destination communities or guide themselves through the process with the help of the organization’s tools.

“If each of the military branches encouraged its people to enroll with us a year before they completed their tour of duty, spending that time preparing for transition and working with a sponsor if they wanted one, and then attending their mandatory transition class, we would reverse many of the negative outcomes we see with the system as it exists today.”  

As a social welfare organization, Onward Ops also provides access to organizations and charities that address critical needs like housing and food insecurity, and conducts a risk assessment, created in partnership with Harvard Medical School, with all enrollees. “If someone scores high enough that the algorithm indicates they are at risk for suicide, we have the ability to connect them within 24 hours to a VA person, then a behavioral health provider.” 

Through major partnerships including Google and USAA’s Face the Fight Foundation, Onward Ops has expanded its presence to all 50 states in two years, and its transitioning service members and new veteran enrollments have increased from 20-30 a month to 800-1,000 a month. 

“In this month dedicated to suicide prevention,” Eastman said, “we wanted to reinforce that with positive community engagement and the efforts of volunteer sponsors, it is possible to reduce the unacceptable loss of our country’s newest veterans.”

People can give back to transitioning service members and military spouses by volunteering as an Onward Ops sponsor at OnwardOps.org. Communities interested in joining our network can connect via [email protected]. For news and updates, follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Contact Information:
Mike Eastman
Executive Director / Brigadier General, U.S. Army (ret)
[email protected]
703.399.4679


Original Source: During Suicide Prevention Month, Onward Ops Military Transition Support Program Highlights Its Focus on the ‘Deadly Gap’

For the first time, list recognizes 234 leading Hispanic and Latino doctors in the nation

NEW YORK, September 26, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Castle Connolly today announced the release of Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors 2023. It’s the first time Castle Connolly has recognized exceptional doctors within the Hispanic and Latino communities who have demonstrated outstanding expertise, patient care, and contributions to the field of healthcare. There are 234 doctors represented, across 32 states and 60 specialties.

The new distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. As part of this initiative, Castle Connolly surveyed its current Top Doctors (top 7% of physicians in the U.S., all nominated by peers), to share information about their race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

For the Top Hispanic & Latino Doctor list, Castle Connolly has partnered with National Latino Physician Day, to bring awareness of the underrepresentation of Latino physicians, as well as encourage the next generation of Latino and Latina students to go into medicine. “We know that having concordance with ethnicity can improve outcomes for patients. Having an understanding of the culture and the language is also an important way to provide the best patient care,” says Dr. Michael Galvez, Director of Pediatric Hand Surgery at Valley Children’s Hospital and co-creator of National Latino Physician Day. 

Today, the U.S. Latino population is at 19%, while only 6% of physicians across the country are Latino or Latina. By 2050, it is projected that one out of three Americans, and one out of two Californians will be of Latino background. “This large population is severely underrepresented among physicians and is also suffering from poor healthcare outcomes,” says Dr. Cesar Padilla, Clinical Associate Professor in Obstetric Anesthesiology at Stanford University and co-creator of National Latino Physician Day. “This is more than just a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) issue - it’s an issue of population health.” 

“By releasing the list of Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors, our goal is to enable patients to easily find high-quality care from a provider who shares both a language proficiency as well as a cultural background,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director, Castle Connolly. “We are proud of this list of exceptional Latino and Latina doctors, and will continue to grow all of our DEI lists in 2024 and beyond.” 

With the inaugural DEI lists in 2023, Castle Connolly has celebrated over 9,200 Castle Connolly Top Doctors, distinguishing them as part of groups that have been historically underrepresented in medicine, including Top Black Doctors, Exceptional Women in Medicine, Top AAPI Doctors, Top LGBTQ+ Doctors and Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors. 

All Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors are nominated by their peers, and then the Castle Connolly research team evaluates important criteria, including professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history, interpersonal skills and outcomes data (where available). 

About Castle Connolly

With over 30 years' experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly's peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.

About Everyday Health Group

The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 76 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group's world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).

Contact Information:
Caroline Baron
Senior Director
[email protected]
(212) 367-8400


Original Source: Castle Connolly Releases Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors 2023