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The
elusive human brain — in action
BOSTON —
Imaging techniques like MRI and CT scans give us an
overall picture of how the brain works but a new method
revealed in the January 19 online issue of Nature
promises to show us all the gory details. Using a special
dye that lights up when neurons are firing, researchers
were able to highlight individual nerve cells involved
in processing visual images in rats and mice. The amazing,
innovative technique will have applications in understanding
neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
diseases.
Hypothyroidism
and kids' IQ
TORONTO —
In the dark ages before newborn testing, congenital
hypothyroidism was a one-way ticket to a life on the
fringes of society. Early diagnosis and treatment were
supposed to have changed all that, but a study in the
January issue of Pediatrics says that the IQ
of these patients still falls below that of their unaffected
siblings. The conclusion is based on comparisons of
the IQs of 42 six-to-nine-year-old kids with congenital
hypothyroidism to those of their siblings at the same
age.
Abstinence-only
sex ed creates liber-teens
HOUSTON —
Advising kids to abstain from sex is one of the pillars
of US president George W Bush's health education plan.
While any sex education program worth its salt would
mention that abstinence eliminates the risk of both
pregnancy and STIs, the conservative 'abstinence-only'
plans bar all mention of birth control and safer sex.
But according to a report conducted by Texas A&M
University, there's a Texas-sized problem with the plan
— it just isn't achieving its aims. The researchers
found that teen sexual activity actually went up in
schools with 'abstinence-only' sex ed at the statewide
level — except they didn't offer any helpful advice
in avoiding the consequences of sex.
Run
away from your problems
GOLDEN, CO —
At last, the real reason for Richard Simmons' terminal
perkiness is revealed. When 80 adults with mild to moderate
major depressive disorder were randomized to exercise
routines of varying intensity and frequency, researchers
found that those who exercised most experienced a 47%
drop in depression. According to the study published
in the January issue of the American Journal of Preventative
Medicine the correct 'dose' seems to be 30-35 minutes
of aerobic exercise three to five times a week.
Obese
patients need to take a stand
ROCHESTER, MN
— People who spend a lot of time sitting
down are more likely to end up with ample seats says
a report in the January 28 issue of Science.
The study tracked the activity of 10 obese and 10 lean
people over the course of 10 days. They found that the
slimmer participants spent an average of two hours less
per day sitting than their chubbier counterparts. This
works out to approximately an extra 350 calories every
day, the equivalent of a slice and a half of cheesecake.
Swill
keeps granny sharp as a whip
BOSTON AND WINSTON-SALEM,
NC — Two recent studies tout the benefits
of an evening nightcap. One, published in the January
20 issue of NEJM, looked at alcohol consumption
in over 11,000 women. This study assessed the mental
status of participants aged over 70 using a variety
of tests. The researchers found that women who consumed
up to a half an ounce of alcohol a day scored higher.
The second study, which appeared in the February 1 American
Journal of Epidemiology, looked at a smaller study
group of 4,461 women. These scientists used a different
set of mental ability tests but found the same results.
The
fallacy of taking one's own life
BRISTOL —
Suicide, last refuge of the ... illogical? A study published
January 21 in the British Medical Journal found
a correlation between young men's intelligence test
scores and suicide. Of 987,308 Swedish men who completed
tests covering logic, language, spatial and technical
skills at age 18, those who scored poorly were more
likely to commit suicide. The logic exam was particularly
revealing, with each unit increase in test score reducing
the likelihood of suicide by 12%.
Hormones
and gender predict MS
ROME —
Men and women are not built the same, as is evidenced
by the gender difference in the progression of diseases
like multiple sclerosis (MS). A report in the February
issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and
Psychiatry claims that sex hormones lie behind this
gender disparity. When hormone levels of 60 MS patients
were compared to those of 36 healthy individuals, researchers
found that women with MS have lower testosterone levels,
while men afflicted with this disease of the white matter
had high estrogen levels and showed a greater amount
of brain tissue damage.
Tasmania
bedevilled by childhood illnesses
ST HELENS, AUSTRALIA
— A report that will be submitted to the
Australian Medical Association next month strongly
suggests that pollution is playing a role in a sharp
rise in pediatric cancers and premature birth in Northeastern
Tasmania. Since 2002, the region's timber plantations
have expanded significantly. Researchers found significant
quantities of herbicidal chemicals — including
suspected carcinogens atrazine and simazine — in
the catchment area where much of the region's drinking
water is drawn. The region's only neurologist, Dr Stan
Siejka, told Australian newspaper The Age that
he's seen patients with classical symptoms of exposure
to chemical spraying.
This
has ADHD kids' undivided attention
STOCKHOLM —
While most parents are trying to tear their kids away
from the computer, research in February's Journal
of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology
may encourage some to let them play. The study randomized
42 kids with ADHD to use a computer program designed
to improve working memory for 40 minutes per day for
25 days. The game was set at either a low or adjustable
difficulty level. Kids on the adjustable program not
only did better on problem solving tasks, their parents
reported that they seemed less hyperactive as well.
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