Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
mortgage calculator
Popular Articles

Adult Brain Changes With Unsuspected Speed
The human brain can adapt to changing demands even in adulthood, but MIT neuroscientists have now found evidence of it changing with unsuspected speed. Their findings suggest that the brain has a network of silent connections that underlie its plasticity.

New Risk Factor Gene For Rheumatoid Arthritis Identified By Researchers
Scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and a team of collaborators from across the country have identified a new risk factor gene for rheumatoid arthritis. The paper will be published in Nature Genetics and the finding brings light to the nature of the disease. The gene, dubbed REL, is a member of the NF-íşB family, important transcription factors that have many roles in the body. The NF-íşB family seems to have a big hand in regulating the body"s immune response as well.
News of the day
Psychiatrists Begin Revising Diagnostic Manual For Mental Illnesses
Over the next 18 months, psychiatrists will revise the American Psychiatric Association"s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used to determine how U.S. residents" mental health is assessed, diagnosed and treated, the Los Angeles Times reports. Since the manual was last updated in 1994, technologies such as brain imaging and new understandings of the biological and genetic causes of many disorders have "almost guaranteed alterations" in the number of mental disorders included in fifth DSM volume, which is scheduled to be published in 2012, the Times reports.While some psychiatrists argue the manual should be broad enough to determine treatment for those who need it, others are concerned that if too broad, the manual will diagnose conditions that would otherwise be considered normal human behavior. David Kupfer, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh"s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinics and chair of the DSM-V task force, said the DSM-V will recognize variations of disorders that have not been seen as part of "classic" illnesses, and will describe disorders in more detail, including how they differ based on race, gender, age, physical health and culture. Health insurance companies use the manual to determine coverage options for certain treatments.People involved in the revisions said the manual will be a better reflection of mental conditions of "real" people, rather than just those with the most severe cases of disorders or obvious diagnoses, the Times reports (Roan, Los Angeles Times, 5/26).
Diagnostics

In Huntington's Patients, Transplanted Neurons Develop Disease-Like Pathology

The results of a recent study published in PNAS question the long-term effects of transplanted cells in the brains of patients suffering from Huntington"s disease. This study, conducted jointly by Dr. Francesca Cicchetti of Universitçİ Laval in Quebec, Canada, Dr. Thomas B. Freeman of the University of South Florida, USA, and colleagues provides the first demonstration that transplanted cells fail to offer a long-term replacement for degenerating neurons in patients with Huntington"s disease. Huntington"s disease is a neurodegenerative disease of genetic origin that targets a particular type of neuron. The loss of these neurons is responsible for the appearance of involuntary movements as well as cognitive and psychiatric impairments. Over a decade ago, Dr. Thomas Freeman of the University of South Florida initiated a clinical trial of neural cell transplantation in Huntington"s diseased patients in an attempt to alleviate the dreadful symptoms that characterize this disease. Some patients demonstrated some mild, transient clinical benefits that lasted for about 2 years. However, the loss of functional recovery after this indicated that graft survival and functionality may be jeopardized long- term. This post-mortem study of 3 cases is the first demonstration that 1) graft survival is indeed attenuated long-term, 2) grafts undergo degeneration that resembles the pathology observed in Huntington"s disease, and 3) the brain"s inflammatory response could contribute to the compromised survival of grafted cells. The authors also demonstrated that cortical neurons that develop Huntington"s disease synapse on the grafts and may cause neurotoxicity to healthy cells, inducing grafted neuronal cell death. Despite the excitement regarding cell transplantation therapy utilizing embryonic or stem cells, these results raise concerns for the therapeutic potential of transplantation as a treatment option for Huntington"s disease. However, these observations suggest new potential mechanisms involved in the development of the disease. A more in-depth investigation could lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The control of patient immune and inflammatory responses holds therapeutic potential, and Cicchetti et al. are continuing their research in that direction. Notes: Dr. Francesca Cicchetti is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry/Neuroscience at Universitçİ Laval and a researcher in neurobiology at le Centre hospitalier universitaire de Quçİbec. She is directing a research laboratory focused on understanding neuronal degeneration and developing therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Thomas B. Freeman is a neurosurgeon, director of clinical research, and medical director of the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida. This work includes the scientific contribution of the following authors: Samuel Saporta (University of South Florida) Robert Hauser (Parkinson"s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, National Parkinson"s Foundation Center of Excellence, University of South Florida) Martin Parent (Groupe de recherche sur le systç¨me nerveux central [GRSNC]) Martine Saint-Pierre (Centre de Recherche du CHUL [CHUQ]) Paul Sanberg (University of South Florida) Xiao Li (Emory University School of Medicine) John Parker (University of Louisville Health Sciences Center) Yaping Chu (Rush University Medical Center) Elliot Mufson (Rush University Medical Center) Jeffrey Kordower (Rush University Medical Center) Sarah Sanchez Universitçİ Laval


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

İ Copyright 2009