Tag: depressive symptoms

Free Radicals May Be Good Guys After All

Free radicals, the sometimes-toxic molecules produced by our bodies as we process oxygen, have received a lot of bad press claiming that they are they are the culprits behind aging. Yet a number of studies have found evidence that the opposite may be true. Most recently, researchers at McGill University in Montreal have shown that free radicals promote longevity in the roundworm C. elegans. Surprisingly, the team discovered that free radicals – also known as oxidants – act on a molecular mechanism that, in other circumstances, tells a cell to kill itself.

A Smartphone App to Detect Bipolar Disorder

There’s an app for everything – and now, there’s even one that can detect early signs of mood changes in people with bipolar disorder and other conditions.

The app, developed by researchers from the University of Michigan, still needs much more testing before it can be widely used. But, the researchers said, a study of a small group of patients indicated its potential. The six participants all had Type 1 bipolar disorder and a history of manic and depressive episode.

It could also help people with other conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Misguided Fear of Radiation from Mammograms

Misinformation and misunderstanding about the risks associated with ionizing radiation have created heightened public concern and fear that may result in women avoiding mammograms that can detect early cancers, according to the American Roentgen Ray Society(ARRS), a radiology society was founded in 1900 in Leesburg, VA.

A Healthcare Team Helps Women Beat Depression

A collaborative approach to depression counseling for women at obstetrics and gynecology clinics involving psychiatrists, clinicians, specialists, and depression care managers is an improvement over typical of mental health care at specialty clinics. That is the finding of a study done at the University of Washington and published May 7th 2014 in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.  A release from the university notes that approximately one-third of American women list an obstetrician/gynecologist as their primary physician.

“Energy Source” Implicated in Dementia

Researchers now know that a specific energy source is crucial to cells that maintain cognitive function. That discovery could lead to a better understanding of the cognitive decline in illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.

The source, NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), is a molecule that harvests energy from nutrients in food and converts into a usable form for cells.

Why Seniors Get Addicted to Drugs

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 Dry-Eye Discovery

Researchers are working toward an understanding of the distribution of tears in the eye, and the discoveries they’re making could lead to better treatment or even a cure for dry eye disease.

The newest study was published in the journal Physics of Fluids.

Dry eye disease afflicts millions of people worldwide, with symptoms such as pain, dryness, redness, reduced visual sharpness, and feelings of grittiness. Eye drops can help, but over time, dry can damage the cornea and lead to permanent reduced vision.

Hand Grip Reveals the Speed of Aging

A hand grip test shows wide differences between the rates of aging among different population groups, according to new research by demographers at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria. The study was published on May 7th 2014 in the journal PLOS ONE

Medicare Reforms Save Money

Reforms to Medicare regulations identified as unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome on hospitals and other health care providers will save nearly $660 million annually, and $3.2 billion over five years, through a rule issued on May 8th 2015 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services (CMS).

For Older Adults, Complex Frailty Score Predicts Post-Op Outcomes

More than half of all operations are performed on patients 65 years and older in the United States. Frail elderly patients who undergo surgery are more likely to have postoperative complications. But tools to estimate operative risk have their limitations because they often focus on a single organ system or solitary event. In geriatric medicine, the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is widely used to detect disabilities and conditions associated with frailty.

Age Discrimination Worse Than Sexism or Racism

People who believe they are a victim of age or weight discrimination are linked to worse health than those older adults who are the targets of racism and sexism, according to a new study.

The findings, by researchers from the Florida State University College of Medicine, were published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Regular Doc Visits Help Prevent Skin Cancer Deaths

The risk of dying from, melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer is significantly reduced with regular doctor visits, according to a study done in Detroit at Henry Ford Hospital. The researchers believe that this is the first study to link melanoma mortality with routine health care use.

Positive Self-Talk To Reduce Stress

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic — and it may even affect your health.

Living Well With Hepatitis C

By Jane Farrell

Hepatitis C, an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus, is a discouraging, debilitating condition. It affects an estimated 3.2 million Americans, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  The illness is usually caused by receiving donated blood that is infected, having had a bad organ transplant, or sharing a needle or having sex with a person who is contaminated with the virus.

Access to E-Health Records Could Improve Care

Unlike medical records kept in paper charts, electronic health records (EHR) provide numerous access points to clinicians to review a patient's medical history. A multi-university study published in the May 2014 issue of Health Affairs has found that access to electronic health records in acute care situations may influence the care given to that patient, and in some cases, failure to review the EHR could have adversely affected the medical management.