Alternative Health

In a study published in the scientific journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, TGen researchers identified mutations to a gene known as TEAD1, which not only affects formation of the brain but also the retina, the part of the eye responsible for helping turn light into nerve impulses. In addition, the TGen study found that -- contrary to previous studies -- … [Read more...]

A recent study published in the July 2014 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry confirms the validity of the DSM-5 change to the age of onset criterion for diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In DSM-5, age of onset criterion for ADHD, previously set at 7 in DSM-IV, has been raised to 12. As explained in … [Read more...]

Scientists have pinpointed a population of neurons in the brain that influences whether one drink leads to two, which could ultimately lead to a cure for alcoholism and other addictions. A study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, finds that alcohol consumption alters the structure and … [Read more...]

In the U.S. and other industrialized nations, testing for infectious diseases and cancer often requires expensive equipment and highly trained specialists. In countries where resources are limited, performing the same diagnostics is far more challenging. To address this disparity, scientists are developing a portable, low-cost "paper machine" for point-of-care detection of … [Read more...]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood condition characterized by more than normal difficulty with focus, behavior control, impulsivity and hyperactivity. It affects nine percent of children younger than 18 and about approximately four percent of American adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Boys are four times more likely … [Read more...]

Stent thrombosis following urgent angioplasty for acute heart attack occurred in less than 1% of patients in a large, "real-world" registry, regardless of whether the antithrombotic treatment used during the procedure was bivalirudin, heparin alone, or a GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor (typically in combination with heparin). However, patients who experienced a stent thrombosis … [Read more...]

Parenting skills of adults with ADHD improve when their ADHD is treated with medication, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. At least 25 percent of clinic-referred children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have a parent with ADHD. "Parents with ADHD are at increased risk to engage in problematic parenting techniques, including inconsistent … [Read more...]

People with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment (CI) have altered responses to pain, with many conditions associated with increased pain sensitivity, concludes a research review in PAIN®. The available evidence questions the previous notion that people with CI have reduced pain sensitivity to pain. Rather, "It appears that those with widespread brain atrophy or … [Read more...]

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed algorithms to identify weak spots in tendons, muscles and bones prone to tearing or breaking. The technology, which needs to be refined before it is used in patients, one day may help pinpoint minor strains and tiny injuries in the body's tissues long before bigger problems occur. The research is available … [Read more...]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed -- and misdiagnosed -- behavioral disorder in children in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, there are currently no reliable physiological markers to diagnose ADHD. Doctors generally diagnose the disorder by recording a medical and social history of … [Read more...]

The antihypertensive medications angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) were associated with a 57 percent reduced risk in the chance of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also commonly known as Lou Gehrig disease) in patients who were prescribed ACEIs greater than 449.5 cumulative defined daily dose (cDDD) compared with patients who did not use ACEIs, … [Read more...]

A brain protein believed to be a key component in the progress of dementia can cause memory loss in healthy brains even before physical signs of degeneration appear according to new University of Sussex research. The study, published today (29 May) in the open access Nature Publishing Group journal Scientific Reports, reveals a direct link between the main culprit of … [Read more...]

With more than 2 million people behind bars, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. This mass incarceration has serious implications for not only the inmates, but their children, finds a new University of California-Irvine study. The study found significant health problems, including behavioral issues, in children of incarcerated parents and also that, for … [Read more...]

A new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is the first to show that hydrogen sulfide, a gas produced naturally within our bodies, reduces the severity of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. When someone has a RSV infection, his or her body is less able to produce the protective hydrogen sulfide. The UTMB study found that a drug that triggers a steady … [Read more...]

Proteins responsible for controlling levels of iron in the body also play an important role in combatting infection, according to a study published today in Cell Host & Microbe. Humans -- along with all living organisms, including pathogens -- need iron to survive: invading organisms try to highjack it from their hosts in order to thrive and multiply. Researchers at EMBL … [Read more...]

Not all placebos are equal, and patients who respond to one placebo don't always respond to others, according to research published July 31 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Jian Kong from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and colleagues from other institutions. The researchers tested the analgesic effects of genuine acupuncture, sham acupuncture … [Read more...]

Researchers at Columbia University have reported a new approach to visualize glucose uptake activity in single living cells by light microscopy with minimum disturbance. In a recent study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Associate Professor of Chemistry Wei Min's team developed a new glucose analogue that can mimic the natural glucose, and imaged its uptake … [Read more...]

A clinical trial has shown that patients with a specific molecular subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are more likely to respond to the drug ibrutinib (Imbruvica) than patients with another molecular subtype of the disease. The study appeared online July 20, 2015, in Nature Medicine. In this phase II trial, patients with the activated B-cell-like (ABC) subtype … [Read more...]

Results from a clinical trial investigating a new T cell receptor (TCR) therapy that uses a person's own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells demonstrated a clinical response in 80 percent of multiple myeloma patients with advanced disease after undergoing autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT). This time, researchers modified T cells to attack cancer cells … [Read more...]

A Kansas State University microbiologist has found a breakthrough herbal medicine treatment for a common human fungal pathogen that lives in almost 80 percent of people. Govindsamy Vediyappan, assistant professor of biology, noticed that diabetic people in developing countries use a medicinal herb called Gymnema slyvestre to help control sugar levels. He decided to study the … [Read more...]

Partner yoga may help couples who are struggling with sexual dysfunction, according to sexual wellness experts at Loyola University Health System (LUHS). This form of yoga uses massage, breathing exercises and mutually beneficial postures couples can do together to build trust, relax and have fun. "Distance and resentment can develop in marriages over time," said Susan … [Read more...]

Combining traditional forms of Chinese and Western medicine could offer new hope for developing new treatments for liver, lung, colorectal cancers and osteosarcoma of the bones. Experts from Cardiff University's School of Medicine have joined forces with Peking University in China to test the health benefits of a traditional Chinese medicine. The team also set-out to … [Read more...]

It may come as a surprise, but hospitals are not the safest place when it comes to the danger of falling. Possibly due to medications and lack of familiarity, a patient falling is a very serious problem for hospitals.  The technology you’ve seen in cars is helping cut down on falls. A fall at home has put Henry Garza in the hospital with a fractured hip. “He just turned … [Read more...]

Weightlifting and kids, how young is too young? The medical world is doing a 180 on the subject and now the benefits are outweighing the risks. Weightlifting can do so much more than build muscles and mass, it can create confidence and character. Ashley Kent is a 15-year-old powerhouse. This 4’11 freshman lifts more than she weighs. “I lift 135 pounds. I snatch 59, clean … [Read more...]

Three million people in the United States live with epilepsy, a brain disorder that causes sudden, unpredictable seizures. Surgery is often considered a last resort, but new laser technology is making it easier on patients. A quiet jog through the woods used to be a luxury Corey Moquist couldn’t afford. “I’d have to rely on other people to get me around, driving wise,” … [Read more...]

A new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) recommends guidance on how doctors should evaluate the full picture -- from symptoms, family history and ethnicity to a physical exam and certain lab test results -- in order to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a … [Read more...]

Investigators at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified that lack of time and a paucity of trained faculty are perceived as the most significant barriers to incorporating complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and integrative medicine (IM) training into family medicine residency curricula and training programs. The study results, which are … [Read more...]

Prescribing both a stimulant and an antipsychotic drug to children with physical aggression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), along with teaching parents to use behavior management techniques, reduces aggressive and serious behavioral problems in children, according to a study conducted by researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at Stony Brook University … [Read more...]