December 11th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
Although post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cannot usually be diagnosed until 4 weeks after a traumatic event, the symptoms that occur before the end of the 4 week period often become persistent. Arieh Shalev,M.D., Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and founding Director of the Center for Traumatic Stress at Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, wanted [...]
December 10th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
Over the past few years scientists have identified genes that are suspected in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. They are just beginning to piece together what Alzheimer’s related proteins do in the cell, and how they contribute to the development of the disease. Lawrence Godstein, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and colleagues at the University of [...]
December 9th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
A study conducted by the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) sought to explore ways to improve cognitive skills of older adults. The researchers seeked to discover ways to help older individuals stay independent and take charge of their own lives. The study group consisted of 2,800 healthy, community dwelling older adults [...]
December 8th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
The human brain uses different regions to process information, such as memory, sensory input, or even one’s own internal thoughts. The variety of regions are linked by a network of white matter conduits. The question is if aging degrades the white matter that links the different regions of the brain and what effect it has on [...]
December 7th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
Neuropathic pain is caused by nerve damage that can be associated with chronic inflammation or direct nerve injury. This type of pain differs from ordinary pain in that it is usually perceived as ongoing burning or as ‘pins and needles’ electric-shock type of sensation. It is the type of pain that often associated with shingles, cancer, repetitive [...]
December 6th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
Studies have already shown that relatives of individuals with Parkinson’s have an increased risk of the disease. Also observed is that immediate relatives (brother, sister, mother, father, son or daughter) of people who have Parkinson’s disease are at increased risk for developing depression and anxiety disorders—particularly if Parkinson’s occurs before age 75. Many Parkinson’s disease patients [...]
December 5th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
Amyloid plaques are thought to cause the devastating neurodegenerative Alzheimer’s disease. Until recently the fibrils made of small proteins of amyloid-beta where thought to be the toxic element that kills nerve cells. Recently Yoshitaka Ishii, associate professor of chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, was able to capture and characterize a crucial intermediate step in [...]
December 4th, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
The medical community tries its best to explain disease symptoms like fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, the medical community’s explanations do not jive with the experience of someone who has lived with the disease for most of their life. Bee’s eclectic life is a blog by a 50′s something mother of 2 adult children who has dealt with [...]
December 3rd, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s is a PBS documentary that originally aired during January, 2004 and was a primetime Emmy award winner that year. From time to time local PBS stations air the show. Visit http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/about/index.html to find out if the show is scheduled to air on your local PBS station. The 90 minute [...]
December 2nd, 2007 by Richard Brassaw
A disability can sometimes be caused by a simple fall. As people age the risk of falling increases, in part, because their ability to balance is shaky. Vision problems, loss of strength, medication side-effects, as well as medical conditions adds to risk of unsteadiness in an aging population. A recent Mayo Clinic study of 130 [...]
Category :
PTSD
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