Monthly Archive for January, 2008
Green Tea and the Fight Against Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease is the second commonest neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's, affecting 1% of the over-65 population and 2% of the over-80's. Recent research (1) published in Biological Psychiatry from the Institute of Biophysics, Academia Sinica in Beijing indicates that polyphenols in green tea have a protective effect on neurons that could be put to potential clinical use.In a laboratory study carried out on rats, serving as the animal model for Parkinson's disease, damage was inflicted upon dopamine-secreting neurons of rats -- simulating the disease in humans where the loss of such neurons leads to debilitating disorders of movement.
OCD Study a Boost for Non-Drug Advocates
I sometimes wonder, as I wait for yet another prescription to be filled, how my life would have been different if I didn't take that first Zoloft 12 years ago. How would the last decade have played out had I, say, taken some herbs, enrolled in daily yoga classes, or visited a holistic doctor instead of visiting the local psychiatrist? I realize that this line of thought is fruitless but, there are times when I can't quite resist the dangerous "what-if thinking."
Migraine Headaches – Rethinking an Old Malady
Physicians must choose among numerous treatment options for pain. Many pain syndromes would benefit from more effective approaches. Migraine headaches are a prime example of a painful condition in need of a better solution. Recent insights provided by research investigating the mechanisms causing migraines are beginning to generate new approaches to an old problem.
The Reimbursement Crisis in Medicine – Are We Shooting Ourselves in the Foot?
In this era of declining reimbursements, I've been thinking a lot about socialized medicine and how physicians can stop the bleeding. It's clear that reimbursements cannot go lower for many physicians. If they go lower lots of docs simply won't be able to run their offices anymore.While the cost of healthcare continues to increase and insurance companies want to cut costs, the total cost of care needs to be looked at. If an insurance carrier has X dollars to spend on a surgery or on an office visit, the each piece of that procedure or visit must be looked at.
Popular Posts
- The Love Drug
- Women After Sex
- Fatty Acids and Suicide Risk
- Mind Games - Science's Attempts at Thought Control
- Risks of Personalized Medicine
- Mental Health Disorders Prevalent Among Youth Worldwide
- Is Giftedness Nothing More than Good Genes?
- Behind the Masks - The Mysteries of Dissociative Identity Disorder
- The NeuroSocial Network
- Inside Your Brain on Holiday
Future Posts
- The Brain’s Buying Power
- Aging Intelligently
Latest Posts
- A Nicotine Patch a Day Keeps the Cognitive Impairment Away
- The Many Emerging Roles of Astrocytes
- Diabetes Impairs Cognition
- Media Violence Leads to Real Violence
- Intelligence – Are You Holding Back Your Brain?
- Childhood Aggression Predicts Health Care Use Later in Life
- The Brain’s Border Patrol – Blood Brain Barrier
- Risks of Personalized Medicine
- BED-head and Obesity – Food for Thought
- Salvia Divinorum – DEA Control over Magic in the Mint
Comments
- Scapadas Amorosas: Lets patent it, package, marke
- sumeshmavungal: Advice on buying a car?
- Emily Haines, MSc, PhD student: Thanks for your comments, Matt
- Emily Haines, MSc, PhD student: Thanks for your comments and s
- Alex: While we have our eyes glued t
- Richard Kensinger, MSW: Carla,You are absolutely c
- Soraya L. Valles: I'm interested in astrocytes.
- Raymond Tallis: Dear Kitty, I have come to you
- Steven: After smoking for 17 years dai
- Matt: I'm just interested in hearing
- Carla Easley: If everyone adopted the "Growt
- Isabel (retired RN): I second that query for resear
