Researchers have discovered a mechanism that allows neural stem cells to stay relatively free of aging-related damage: A diffusion barrier regulates the sorting of damaged proteins during cell division. A group of scientists led by Sebastian Jessberger of the Brain Research Institute of the University of Zurich showed that the stem cells of the adult… Continue reading How Some Brain Cells Escape Aging
Tag: depressive symptoms
Optical Method for Faster, More Accurate Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
A new optical method for more quickly and accurately determining whether breast tissue lesions are cancerous is described by University of Illinois researchers in the August 2015 issue of Journal of Biomedical Optics, published by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. A release from SPIE notes that the researchers report on a quantitative… Continue reading Optical Method for Faster, More Accurate Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
A Call for Improved Firearm Safety Counseling by Physicians
Physicians should improve the way they discuss firearm safety with patients by showing more respect for the viewpoints of gun owners, according to an article by a University of Colorado School of Medicine faculty member published in the August 4th 2105 issue of JAMA. Marian "Emmy" Betz, MD, MPH, associate professor of emergency medicine, and… Continue reading A Call for Improved Firearm Safety Counseling by Physicians
Eating Spicy Foods Regularly May Lower Risk of Death
Data from a study done led by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences suggest most people benefit from eating spices regularly throughout the week. The study, published in August 2015 in BMJ, was observational so no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, but the authors call for more research that may “lead… Continue reading Eating Spicy Foods Regularly May Lower Risk of Death
Nine Brain-Aging “Sins” That Kill Your Competitive Edge
It’s Monday morning, and Michael, a senior executive at a global telecommunications company, faces the week utterly exhausted. Only 38, he’s been a high-level leader with the firm for more than a decade. Once, he was a wunderkind, an “energizer” on the fast track to become the company’s youngest-ever CEO. But those days are over.… Continue reading Nine Brain-Aging “Sins” That Kill Your Competitive Edge
Too Many Pills for Seniors?
Although older Americans get mental-health medications at more than twice the rate of younger adults, they are much less likely to see a psychiatrist, according to new research. That raises questions about whether they could be at risk of problems caused by a collision of multiple medications – and about whether primary care doctors may… Continue reading Too Many Pills for Seniors?
Solve the Medical Riddle: One Side of Her Face Suddenly Drooped and She Couldn’t Smile or Close Her Eye, Second Week
Editor’s note: Welcome to our ThirdAge feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. Last week, the patient reported her symptoms. The doctor proceeded with the examination using the components of the… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: One Side of Her Face Suddenly Drooped and She Couldn’t Smile or Close Her Eye, Second Week
Depressed Women Have an Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene
Numerous genes that regulate the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain have been found to be abundant in brain tissue of depressed females. This could be an underlying cause of the higher incidence of suicide among women, according to research done at the University of Illinois at Chicago and published in in July 2015… Continue reading Depressed Women Have an Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene
Meds for Dementia Could Cause Harmful Weight Loss
Medications commonly used to treat dementia could result in harmful weight loss, according to a study by University of California, San Francisco researchers that appears online and in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The team maintains that clinicians need to account for this risk when prescribing these drugs… Continue reading Meds for Dementia Could Cause Harmful Weight Loss
Essential Apps for People With Limited Mobility
Smartphone apps have revolutionized the way we go about our everyday lives. Whether you need directions, advice about local restaurants, or are trying to find the weekend weather forecast, as they say in the Apple commercials, “There’s an app for that”. Here is a list of apps specifically designed for people with mobility challenges to… Continue reading Essential Apps for People With Limited Mobility
Diarrhea in Cats
Barbara Hinney and her colleagues from the Institute for Parasitology at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, screened 298 fecal samples taken from cats across Austria for single-cell intestinal parasites, so called enteric protozoa. A release from the university explains that the samples came from private households, catteries (cat boarding kennels), and animal shelters. Of… Continue reading Diarrhea in Cats
Misuse of Painkillers Tied to Illegal Drug Use
People who use recreational drugs like cocaine, heroin and marijuana have a higher likelihood of misusing prescription pain relievers as well, according to new research from the University of Georgia School of Social Work. The investigators’ conclusions were buttressed by a study just released by the federal Centers for Disease Control, which found that heroin… Continue reading Misuse of Painkillers Tied to Illegal Drug Use
Men with “Low T” Have Higher Rates of Depression
Researchers at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., led by Michael S. Irwig, M.D., found that men referred for specialized consultive care for borderline testosterone levels had much higher rates of depression and depressive symptoms than those of the general population. A release from the university quotes Dr. Irwig, associate professor of medicine and… Continue reading Men with “Low T” Have Higher Rates of Depression
Stress and Your Skin
If you’ve ever had a pimple form just before an important event, you might wonder if stress was the cause. But while many people make the same connection, experts from the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD) say that proving the relationship between stress and inflammatory conditions such as acne, psoriasis and rosacea can be hard.… Continue reading Stress and Your Skin
Solve the Medical Riddle: She Kept Losing Her Balance and She Had Memory Lapses, Second Week
By Marie Savard MD Editor’s note: Welcome to our ThirdAge feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. Last week, the patient reported her symptoms. The doctor proceeded with the examination using… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: She Kept Losing Her Balance and She Had Memory Lapses, Second Week
Medical Marijuana “Edibles” Mostly Mislabeled
In a proof-of-concept study, a team led by a Johns Hopkins researcher reports that the vast majority of edible cannabis products sold in a small sample of medical marijuana dispensaries carried labels that overstated or understated the amount of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The study was published June 23rd 2015 in the Journal of the American Medical… Continue reading Medical Marijuana “Edibles” Mostly Mislabeled
Plastic Surgeons Use Fat Grafting as Part of Facelift Surgery
In recent years, a large majority of US plastic surgeons have adopted fat grafting techniques as part of their approach to facelift surgery, according to a study published in the July 2015 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). A release from the publishers… Continue reading Plastic Surgeons Use Fat Grafting as Part of Facelift Surgery
For Older Adults, Life Review Writing Shared with College Students = Renewed Sense of Purpose
A unique program combining a life review writing workshop with conversations between seniors and college students enhances the sense of meaning in life for older adults living independently. That is the finding of a study done at by New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and published in the July/August 2015… Continue reading For Older Adults, Life Review Writing Shared with College Students = Renewed Sense of Purpose