_ Gene Variants Identified As Source of Deadly Illnesses By Jane Farrell article Two widely carried gene variants that lead to longer chromosome caps also increase the risk of developing the brain cancers known as gliomas. The researchers, led by scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that the variants lead to longer telomeres, the caps on chromosome ends that are thought to protect cells from aging. The genetic variants, in two genes known as TERT and TERC, are respectively carried by 51 percent and 72 percent of the general population.
_ Differentiating Among Dementia Diseases By Sondra Forsyth article Not all cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s. Now a new diagnostic tool developed at the University of Eastern Finland helps clinicians differentiate among Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and mild cognitive impairment. The method, devised by Miguel Ángel Muñoz Ruiz MD and explained in articles in PloS ONE and Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, consists of a Disease State Index combining data from multiple sources, and of a Disease State Fingerprint showing the findings in a visual format.
_ 5 Facts To Know About Depression By Jane Farrell article Depression, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, affects 14.8 million American adults, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The percentage of seniors who have the disorder varies from less than 1 percent to 5 percent, the CDC says. But the percentage rises sharply to 11.5 percent among elderly hospital patients to 13.5 percent among those who have home health care. The condition is complex and multi-faceted, encompassing both physical and mental symptoms, and for a patient or caregiver itΓÇÖs essential to know as much as possible about it.
Bug Off: Insect Repellent Awareness Day By Jane Farrell article Tuesday, June 3rd 2014 is the first ever Insect Repellent Awareness Day, launched in the UK by launched by scientists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to highlight the importance of using repellents, especially when travelling to tropical countries where insects can spread disease. The campaign also aims to dispel the many myths surrounding insect repellents and other ways to protect against bites.
Aging Well Seniors Have Roomies, Too By Jane Farrell article By Judy Santamaria, MSPH Most of us know that loneliness isn't good for us -- but as we age, many of us find our circle of friends and family diminishing in size for various reasons. Sometimes consciously, sometimes not, loneliness can creep in, and begin to affect our spirits in a less-than-healthy way. Recently, I've been hearing about some really interesting ways seniors are stacking the deck in their own favor to combat loneliness associated with aging, and I wanted to share a few of them with you here.
Weight Loss When to Start a Diet By Sondra Forsyth article By Sondra Forsyth Bathing suit weather is back and you may be wishing you had stuck your New YearΓÇÖs Resolution to lose some weight. DonΓÇÖt be discouraged! Here are some strategies for getting kicking off a diet and sticking with it: PICK A START DATE THAT HAS POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE FOR YOU
Pain Management 6 Myths About Painkillers By Jane Farrell article By Richard W. Rosenquist, MD , Chairman of Pain Management at Cleveland Clinic When it comes to prescription pain medications, thereΓÇÖs a lot of misinformation out there.
_ Exercise How to Get the Most Out of Exercise at Home By Jane Farrell article By Soriyaa Bawa Whether you exercise at home or at the gym, some form of physical activity is essential for aging well. We know of the infinite benefits that exercise at home has on physical health, but more and more findings have been emerging as of late to support the idea that exercise at home is just as important for mental health.
A Better Tool for Tracking MS By article Imaging scientists at Western University's Robarts Research Institute in London and Canada have developed a better way to track the progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) from its earliest stages. Led by Ravi Menon, PhD, the researchers used what's called "Quantitative Susceptibility (QS) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)," to measure damage in specific areas of the brain which the study showed to be common to all patients. The findings were published in advance online in May 2014 in Radiology.
_ If You're Considering A Cochlear Implant By Jane Farrell article Cochlear implants ΓÇö which bypass damaged or nonworking parts of the inner ear ΓÇö can improve hearing for anyone with hearing loss that canΓÇÖt be adequately managed with conventional hearing aids. Cochlear implants are electronic devices that convert acoustic sounds into electrical pulses that stimulate the auditory nerve directly. The pulses, which are organized like the keys of a piano, are delivered to points along the inner ear. The pulses stimulate the auditory cells that represent the various speech sounds.
Sleep Health 7 Hidden Causes of Fatigue By Jane Farrell article From the Cleveland Clinic Fatigue can signal anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism or hepatitis C. But once your doctor rules out major medical causes of fatigue, it’s time to consider hidden ones. “We look for the less obvious roots of fatigue — that’s our job,” says Tanya Edwards, MD, Medical Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. Hidden causes include: 1. A junk food diet
_ Healthy Diet & Nutrition The Importance of Prebiotics and Probiotics By Sondra Forsyth article By Sondra Forsyth Both prebiotics and probiotics are essential components of a healthy diet. Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics, which contain live bacteria. Together, they help promote the growth of the good bac- teria in your intestines and maintain your gut’s ecosystem. When a food contains both substances, it is called synbiotic: a synergistic combination of the two. Prebiotics
Antidepressant May Slow Alzheimer's By article Citalopram (brandname Celexa), a commonly prescribed antidepressant, can reduce production of the main ingredient in Alzheimer's brain plaques. That is the finding research done at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania. The study was published May 14th 2014 in Science Translational Medicine.
Tools To Take Charge Of Your Cancer Survivorship By blog Most major cancer centers today offer a survivor care plan to organize your diagnosis, treatment and follow-up plan. It will soon be a standard of care to provide treatment summaries and survivorship care plans to all cancer patients. The primary components of a plan include: Diagnostic tests performed and results; including tumor site, stage, grade and other biomarker information.
Why Seniors Get Addicted to Drugs By Jane Farrell article For older people who have chronic conditions or find themselves in a lot of pain temporarily, medicine can be a godsend that vastly improves quality of life. But senior citizens may find it all too easy to abuse prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Just because such medicines are bought in drugstores rather than on the street, say, doesn’t mean that they are any less dangerous. Overuse of drugs can lead to additional health problems, family problems, and even fatalities.
_ A Possible Cause of Age-Related Memory Decline By article Research done at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development in Baltimore, MD and the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that one cause of age-related memory decline is a protein called KIBRA and the gene responsible for its production is WWC1. KIBRA is known to play a role in human memory. The study was published in the May 2014 issue of Biological Psychiatry.
_ Women Recover Faster from Concussions By article A study of concussion patients at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that males took longer to recover after concussion than females did. The study, which shows that using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a bias-free way to predict concussion outcome, was published online May 6th 2104 in the journal Radiology.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Stress Management Stress-Free Living Stress Is Contagious By article Watching somebody else try to cope with a stressful situation, even on TV, can be enough to bump up your own level of the stress hormone called cortisol. That is the finding of research done at the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and the Technische Universität Dresden and published on April 17th 2014 in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.