Risk associated with high blood pressure, or hypertension, is well known. Researchers Cyrus Raji, M.D., PhD., and Oscar Lopez, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, have added one new danger—blood flow to the brain. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure blood flow to the brain the researchers studied a group of 88 older patients. Within the… Read more

As baby-boomers age their risks of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or heart disease increases. Stroke and dementia are the most widely feared age-related neurological diseases, and are also the only neurological disorders listed in the 10 leading causes of disease burden. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) followed 2,794 participants of the Framingham… Read more

During autopsies of brains, of people who had lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a protein called TDP-43 was observed to accumulate abnormally. Further studies confirmed the damaging role of TDP-43. Aaron D. Gitler, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, sought a way to… Read more

As the costs of health care continues to soar, consumers are looking for ways save money. As blockbuster drugs lose their patient protection, they are being manufactured by the major generic companies like: Teva Pharmaceutical, Barr Pharmaceuticals, Mylan Laboratories, Watson Pharmaceuticals, and Novartis. In an effort to increase the number of generic drugs available to… Read more

Major depression affects approximately 1-2% of older adults, but as many as 20% may experience symptoms of depression. Lisa C. Barry, PhD, MPH, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, evaluated 754 individuals all over the age of 70. The study began in 1998, with follow-up assessments done every 18 months. Over the course of… Read more

This past spring the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a phase III clinical trial of creatine and its effects on Parkinson’s disease. Creatine is an over-the-counter nutritional supplement found naturally in the body and in red meat and used by body builders to ‘bulk-up.’ Recruitment is still active in many of the research facilities… Read more

Diabetes patients have a high production of glucose, which can cause cellular damage to blood vessels. Matt Whiteman, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical School, South West of England has found that resveratrol, a compound naturally found in grape skin, can protect against cellular damage to blood vessels caused by… Read more

Hello I am writing today about a law that I feel puts the disabled at a huge disadvantage and that has affected my and my child’s life greatly because of my disability benefit. I have read that other states are now changing these laws and I hope Pennsylvania will be next. I’ve been disabled for… Read more

Researchers have been on a quest to find a vaccine for a Alzheimer’s disease and recent studies suggest that they may be close to a solution and possibly just years away from human testing. William Bowers, associate professor of neurology, microbiology, and immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, believes he and his co-workers have demonstrated a… Read more

ScienCentralNews and Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern present a short video (1:28) explaining what research is being done to determine whether beta-amyloid plaque, found in Alzheimer’s patients, is a cause or symptom of the disease. If it is determined whether the plaque is a by-product or the cause, then there is a good chance… Read more

Parkinson’s disease risk may be reduced by regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), which includes aspirin and ibuprofen, according to a recent UCLA study. The study comprised of 579 men and women. Half of the group had Parkinson’s disease, while the other was free of the disease. For those in the group who took two or more NSAID… Read more

Currently the Veterans™ Disability Benefits Commission is in the process of reviewing the benefits provided veterans and their survivors. The commission is consulting with the Institute of Medicine to determine how compensation decisions are made and if it can be done so on a scientific basis… Read more