By ANAHAD O'CONNOR Americans fed up with unwanted advertisements swarming their e-mail accounts might have one more reason to find them irritating. Many of the human growth hormone products sold over the Internet, a new report says, are bogus. The study, conducted by consumerlab.com, looked at a number of supplements promoted either as containing or having the ability to release growth hormone, a naturally occurring protein that prompts bone and muscle growth. The study is to be posted today on the company's Web site. Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

Keyword: Hormones & Behavior
Link ID: 4658 - Posted: 12.08.2003

WASHINGTON – Over one percent of the American population is involved in a serious (causing personal injury) motor vehicle accident (MVA) each year and a majority will experience at least a minor MVA by the age of 30. MVAs are considered the leading cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population and car accidents are the number one trauma for men and the second most frequent trauma for women, according to a new book that examines updated research on PTSD among car accident victims and some effective treatments for the disorder. The second edition of After the Crash: Psychological Assessment and Treatment of Survivors of Motor Vehicle Accidents, published by the American Psychological Association (APA), adds new research to the original five-year study of MVA survivors in the Albany, New York area conducted in the early 1990s. Authors Edward B. Blanchard, Ph.D., and Edward J. Hickling, Psy.D., explain in their comprehensive review of MVA survivors the importance of getting appropriate psychological treatment along with medical treatment to overcome the psychological trauma caused by a car accident. The first edition, published in 1997, examined over a five-year period a cohort of 158 motor vehicle survivors who sought medical attention within 48 hours of the MVA and volunteered to be assessed for PTSD one to four months after their accident. The second edition, published December 2003, examines a second cohort of 161 seriously injured motor vehicle survivors for a five-year period who also sought medical attention within 48 hours of the MVA. The difference between the two cohorts was the participants in the second cohort actively sought treatment for psychological distress and were recruited six to 24 months after their accident to meet the criteria for chronic PTSD. © 2003 American Psychological Association

Keyword: Stress
Link ID: 4657 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Among behavioral disorders, anxiety and depression cost more Children with behavioral disorders incur similar overall health care costs to children with physical disorders according to a recent study. Among behavioral disorders, costs were not uniform; anxiety and depression cost twice as much as other common behavioral disorders, mainly as a result of inpatient hospitalizations. This study, by researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, appears in the electronic pages of the December issue of the journal Pediatrics. "Examining healthcare costs, for children especially, is an increasingly important issue," said James P. Guevara, M.D., general pediatrician at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and primary investigator of this study. "This study shows that children with behavioral disorders incur similar healthcare costs to those with physical disorders, a recent observation which is important knowledge for the healthcare industry." The retrospective cohort study looked at children ranging in age from 2 to 18 years old whose families participated in the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Children with common behavioral disorders were identified using diagnostic codes determined from household interviews. Researchers compared them to two control groups – healthy children and children with common chronic physical disorders such as asthma, epilepsy and diabetes.

Keyword: Depression; Emotions
Link ID: 4656 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Deidre Bello, Iowa City Press-Citizen People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says its members will use bullhorns and distribute graphic leaflets in a Palmer College of Chiropractic scientist's Iowa City neighborhood Sunday to protest his use of animals in research. PETA spokeswoman Brandi Valladolid said Palmer College in Davenport is torturing animals to validate the chiropractic profession. She and other PETA members claim work on rats and cats by Dr. Joel Pickar, a neuro-physiological Palmer researcher, is "crippling," "invasive" and a form of "counterfeit science." "He's not doing anything science-based, and it's completely unethical," Valladolid said of alleged amputation of animal limbs. "Use of animals in research is on the decline. So many new things are being developed that can be used instead, like tissue cell cultures and mathematical simulated computer models."

Keyword: Animal Rights
Link ID: 4655 - Posted: 12.07.2003

By ANNE McILROY Only something extraordinary could entice the Carmelite nuns of Montreal to break their vow of silence and venture out of the cloister, ANNE McILROY says. They have joined forces with science to look for a concrete sign from God -- inside the human brain The Carmelite nuns live a life of silent prayer, separated from the modern world by the high stone wall that surrounds their monastery in an industrial part of Montreal. Except for medical care, they rarely leave their sanctuary. But that changed late last month, when they began to make periodic visits to, of all places, a science lab. The sisters arrive at the neuro-science laboratory in the University of Montreal's psychology department two at a time, wearing habits sewn from thick, dark cloth, high white collars and veils that frame their faces and flow down their backs. On their feet are sensible brown laceups that appear to have never seen the outdoors before. © 2003 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc.

Keyword: Brain imaging
Link ID: 4654 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Scientists who developed the first yeast model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been able to describe the mechanisms of an important gene’s role in the disease. Tiago Fleming Outeiro, Ph.D., and Susan Lindquist, Ph.D., of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, studied the gene’s actions under normal conditions and under abnormal conditions to learn how and when the gene’s product, alpha-synuclein, becomes harmful to surrounding cells. The scientists created a yeast model that expresses the alpha-synuclein gene, which has been implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Yeast models are often used in the study of genetic diseases because they offer researchers a simple system that allows them to clarify how genes work. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health, funded the study, which appears in the December 5, 2003, issue of Science. ¹ The alpha-synuclein protein, which is found broadly in the brain, has been implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. Sometimes a mutation or a misfolding of the protein causes the problems; other times there are too many copies of the normal gene. A study earlier this year reported that patients with a rare familial form of PD had too many normal copies of the alpha-synuclein gene, which resulted in a buildup of protein inside brain cells, causing the symptoms of PD.

Keyword: Parkinsons
Link ID: 4653 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Study also ties sex appeal to cold tolerance In what has been described as the "perfect experiment," evolutionary biologists at the University of Chicago replaced a single gene in fruit flies and discovered a mechanism by which two different "races" begin to become different species, with one group adapted to life in the tropics and the other suited to cooler climates. The tropical group was more tolerant of starvation but less tolerant of cold. The temperate group was less able to resist starvation but better adapted to cool weather. The altered gene also changed the flies' pheromones, chemical signals that influence mating behavior. As a result, the researchers show in the Dec. 5 issue of Science, the two groups of flies are not only fit for different environments but may also be on their way to sexual isolation, a crucial divide in the emergence of a new species. "This study directly connects genetics with evolution," said Chung-I Wu, Ph.D., professor and chairman of ecology and evolution at the University of Chicago and director of the study. "For the first time, we were able to demonstrate the vast importance in an evolutionary context of a small genetic change that has already occurred in nature."

Keyword: Evolution; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 4652 - Posted: 12.07.2003

Even short term use of cannabis can damage the lungs of young people, say researchers. A team from Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, conducted tests on smokers, non-smokers and cannabis users. Non-smokers had the healthiest lungs. But cannabis users showed more signs of damage than those who stuck to cigarettes. A British Thoracic Society meeting heard less than six years cannabis use was enough to cause significant damage. Dr Sarah Nuttall, a research fellow from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said: "The consensus among many young people who use cannabis seems to be that they will not suffer any long-term effects as long as they stop smoking it early enough. "However this is clearly not the case - our study shows that even short-term use of cannabis in addition to tobacco use does have an impact and makes a serious difference to lung function." (C) BBC

Keyword: Drug Abuse
Link ID: 4651 - Posted: 12.05.2003

Thousands of people claim that they have been abducted by aliens. Are they lying? Research suggests that, in many cases, those making the claim truly believe it happened. "In case after case after case, I've been impressed with the consistency of the story, the sincerity with which people tell their stories, the power of the feelings connected with this, the self-doubt," John Mack, a psychiatrist at Harvard University who has worked with people who claim to have been abducted, told PBS' NOVA. " I worked with people over hundreds and hundreds of hours, and have done as careful a job as I could to listen, to sift out, to consider alternative explanations. And none have come forward. No one has found an alternative explanation in a single abduction case." Research in the journal Psychological Science sheds light on the consistency of those powerful feelings by showing that those who claim to have been abducted share traits with people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Previous research has shown that when Vietnam veterans with PTSD heard 30-second audio "re-enactments" of their trauma, they exhibited psychophysiological activity. "For example, their heart rate will go up, their skin conductance activity, the sweating on the palm of the hand, will increase," says Richard McNally, a psychology professor at Harvard University. "Individuals who do not have PTSD but who have experienced traumatic events typically will not show that reactivity." © ScienCentral, 2000-2003.

Keyword: Learning & Memory; Sleep
Link ID: 4650 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Many of us suffer from the occasional bout of hypochondria, but some people's lives are taken over by the condition. For them, the slightest headache is a brain tumour, a spot of pins and needles is multiple sclerosis. Psychiatrist Brian Fallon has been studying hypochondriacs for 15 years. He tells Clare Wilson what he thinks causes the illness, and how he has pioneered a new way of treating it Have you ever been a hypochondriac? No, but I know what it's like to worry about an inexplicable symptom. One morning I noticed my arm was swollen and I was quite concerned. I thought I might have a blockage of my lymphatic system, perhaps caused by cancer. My supervisor pointed out it was probably just a result of spending the previous day using a chainsaw. It was a good demonstration of how, when anxiety takes over, you start to lose some of your more rational powers of observation. © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

Keyword: OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Link ID: 4649 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By JAMES GORMAN A 425-million-year-old fossil found in Herefordshire, England, may be the oldest record of an animal that is unarguably male. Scientists report Friday in the journal Science that the tiny crustacean, only two-tenths of an inch long, had an unmistakable penis. In their paper, the scientists name the creature Colymbosathon ecplecticos, which they say means swimmer with a large penis. David J. Siveter, a geologist at the University of Leicester, said that although this was his literal translation of the Greek, it may, like so many other references to virility in males, be a bit of an exaggeration. Colymbosathon, he said, was not remarkable among its group of crustaceans, the ostracodes. Some have copulatory organs one-third the length of their bodies, he said, and some produce sperm 10 times the length of their bodies. Colymbosathon is more modest; its penis was less than a fifth of its body length. Dr. Siveter's colleagues, who contributed to the research, were Derek E. G. Briggs of Yale and Mark D. Sutton and Derek J. Siveter, both of Oxford. The two Siveters are twins. Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

Keyword: Sexual Behavior; Evolution
Link ID: 4648 - Posted: 12.05.2003

MADISON - With a slight tweak of temperature, geneticist Barry Ganetzky's flies drop like, well, flies. For 25 years, Ganetzky has been identifying, breeding and studying a raft of fly mutants that, when exposed to minor temperature change, become completely paralyzed. The flies, which quickly recover when returned to room temperature, are now finding many uses in studies of human neurological disorders, drug discovery and insecticide development. Ganetzky, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of genetics, and his colleagues have become the undisputed champions of finding such mutants, raising the tally to upward of 100 such strains over the years.

Keyword: Movement Disorders; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 4647 - Posted: 12.05.2003

MRI technology reveals differences in neuro-signaling NEW YORK— Children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have significantly altered levels of important neurotransmitters (biochemicals that carry signals to and from cells) in the frontal region of the brain, according to a study publishing in the December issue of the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. "Our data show children with ADHD had a two-and-half-fold increased level of glutamate, an excitatory brain chemical that can be toxic to nerve cells," said lead author Helen Courvoisie, M.D., assistant professor, division of child and adolescent psychiatry, department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore. "The data also suggest a decreased level of GABA, a neuro-inhibitor. This combination may explain the behavior of children with poor impulse control." Dr. Courvoisie spoke today at an American Medical Association media briefing on advances in neurology in New York. "Children with ADHD have problems that are associated with the part of the brain called the frontal lobes," said Dr. Courvoisie. "The frontal lobes are like the 'boss of the brain,' responsible for what we call executive functioning — telling the brain and body what to do." This area regulates impulse control, attention, movement and elaborating on thoughts.

Keyword: ADHD
Link ID: 4646 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Study finds low to moderate alcohol use does not lower stroke risk A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions found a link between low to moderate alcohol consumption and a decrease in the brain size of middle-aged adults. Brain atrophy is associated with impaired cognition and motor functions. The researchers also found that low or moderate consumption did not reduce the risk of stroke, which contradicts the findings of some previous studies. The study is published in the rapid access edition of Stroke: The Journal of the American Heart Association. "Previous studies conducted with older adults found an association between heavy drinking, brain atrophy and an increased risk for stroke. We studied a younger, middle-aged population and found that low amounts of alcohol consumption are also associated with decreases in brain size," said Jingzhong Ding, PhD, lead author of the study and a research associate in the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health. "Our findings do not support the hypothesis that low or moderate alcohol intake offers any protection against cerebral abnormalities or the risk of stroke in middle-aged adults."

Keyword: Drug Abuse
Link ID: 4645 - Posted: 12.05.2003

By Dr David Whitehouse, BBC News Online science editor Scientists have described their first complete design of an implant that will take the place of light-sensitive cells in the retina of a damaged eye. Current implants use chips that convert light into electrical impulses that are fed to the brain via the optic nerve. The new device will work differently. It will be placed on a damaged retina and convert light into chemicals that will stimulate nerve cells. The prototype is being constructed at Stanford University in California. Dr Stacey Bent of Stanford University calls the device "the holy grail of prostheses". It takes a new approach to replacing a damaged retina, the layer of cells at the back of the eye that detect light and send signals to the brain. Trauma or disease can damage or destroy retinal cells. Over the past few years implants have been developed to replace them based on electronic chips that turn light into electrical pulses. (C) BBC

Keyword: Vision; Robotics
Link ID: 4644 - Posted: 12.04.2003

NewScientist.com news service Alarm sirens intended to scare highly endangered whales away from ships that often kill them may actually be more likely to cause a collision, suggests new research. North Atlantic right whales are on the brink of extinction, with only 300 left despite being protected from whaling since 1935. The biggest risk to them now is collisions with ships. "Even if one individual is killed – it can be significant," says Douglas Nowacek who led the study at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Understanding how whales respond to the sounds of ships is also important because many other whale species die in collisions. © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

Keyword: Hearing; Animal Communication
Link ID: 4643 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Humour tickles drug centre that gives hedonistic high HELEN PEARSON There's truth in the maxim 'laughter is a drug'. A comic cartoon fired up the same brain centre as a shot of cocaine, researchers are reporting. A team at Stanford University in California asked lab mates, spouses and friends to select the wittiest newspaper cartoons from a portfolio. They showed the winning array to 16 volunteers while peering inside their heads by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The cartoons activated the same reward circuits in the brain that are tickled by cocaine, money or a pretty face, the neuroscientists found1. One brain region in particular, the nucleus accumbens, lit up seconds after a rib-tickler but remained listless after a lacklustre cartoon. © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2003

Keyword: Brain imaging; Drug Abuse
Link ID: 4642 - Posted: 06.24.2010

CHICAGO – Malnutrition resulting from anorexia nervosa may cause emphysema, according to research presented today at the 89th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). For the first time, researchers used a new method of assessing computed tomography (CT) scans to analyze the lungs of anorexic patients and found that malnutrition changes the physical structure of the lung. "There is a reduction in the amount of lung tissue in patients with anorexia nervosa," said Harvey O. Coxson, Ph.D., lead author of the study from Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) in Canada. "It is unclear whether these structural changes are permanent," he said, "but if they are, early therapy is important in patients who have anorexia." Dr. Coxson is an assistant professor of radiology at the University of British Columbia and an investigator at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute at VGH and at the James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver.

Keyword: Anorexia & Bulimia
Link ID: 4641 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Many stress-related mental illnesses, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), occur at least twice as often in women as in men. While social and cultural factors certainly may contribute to this statistic, potential neurobiological reasons for this discrepancy have been inadequately investigated. Depression and PTSD are characterized by dysfunction of an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is known to govern higher cognitive abilities like concentration and short-term memory. These functions have been shown in lab animals to be disrupted after exposure to stress. However, the experiments have largely been done only in male animals, and sex differences in how the PFC responds to stress are unknown. A better understanding of such processes may help to elucidate the reason that women are more susceptible to stress-related disorders, and lead to the development of better anti-depressant treatments. To examine the effects of stress on PFC function, male and female rats were exposed to different levels of mild stress, and then tested on a short-term memory task. The authors found that without stress, males and females performed equally well on the task. Likewise, after exposure to higher levels of stress, both males and females made significant memory errors. However, after exposure to a moderate level of stress, females were impaired, but males were not, suggesting that females were more sensitive to the PFC-impairing effects of stress. When the authors monitored the female rats' estrus cycles, they found that the rats showed this sensitivity only when they were in a high-estrogen phase.

Keyword: Stress; Hormones & Behavior
Link ID: 4640 - Posted: 12.04.2003

The causes and mechanisms of most brain diseases still evade scientists. A causal treatment exists for only few conditions. Therapeutic approaches at present aim predominantly at harm reduction. Harm reducing, brain function protecting measures are addressed with the term "neuroprotection". Neuroprotection is best defined as the effort to maintain / restore the highest possible integrity of cellular interactions in the brain, resulting in an overall undisturbed neural function. Neuroprotection is a novel approach for the treatment of schizophrenia. Over the last decade it has become clear that in addition to disturbed brain development, continuous neurodegenerative processes are involved in the progression of this brain disease. Nevertheless, molecular and cellular mechanisms accounting for the various dysfunctions of schizophrenic psychosis are far from clear. Existing animal models of schizophrenia only reflect certain aspects of the human disease. Therefore, novel concepts to treating schizophrenia should be immediately translated into clinical pilot trials. This is particularly appropriate if the beneficial compounds that are suggested are safe. During early episodes of schizophrenic psychosis, a dramatic worsening of cognitive performance is often observed.

Keyword: Schizophrenia; Hormones & Behavior
Link ID: 4639 - Posted: 12.04.2003