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.
Tag: depressive symptoms
New Cancer Tx Raises Blood Pressure
The upside of new cancer therapies that block vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling is that these agents have improved the outlook for patients with some cancers and are now used as a first line therapy for some tumors. However the downside is that almost 100% of patients who take VEGF inhibitors (VEGFIs) develop high blood pressure, and a subset develops severe hypertension. That is the finding of a study done at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow.
Coffee May Prevent Retinal Damage
Here’s one more reason to enjoy your morning coffee: A study done at Cornell University and published in the May 2014 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistryfound that drinking a cup of joe every day may prevent retinal degeneration, a leading cause of blindness due to glaucoma, aging, and diabetes.
A Plan for Better Heart-Patient Care
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a uniform method to treat lower-risk cardiac surgery patients can improve outcomes, reduce time in the hospital and lower patient cost by 15 percent.
The study was published in the journal Health Affairs.
Despite their findings, researchers didn’t discount a remaining need for care that doesn’t necessarily adhere to their model.
Sleep and “Exploding Head” Syndrome
“Exploding head syndrome” sounds like the latest slang term, but it’s a real, though underdiagnosed, sleep disorder.
People who have the syndrome usually hear loud noises – doors slamming, fireworks or gunshots – as they are going to sleep and waking up.
3 Ways to Protect Your Personal Information Online
By Rose Haywood
You put more personal information online than you may think and you may be doing that unintentionally. Signing up for a contest, shopping online for the holidays, and online banking can create easy avenues for hackers to get the details they need about your online ID.
With so many companies and services moving to online-only mediums, it’s hard not to put some of your information out there to get the services you need.
Mourning the Death Of A Spouse
Losing a spouse is one of life’s most heartbreaking events. You may react in a number of different ways: sorrow, fear, even anger (that your husband didn’t look after his health, for example). You can also feel guilty that you have survived, while he hasn’t. You may even feel a certain sense of relief, especially if you have been an in–home caregiver or your spouse has been in a nursing home.
Watch: Common Toe Problems
Here's another addition to the Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning.
Protein Implicated In Kidney and Heart Disease
Phosphate-rich foods such as processed cheese are known to increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Now scientists have found exactly why that’s so.
The culprit is the hormone FGF23 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 23). When the level of FGF23 is raised, putting strain on the cardiovascular system. FGF23 controls renal excretion of sodium, and that affects blood pressure.
The study, from researchers at Vetmeduni, Vienna, was published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
Women Recover Faster from Concussions
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.
Nerve Damage After Hip Surgery
An article published in May 2014 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings links some nerve damage after hip surgery to a condition called inflammatory neuropathy. Until now, nerve damage from hip surgery has been attributed to mechanical factors caused by anesthesiologists or surgeons, such as positioning of the patient during surgery or direct surgical injury of the nerves.
A release from the clinic explains that inflammatory neuropathies occur when the immune system attacks the nerves, causing weakness and pain. Inflammatory neuropathies may be treated with immunotherapy.
FDA’s Adult Stem Cell Research
Scientists who are part of the Food and Drug Administration’s MSC Consortium, are studying adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that could eventually be used to repair, replace, restore or regenerate cells in the body, including those needed for heart and bone repair.
According to the FDA, the investigational work is unprecedented: Seven labs at FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research formed the consortium to fill in gaps in knowledge about how stem cells function.
Caring for Horses Can Help Dementia Symptoms
Spending time with horses eases dementia symptoms for Alzheimer’s patients, according to the first study of its kind.
The research, a collaboration between The Ohio State University and an adult daycare center, revealed that patients could groom, feed and walk horses under supervision. That experience improved patients’ mood and made them less likely to resist care or become upset later in the day.
Unlocking the Secrets of the Fountain of Youth
A first of its kind atomic level look at the enzyme telomerase may “unlock the secrets to the fountain of youth”, according to scientists at Arizona State University in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai. The study was published on May 4th 2014 in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
6 New Ways to Love Your Salad
By Jon Yaneff
There is a classic Simpsons episode where Homer and Bart chant to Lisa, “You don’t win friends with salad.” This popular television family would mark any occasion with donuts and Duff beer, if Homer had anything to do with it.
The Right Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Hepatitis C
By Sondra Forsyth
The Centers for Disease Control has designated May as Hepatitis Awareness Month. One goal of that campaign is to let Boomers know that of the more than three million Americans infected with hepatitis C, over 75% are in their 50s and 60s. You can find out the extent of your risk with this 5-minute online assessment from the CDC.
37 Million Could Be Saved Through Global Health Programs
Reaching globally-agreed targets for health risks such as smoking and alcohol can prevent more than 37 million deaths by 2025, according to new statistics.
The study, led by researchers from Imperial College London, said the health risks are caused by the “big four” illnesses: cancer, diabetes, lung disease and cardiovascular disease.
The study, published in The Lancet, found that the majority of death prevention would be in low- to middle-income nations, while the reductions for smoking and blood pressure will lead to the largest benefits.
Women & Peripheral Artery Disease
Women, especially older women, face greater limits on their lifestyle and have more severe symptoms as a result of peripheral artery disease (PAD) than men do. The condition happens when fatty deposits build up in arteries outside the heart, usually the arteries supplying fresh oxygen and blood to the arms, legs and feet. About 8 million Americans have peripheral artery disease.