By ANNA FELS, M.D. Often, my psychiatric patients bring carefully recorded dreams to their sessions. They are sophisticated people who have been taught that dream interpretation is part of the therapy drill. After all, Freud singled out dreams as the royal road to the unconscious. A hundred years later, scientists are still unsure what dreams are about, but their very inscrutability suggests that they guard deep truths, that they are the magic keys to the psychic kingdom. When I first started practice, I dreaded listening to patients' dreams. Typically, a patient would stare down at scribbled notes and begin: "I was in this place that was sort of like my bedroom, but it was also a cave I saw in a TV program yesterday, and there was a guy swinging from a perch who I thought was going to hit me, but then I was in this swimming pool . . . " Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

Keyword: Sleep
Link ID: 3646 - Posted: 04.03.2003

Jumbos' bouncy legs help them pack a pace. HELEN R. PILCHER Its official: elephants can run. Biomechanics researchers have done their sums and decided that the springy steps of an angry elephant at full charge count as running - not ambling or trotting. As their speed rises past 16 kilometres per hour, elephants adopt "more of a bouncing motion", explains John Hutchinson of Stanford University in California. Technically, this makes them runners. Hutchinson and his colleagues organized a 30-metre track event with 42 healthy, adult Asian elephants1. The elephants, from tourist parks and conservation camps in Lampang, Thailand, ran one at a time along the track, five to ten times a day, with rests, over several days. © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2003

Keyword: Biomechanics
Link ID: 3645 - Posted: 06.24.2010

HONOLULU, HI – Researchers have recently discovered a progressive neurodegenerative condition -- resulting in tremor, balance problems, and dementia -- which may affect as many as one in 3,000 men. This condition has now been associated with the same gene that causes fragile X syndrome, the most common heritable form of mental retardation. Findings of this study are being presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Honolulu, March 29-April 5, 2003. Remarkably, the same gene has been found to cause these two different and independent syndromes, affecting different groups of individuals. Fragile X syndrome is a developmental disorder beginning in childhood, while the newly identified neurological syndrome (Fragile X Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, or FXTAS) affects mainly male carriers who were not affected by fragile X syndrome retardation, and who displayed no symptoms prior to age 50. "We discovered that FXTAS-affected individuals have numerous inclusions, or spherical particles, in their brain cells," noted study author Paul Hagerman, MD, PhD, professor of Biological Chemistry at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Through this study, the researchers are determining what is in the inclusions and why they form. "We believe this finding is an important clue as to the cause of the disorder, one that may ultimately help with development of therapies for both the tremor disorder and fragile X syndrome."

Keyword: Genes & Behavior; Intelligence
Link ID: 3644 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Study shows surprisingly sophisticated nesting behavior in common marsh birds SANTA CRUZ, CA -- Coots, the Rodney Dangerfields of the bird world, just might start to get some respect as a result of a new study showing that these common marsh birds are able to recognize and count their own eggs, even in the presence of eggs laid by other birds. The counting ability of female coots is part of a sophisticated set of defense mechanisms used to thwart other coots who lay eggs in their neighbors' nests, according to Bruce Lyon, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Lyon studied hundreds of coot nests in British Columbia during a four-year investigation. His latest findings appear in the April 3 issue of the scientific journal Nature. "The ability of females to count only their own eggs in a mixture of eggs is a remarkable feat that provides a convincing, rare example of counting in a wild animal," Lyon wrote in the published pape

Keyword: Evolution; Intelligence
Link ID: 3643 - Posted: 04.03.2003

(Bethesda, MD) -- Motor imagery has been extensively studied with positron emissions tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques. Converging evidence indicates that motor imagery shares neural substrates (substances changed by enzymes) with those underlying motor execution. However, less certain are how and to what extent neural substrates are shared between the two modes of motor-related behavior. The scientific community differs regarding involvement of the primary motor cortex (M1), the region of the cerebral cortex most nearly immediately influencing movements of the face, neck and trunk, and arm and leg, during motor imagery. Some region-of-interest analyses from fMRI experiments often reveal mild activity increases in M1 during motor imagery, while group averaged analyses from fMRI and PET do not. Unfortunately, many of the fMRI studies showing M1 activity do not employ electrophysiological monitoring to exclude muscle contractions during actual scanning. In addition to the methodological differences, there has been some diversity among the behavioral tasks studied as motor imagery. Motor imagery is defined as the mental simulation of a motor act. This definition can include various concepts such as preparation for movement, passive observations of action, and mental operations of sensorimotor representations, either implicitly or explicitly.

Keyword: Biomechanics; Brain imaging
Link ID: 3642 - Posted: 04.03.2003

Women who suffer the misery of migraines at the time of their period could be helped by a new treatment, according to a study. The disabling headaches can be prevented by taking a new drug before menstruation, a US trial suggests. Around four million women in the UK alone suffer from migraines, many triggered by hormonal changes at the 'time of the month'. The therapy, frovatriptan succinate, is already available in the US and is about to be licensed in the UK. Frovatriptan is a member of a class of drugs called triptans, which reduce inflammation of certain blood vessels in the brain thought to cause pain. It is currently prescribed for acute migraine attacks but its use could be extended as a prevention for menstrually associated migraines (MAM). (C) BBC

Keyword: Hormones & Behavior; Pain & Touch
Link ID: 3641 - Posted: 04.02.2003

Some diseases are caused by one gene. But more common are "complex" diseases—like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity—that are caused by many genes or sets of genes. Now geneticists have demonstrated that they can subdivide obesity into different genetic causes. The study was published in the journal Nature. Researchers at Rosetta Inpharmatics, a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company Merck collaborated with university scientists to combine clinical and gene sequence information with new gene chip experiments to find different groups of genes that underly obesity. © ScienCentral, 2000-2003.

Keyword: Obesity; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 3640 - Posted: 06.24.2010

by Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., Psychiatric Times April 2003 Vol. XX Issue 4 Posttraumatic stress disorder develops in response to experiencing, witnessing or even learning about a terrifying event. The event--or trauma--is usually life-threatening, or at least capable of producing bodily harm, and it typically involves either interpersonal violence or massive disaster (e.g., rape, assault, torture, terrorism, car or plane crashes, earthquake, tornado, or flood). Traumatic events have in common the ability to elicit intense and immediate fear, helplessness, horror and distress. These subjective responses lead to a cascade of adverse psychological reactions that can result in the symptoms of PTSD and the resultant disability that is associated with this condition. The diagnosis of PTSD did not appear in the DSM until 1980. This reflected the reluctance of the mental health field to recognize that the psychological effects of traumatic experiences could be long lasting. Prior to 1980, stress-related symptoms were generally viewed as transient and not requiring intensive treatment. This was in keeping with the pervasive feeling that, with time, people ought to be able to "get over" the effects of a traumatic experience and "move on" without noticeable impairment. According to the DSM and DSM-II, people who developed long-term symptoms following trauma were perceived as constitutionally vulnerable (Yehuda and McFarlane, 1995). The diagnosis of PTSD was meant to pave the way for an improved understanding of the long-term, and possibly even permanent, impact of trauma exposure. Ultimately, systematic testing of hypotheses about the relationship between trauma exposure and long-term symptoms has led to a better understanding of the causes of PTSD and its longitudinal course and biologic basis. © 2003 Psychiatric Times. All rights reserved.

Keyword: Stress
Link ID: 3639 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By RICHARD A. FRIEDMAN, M.D. I am being harassed by the guy next door and I want him to stop," the woman in my office said with firm conviction. The man would leer at her in the elevator just to make her squirm, she said. But when I inquired further, she described a lingering feeling of being mistreated by people she said were jealous of her. She was even sure that someone had once tried to poison her. Then I asked a question that gave me a direct taste of her problem. Is it possible that you are mistaken? Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

Keyword: Schizophrenia
Link ID: 3638 - Posted: 04.02.2003

Unique Hand-Over-Hand Rotation Transports Molecules Through Cells (Philadelphia, PA) - Within every neuron is a vast protein trail system traversed by a small protein engine called Myosin V. The long-standing question of how this molecule moves may have finally been resolved by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Their findings, presented in this week's issue of Nature, show how myosin V can move 'hand-over-hand' on tracks, composed of a protein called actin, without completely letting go at any point. According to the researchers, myosin V offers a fascinating example of how cells convert chemical energy into motion, and may offer a natural example of molecular motors for the purposes of nanotechnology. "There are a number of theories on how this molecule moves. What concerned me was how this little myosin motor can move along the track without letting go and floating off into the cytoplasm of the cell," said Yale E. Goldman, MD, PhD, professor in Penn's Department of Physiology and director of the Pennsylvania Muscle Institute (PMI). "It turns out that myosin tilts as it steps along the actin track - one head attaches to the track and then the molecule rotates allowing the other head to attach - much like a child on a playground crosses the monkey-bars hand-over-hand."

Keyword: Miscellaneous
Link ID: 3637 - Posted: 04.02.2003

Research helps physicians understand rare form of ataxia that causes patients to appear 'drunk' at times PORTLAND, Ore. – Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University are the first to produce an animal model for episodic ataxia. The condition causes patients to suffer bouts of extreme clumsiness where they have balance, speech and motor difficulties. The research helps scientists better understand this rare and intriguing disorder. It may also help provide valuable information for improved, targeted drugs for treatment. The research is printed in the April edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience. It was conducted in conjunction with researchers at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. "By developing a mouse model for episodic ataxia, we now have a valuable tool to better understand and treat the disease," said James Maylie, Ph.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the OHSU School of Medicine. "We have already used this animal model to observe and learn more about cellular mechanisms behind the disease. These disease-linked cells are located in the cerebellum, a portion of the brain involved in motor coordination."

Keyword: Stress; Movement Disorders
Link ID: 3636 - Posted: 06.24.2010

HONOLULU, HI – Researchers in New Orleans have identified a subset of stutterers that may benefit most from delayed auditory feedback, a technique by which the original acoustic speech signal is artificially modified and then fed back via headphones. Findings of their study are being presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Honolulu, March 29-April 5, 2003. Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) has been shown to induce fluency in many individuals who stutter, though not all stutterers experience enhanced fluency by this technique. The primary aim of this study was to learn if there is a relationship between the anatomy of the auditory association cortex (planum temporale) and fluency induced with DAF in adults with persistent developmental stuttering. The planum temporale is a brain structure important in processing auditory information.

Keyword: Language; Hearing
Link ID: 3635 - Posted: 06.24.2010

HONOLULU -- An investigational surgical cell therapy tested to improve signs and symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is showing sustained benefit in motor function, two years following treatment. Emory University researchers report that participants, on average, experienced a 41 percent improvement (range 29-58 percent) in motor function when off other medications and, on average, a 39 percent improvement (range 35-40 percent) in quality of life measures. Ray L. Watts, MD, professor of neurology, Emory University School of Medicine and lead investigator of the study, will present the two-year follow-up findings at the American Academy of Neurology 55th Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii on April 1. During a pilot clinical study, Emory University researchers implanted retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells attached to microcarriers (Spheramine") into the brains of six patients with advanced PD. The microcarriers are necessary for the cells to survive after implantation, and form the basis for this novel therapy. RPE cells, normally found in the back of the eye, are cultured under standardized conditions to produce cells for this treatment. These cells provide a source of increased dopamine production. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is found in steadily decreasing amounts as PD progresses. The implanted cells serve as a new potential source of dopamine production in these patients.

Keyword: Parkinsons
Link ID: 3634 - Posted: 04.02.2003

Until now, scientists believed that a single area in the brain generated breathing rhythm, enabling breathing to speed up or slow down to adapt to the body’s activity and position. But UCLA neurobiologists have discovered that two systems in the brain interact to generate breathing rhythm — a finding that may translate into better treatment for sleep apnea and sudden infant death syndrome. The journal Neuron reported the findings in its March 6 issue. “We originally thought that only one brain center was responsible for generating breathing rhythm,” said Dr. Nicholas Mellen, UCLA assistant researcher in neurobiology and principal investigator of the study. “But our research indicates that two cellular networks closely collaborate to control breathing. This brings us an important step closer to understanding how breathing control is organized in the brain.” “Breathing is a good model for understanding brain function in general,” said Dr. Jack Feldman, UCLA professor of neurobiology and senior author. “Once we learn how the brain commands humans to breathe, we will gain valuable insight into how the brain produces other meaningful behaviors.”

Keyword: Miscellaneous
Link ID: 3633 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Transplanted bone-marrow cells may be fusing with, not replacing, damaged tissues. HELEN R. PILCHER Transplanted adult stem cells may repair liver damage by fusing with host cells, rather than by producing new liver cells, two new studies suggest. The stem cells may reprogramme host cells' genetic material. The findings are likely to fuel the debate over how versatile adult stem cells are and how they repair tissues. Adult stem cells' apparent ability to produce myriad cell types has raised hopes that transplants could treat conditions from liver disease to stroke, without recourse to the ethically contentious use of embryonic stem cells. Previous studies have indicated, for instance, that adult bone-marrow stem cells can turn into several cell types, including blood, liver, muscle and pancreas. © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2003

Keyword: Stem Cells
Link ID: 3632 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Brain catheter feeds beleaguered cells; taking iron out protects them. HELEN PEARSON A drip-feed of protein through the skull has transformed the lives of five Parkinson's patients, say scientists. Doctors implanted a thin plastic tube into the patients' brains and a small pump in their stomach1. They infused a molecule known to nourish the brain cells that wither during Parkinson's: glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). After two years of treatment, "we're seeing improvements across the board", says team leader Steven Gill of the Institute of Neurosciences in Bristol, UK. One patient, whose movement problems left him housebound, has joined his local bowls team; another re-wired his house. © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2003

Keyword: Parkinsons; Trophic Factors
Link ID: 3631 - Posted: 06.24.2010

MADISON - By pumping a potent growth factor directly into the human brain, an international team of scientists and surgeons has demonstrated significant remediation of the debilitating symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease. The study, a phase 1 clinical trial designed primarily to assess the safety of administering a protein known as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor or GDNF, was reported today (March 31) in the journal Nature Medicine. The study, according to co-author Clive Svendsen of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, induced a remarkable uptick in the motor skills of five Parkinson's patients in advanced stages of the disease, as well as the ability of their brains to store the neurotransmitter dopamine, a key chemical that helps the brain control muscles.

Keyword: Parkinsons; Trophic Factors
Link ID: 3630 - Posted: 03.31.2003

Babies who do not eat much in the first fortnight of life may be set up for better heart health throughout life. Trying to get a new baby to put on weight is a natural parental desire, but research suggests that very rapid weight gain very early in life may not necessarily be a good thing. A study carried out at the Institute of Child Health in London found that babies who received a "low nutrient" diet rather than a "nutrient rich" diet in their first days were healthier as adolescents. They were less likely to have "insulin resistance", a symptomless condition strongly associated with an increased risk of diabetes later in life. The researchers say that it does not mean that new parents should actively restrict the diets of their newborns, but provides more evidence that breastfeeding is the best possible way to feed them. New mothers usually produce very small amounts of milk in the first few days after birth, and even healthy babies tend to actually lose weight to start with. But the study suggests this is certainly not harmful, and may even be beneficial in the longer term. It warned parents against "overfeeding" newborn babies by giving them large amounts of formula feed. (C) BBC

Keyword: Development of the Brain
Link ID: 3629 - Posted: 03.29.2003

ST. PAUL, MN - A cross-sectional study has convinced some researchers that the APOE genotype is a risk factor for diabetic neuropathy severity equal to having 15 extra years of age or diabetes duration. The study, led by Richard S. Bedlack, MD, Phd, of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, is reported in the March 25 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Patients with APOE 3/4 and 4/4 genotypes scored three points higher on the Neuropathy Impairment Score in the Lower Limbs (NISLL) than patients with other genotypes. Patients were enrolled in the study from the diabetes clinic at Northeast Medical Center in Concord, North Carolina. The study took into account the patient’s age, duration of diabetes, most recent and highest recorded hemoglobin, most recent and highest recorded triglycerides, and presence of the APOE gene.

Keyword: Alzheimers; Obesity
Link ID: 3628 - Posted: 06.24.2010

NewScientist.com news service A significant number of people could be dying from an adult version of "cot death", suggests a new study. At least 3500 apparently healthy people collapse and die every year from unexplained causes in England alone, researchers have found. And in about 150 of these mystery deaths no cause can be identified, despite a full post-mortem examination. Tim Bowker, associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation and a consultant cardiologist, led the study and says anecdotal reports of this type of death had baffled doctors for many years. © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

Keyword: Sleep
Link ID: 3627 - Posted: 06.24.2010