Monday, October 19, 2009
Medical News of the Obvious
People who are cognitively active, socially engaged and physically active may fend off cognitive impairments, according to the Archives of Neurology. The article concludes: "In the most optimistic view, dementia could be delayed or even prevented by these interventions. At worst, people will improve their overall health, especially their cardiovascular health, and enjoy a more cognitively and socially engaging life."
People can be shamed into washing their hands in public restrooms. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene And Tropical Medicine team used LED screens to flsash messages such as "Water doesn't kill germs, soap does" and "Don't be a dirty soap dodger," at the entrance of the toilets. They measured results among 250,000 people via sensors at the toilets, then the soap dispensers. The message "Is the person next to you washing with soap?" boosted rates of hand-washing with soap by 11% in women and 12% in men, suggesting people were most sensitive to the idea that others were watching their behaviour. (Or maybe it's that they were being tracked while in the bathroom.)
Labels: dementia, medical news of the obvious, neurology
posted by Ryan DuBosar at
9:00 AM
0 Comments
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Blue M&Ms treat spinal cord injuries
Scientists at the University of Rochester suspect the blue dye used in M&Ms and Gatorade may interrupt the cell death that follows spinal cord injury.
Adenosine triphosphate floods the spinal cord after an injury, and spinal cord neurons carry a receptor that lets ATP latch on and die from metabolic stress, worsening paralysis. An agonist to this reaction is Brilliant Blue G, akin to FD&C blue dye No. 1.
So the researchers injected it in mice following spinal cord injury, which were able to limp again compared to controls, who never regained mobility, they reported. The mice did have to deal with a temporary blue tinge.
Because you can't inject a human who's just had a spinal injury, scientists are searching for a way to administer the dye into the body. I'd suggest orally, via a blue, sugary pill-like capsule that's available over the counter.
Labels: Medical news, neurology
posted by Ryan DuBosar at
2:12 PM
2 Comments
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Product placement, of sorts, but for a good cause
Those same viewers who are learning about HIV transmission via TV show Grey's Anatomy may soon be funding research into skin cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and neurologic conditions.
The popular show has created an online wedding registry for betrothed Drs. McDreamy and Grey which includes the option of donating to the American Academy of Neurology Foundation, the American Skin Association, and the Alzheimer's Association. Loyal fans can give a straight-up cash donation to any of these charities, or for only $5, buy a "virtual brain"--essentially, a little brain icon with one's name and message slapped on it, which will appear on the AAN Web site.
Now, who says television rots the brain?
Labels: Alzheimer's, McDreamy, neurology, skin cancer
posted by Jessica Berthold at
2:04 PM
0 Comments
Friday, April 24, 2009
The upside of losing your brain
Neurology is one of those specialties that always has case studies interesting to the layman, and yesterday's "update" was no exception.
Martin A. Samuels, MACP, told the story of a woman whose primary progressive aphasia caused her to become a great painter. As her frontal lobe deteriorated, her talent emerged. The theory is that the inhibitory part of her brain had previously been masking her creativity. Not sure whether it's inspiring or depressing to learn that us overly analytic scientific types might actually have artistic genius buried somewhere in our heads.
Dr. Samuels joked, "I've told my wife, 'If I ever paint anything halfway decent, get some long-term care insurance.'"
Labels: internal medicine 2009, neurology
posted by Stacey Butterfield at
1:33 PM
0 Comments
ACP Internist hosted Grand Rounds on June 16, wrapping up the best of the medical blogosphere. Click here for the complete wrap-up.
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