The American Heart Association wants doctors to do an electrocardiogram (EKG) — a measure of heart health — in order to determine whether a child is fit to take stimulant medication for attention deficit disorder (ADD). The AHA recently published this statement online. It says there are conditions that a typical physical exam might not pick up, but that would contraindicate the use of these medications. Read more →

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a poorly understood disease that affects patients at an early age and, usually, lasts a lifetime. Factors that predispose to the development of MS include genetics, geographic location, sex and birth month, suggesting an interesting nature-nurture interaction in this disease process.

The increased rate of MS at high latitudes has been demonstrated in many studies, with those living in the Northern United States and Canada at a higher risk than those closer to the equator. This geographical influence is most commonly linked to the decreased (UV) radiation in these locations. UV light is a requirement for the production of vitamin D, and it is this effect that is most commonly thought to increase the risk of MS. Read more →

The genetic basis for Alzheimer’s disease has been a focus of research in recent years, and the gene most studied so far has been the ApoE gene, which codes for apoprotein E, a blood protein concerned with the transport of lipids in blood. Specifically, ApoE is thought to be associated with the development of atherosclerosis, the laying of fatty plaques inside the walls of our arteries. Read more →

Do larger brains correlate with higher intelligence? Or does higher intelligence run parallel with the more diverse environmental experiences encountered? This research of nature versus nurture in intelligence, in humans especially, has been a complex and a persistent debate. This article about the brain’s rate of development in children provides yet another face to this multifaceted speculation. Read more →