Fatty acids found in many common foods may help to treat children with dyslexia and behavioural problems, say scientists. The behaviour of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was found to improve significantly after they were given a dietary supplement containing the fatty acids. Scientists from Oxford University and London's Imperial College School of Medicine gave the supplement, Efalex, to children attending a special school in Northern Ireland. After three months, the children showed significant improvements in their behaviour and mental abilities. They were less anxious and less shy. (C) BBC

Keyword: ADHD; Dyslexia
Link ID: 1546 - Posted: 02.14.2002

Copyright © 2002 AP Online By ALEX DOMINGUEZ, Associated Press - A study of insects known as water striders has yielded what researchers claim is the first evidence of an anatomical arms race between the sexes. The researchers spotted evolutionary changes that made it easier for males to mate or for females to avoid unnecessary mating. Scientists have long theorized that such evolutionary competition between the sexes takes place in many species. But that has been difficult to prove because such changes take place over many generations. Evolutionary changes, however, are more pronounced in water striders than in birds or mammals. Copyright © 2001 Nando Media

Keyword: Sexual Behavior; Evolution
Link ID: 1544 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Gina Barton John Masters, now 17, was knocked unconscious during a Carmel High School football camp three years ago. Although John says his headaches and dizzy spells disappeared after four days, he was sidelined for two weeks. His situation illustrates the challenge facing coaches and athletic trainers who must decide when a young athlete should return to play after a concussion. But three local high schools now have a new tool to help them make the call. With a computer program called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), officials at Carmel, Pike and Zionsville high schools will be able to verify whether a student-athlete's brain has fully recovered. Copyright 2001-2002 The Indianapolis Star

Keyword: Brain Injury/Concussion
Link ID: 1543 - Posted: 02.14.2002

By Steve Wiegand -- Bee Staff Writer In love? It's all in your head. Despite the avalanche of heart-shaped candy, flowers, greeting cards and balloons that bury us each Valentine's Day, (none of which is shaped like the human heart anyway), scientists say it's the organ between the ears that dictates the grand emotion. "Love is a genetically organized mechanism that is designed to make you seek a partner," said Semir Zeki, a cognitive neurologist at University College London. "People think love is out there in the air or someone has some power over them, but it's all in the brain." Zeki is part of a growing flock of scientists who are delving into how the brain functions when it comes to positive emotions. One of those emotions is love, a feeling that historically has been the province of philosophers and poets. Copyright © The Sacramento Bee

Keyword: Sexual Behavior; Brain imaging
Link ID: 1542 - Posted: 06.24.2010

by Elena M. Kouri, Ph.D. Psychiatric Times February 2002 Vol. XIX Issue 2 The question of whether a clinically significant marijuana (cannabis ) withdrawal syndrome exists remains controversial. In spite of the mounting clinical and preclinical evidence suggesting that such a syndrome exists (Beardsley et al., 1986; Budney et al., 2001; Holson et al., 1989; Huestis et al., 2001), the DSM-IV does not include marijuana withdrawal as a diagnostic category. The clinical syndrome has been characterized by restlessness, anorexia, irritability and insomnia that begin less than 24 hours after discontinuation of marijuana, peak in intensity on days 2 to 4, and last for seven to 10 days (Budney et al., 1999; Haney et al., 1999; Mendelson et al., 1984). The question of whether this syndrome is clinically significant is important, not only because marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States (Johnston et al., 2001), but also because marijuana has been shown to produce dependence at rates comparable to other drugs of abuse (Kandel et al., 1997; Kessler et al., 1994) and because relapse rates among individuals seeking treatment for marijuana dependence are similar to those with other drugs of abuse (Budney et al., 1998; Stephens et al., 1993). Copyright 1995-2002, CME Inc.

Keyword: Drug Abuse
Link ID: 1541 - Posted: 02.13.2002

by Eric J. Nestler, M.D., Ph.D. Psychiatric Times February 2002 Vol. XIX Issue 2 Genetic factors play a significant role in addiction. Epidemiological studies have long established that alcoholism, for example, is familial, with estimates that 40% to 60% of the risk for this disorder is genetic (Kendler et al., 2000; Reich et al., 1998; Tsuang et al., 1998). Other studies have suggested similar rates of heritability for other drug addictions, such as to opiates and cocaine (Kendler et al., 2000; Kendler and Prescott, 1998; Tsuang et al., 2001). Numerous genetic linkage and association studies are now underway to identify the specific genes that comprise this risk. While investigators have identified several relatively large chromosomal regions as being possibly involved, no specific genetic polymorphism has yet been tied to addiction vulnerability with certainty. The one exception is the genetic defects found in certain East Asian populations in enzymes (e.g., alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases) that metabolize alcohol (Chen et al., 1999). These defects dramatically increase side effects of acute alcohol intake, thereby reducing the individual's vulnerability to alcoholism. Copyright 1995-2002, CME, Inc.

Keyword: Drug Abuse; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 1540 - Posted: 02.13.2002

The reason some people raid the fridge at midnight may have nothing to do with their insatiable appetite. Researchers believe that it is more likely to be down to their inability to deal with stress. The scientists, from the University of Tromso, Norway, believe 'night-eating syndrome' may also be linked to a number of other harmful psychological and physical disorders. The body's 24-hour clock is regulated by a complex pattern of hormones, which also play a role in how the body responds to stress.

Keyword: Biological Rhythms; Stress
Link ID: 1539 - Posted: 02.13.2002

Emma Young Neck manipulation by chiropractors could be a major cause of strokes in young people, say neurologists at the University of Toronto, Canada. They are now calling for the practice to be banned. John Norris and colleagues analysed 156 cases of stroke following so-called cervical artery dissection. These tears in the inside wall of a neck artery can cause blood to pool inside the artery wall, causing clots to form. The torn flap of artery can also obstruct blood flow. The clots and blockages cause strokes when regions of the brain are starved of oxygen, and brain cells start to die. Norris found that in 63 per cent of the cases, trauma caused the artery damage. In 39 per cent of cases, chiropractic neck manipulation seemed to be behind the tears, the team says. Other patients had suffered damage while turning their heads sharply playing golf or driving, for example. © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

Keyword: Stroke
Link ID: 1538 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Findings published in the January 2002 edition of American Journal of Physiology -- Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology Bethesda, MD -- New study results regarding the use of dexamethasone as a treatment for neonatal respiratory problems may add to existing concerns about the use of this steroid in premature infants. An animal study, carried out by a team of physiologists from the University of Michigan, has demonstrated the long-term effects of dexamethasone on stress response and behavior later in life. Dexamethasone (dex) is a therapy that neonatologists use because it improves the function of premature infants' lungs and consequently allows them to be removed from a ventilator more quickly. Although steroids have been used to treat ventilator-dependent premature infants who were developing chronic lung disease at one month of age, they have recently been used much earlier in an attempt to prevent chronic lung disease. Copyright © 2002, The American Physiological Society

Keyword: Hormones & Behavior; Stress
Link ID: 1537 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Study suggests mentally stimulating activities may reduce Alzheimer's risk In recent years, many of us have come to believe that doing crossword puzzles or playing cards might ward off a decline in memory or help us maintain “brainpower” as we age. Now, a new study suggests there might be some truth to the use-it-or-lose-it hypothesis. The study, by scientists at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, IL, appearing in the February 13, 2002, Journal of the American Medical Association, found that more frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The research looked at everyday activities like reading books, newspapers or magazines, engaging in crosswords or card games, and going to museums among participants in the Religious Orders Study, an ongoing examination of aging among older Catholic nuns, priests, and brothers from several groups across the U.S. On a scale measuring cognitive activity -- with higher scores indicating more frequent activity -- a one-point increase in cognitive activity corresponded with a 33 percent reduction in the risk of AD.

Keyword: Alzheimers
Link ID: 1536 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Changes in the rhythmic action of the body producing Melatonin may be why the elderly don’t sleep as well according to study published in the February 2002 edition of the American Journal of Physiology--Endocrinology and Metabolism Bethesda, MD – Getting a good night’s sleep can become more difficult with age. Survey studies have shown that up to one-third of older individuals report difficulty maintaining sleep on a recurring basis and more than one-half report occasional problems with their sleep. The depth and continuity of sleep changes with age because there is a lower percentage of sleep spent in the deepest stages of non-REM sleep, there are more frequent arousals and awakenings during the sleep episode, and the inability to sustain sleep for the desired duration frequently occurs. Copyright © 2002, The American Physiological Society

Keyword: Sleep; Hormones & Behavior
Link ID: 1535 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Average insect brain should help spot defects and their causes. HELEN PEARSON A creature of little brain, the fruit fly is popular with geneticists Two hair's breadths long and five across - that's the average capacity of a fly's brain, German researchers have calculated. They hope to set a benchmark for crania by which oddballs can be judged. Although it is a creature of little brain, the fruit fly (Drosophila) is popular with geneticists. Researchers often study flies that lack a particular gene, looking for flaws that might hint at the gene's function in the body. Rein, K. The Drosophila Standard Brain. Current Biology, 12, 227 - 231, (2002). © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2002

Keyword: Evolution; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 1533 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Stacey Burling Inquirer Staff Writer What if someone could take a picture of your brain and tell what you were thinking? Should drugs that make people think more clearly be given only to people with mental problems or made available to all people? These are the kinds of questions that make science-fiction aficionados salivate, but it's only a matter of time before the real world will have to grapple with them, too, said a group of brain science experts who met last week at the University of Pennsylvania. While much of the world has been focusing on stem cells or cloning lately, speakers at the symposium on "Bioethics and the Neuroscience Revolution" said issues raised by our rapidly expanding understanding of the brain will be among the thorniest society must confront. Speakers included Steven Pinker, a psychology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Steven Hyman, Harvard University provost and former director of the National Institute of Mental Health; and Martha Farah, director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Penn. In many ways, speakers said, scientists' exposure of the biological underpinnings of behavior challenge the way people view humanity itself and the nature of responsibility. How will our moral concepts be affected by knowledge of the extent to which genetics and experience shape the physical structure and function of the human brain? © 2001 philly and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

Keyword: Miscellaneous
Link ID: 1532 - Posted: 06.24.2010

BY MERRITT MCKINNEY NEW YORK - (Reuters Health) - Scientists have discovered abnormalities in the brains of people with autism that may explain some of the symptoms of the disorder. Compared to people without autism, people with the disorder have more ``minicolumns'' in the brain, according to Dr. Manuel F. Casanova of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Casanova is the lead author of a study published in the February 12th issue of the journal Neurology. In an interview with Reuters Health, Casanova compared minicolumns to computer chips that process information. Each minicolumn is a ``basic unit of the brain'' that takes in information, processes it and then responds, he explained. SOURCE: Neurology 2002;58:428-432.

Keyword: Autism
Link ID: 1531 - Posted: 02.13.2002

More people are taking anti-depressants Patients are not being given full details about the safety and effectiveness of anti-depressant medications, a report suggests. Sue Freeman The magazine argues that people may consider alternatives to anti-depressants if they had more information. More than 22 million prescriptions were written for anti-depressant medication in England in 2000, up from nine million in 1991. The drugs cost the NHS £310m a year. However, some clinicians believe the increasing use of the drugs is not necessarily a good thing. (C) BBC

Keyword: Depression
Link ID: 1530 - Posted: 02.12.2002

Emma Young Transplants of mouse stem cells into the brains of patients with Huntington's Chorea could help slow the associated dementia and loss of coordination, says UK company ReNeuron. It hopes to start clinical trials of the technique in the US early in 2003. Huntington's is caused by an inherited genetic mutation, which leads to a destruction of cells in a part of the brain called the striatum. ReNeuron has transplanted cells from its mouse neural stem cell line into monkeys designed to act as models of Huntington's patients. "We have shown the cell line will transplant into the monkey brain - and that it will restore function," says John Sinden, ReNeuron's chief scientist. © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

Keyword: Huntingtons; Stem Cells
Link ID: 1529 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Copyright © 2002 Scripps Howard News Service By LEE BOWMAN, Scripps Howard News Service - When it comes to sexual attraction, does the nose lead the heart? So it would seem from the marketing of any number of fragrances - particularly those products that claim to contain pheromones, which are scented sex hormones that supposedly bring about subconscious attraction. But the science of pheromones, while still far from definitive, suggests that unlike lower mammals and other animals, humans don't seem to use pheromones to guide them to a mate, but do get some useful signals from subliminal scents. Copyright © 2001 Nando Media

Keyword: Sexual Behavior; Chemical Senses (Smell & Taste)
Link ID: 1528 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Donna Leinwand, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — The number of teenagers using the club drug Ecstasy could double in five years and is rising at such an alarming rate that leading anti-drug advocates will launch a campaign against it Monday. In a survey of 6,937 teens nationwide last year by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 12% say they have tried Ecstasy at least once. That's up from 10% in 2000 and 5% in 1995. Despite recent studies indicating that Ecstasy impairs memory and damages the brain, many kids continue to see it as a harmless "peace and love" drug. Partnership research indicates an additional 11% of the teen population is likely to try it in the next five years. Drug specialists say Ecstasy's rise in popularity comes as teens' use of most other drugs is declining or holding steady. Ecstasy now ranks behind only alcohol and marijuana in use by teens, analysts say. About 41% of teens say they have tried marijuana, and 53% say they have consumed alcohol in the past year. © Copyright 2002 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Keyword: Drug Abuse
Link ID: 1527 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Imaging Scans Used To Study Dour Outlook By Shankar Vedantam Washington Post Staff Writer A region of the brain a few inches behind the bridge of the nose may hold the key to why some people have a negative outlook on life, scientists announced yesterday. The study published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is the first to examine the neurological roots of what scientists call "negative affect," a trait that predisposes people to anxiety, irritability, anger and a range of other unpleasant moods. By suggesting that an unconscious disposition toward these emotions may be molded by a specific area in the brain, the research moves into previously uncharted waters. It is part of a broad effort by neuroscientists in recent years to use powerful brain imaging technology to pinpoint the areas of the brain responsible for various emotions. © 2002 The Washington Post Company

Keyword: Emotions; Brain imaging
Link ID: 1526 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Victims Learn Dangerous Behavior SAN DIEGO -- Anorexia Nervosa is considered one of the deadliest mental illnesses around. But instead of helping victims learn to overcome the eating disorder, dozens of Web sites actually promote, teach and support the disease. "There's a camaraderie there that people are seeking, in a very sad and tragic way," Dr. Trish Stanley said. Neely Weir started suffering from the disease in 8th grade. Now recovered, Weir helps other teens and finds pro-anorexia sites disturbing. © 2002, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Keyword: Anorexia & Bulimia
Link ID: 1525 - Posted: 06.24.2010