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Using a newly developed brain scan technique, researchers in the U.K. and Belgium revealed that some patients in vegetative states or states of minimal consciousness show signs of awareness, and in one exceptional case, could even answer yes/no questions posed by doctors during a visualization exercise. The findings, published online this week in the New [...]
Abnormal serotonin receptors, which may cause serotonin levels to dip dangerously and undermine a brain network responsible for regulating the body’s autonomic functions, could be a cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), according to new research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. An estimated two out of every 2,000 children born [...]
For patients at very high risk for developing a psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia, taking fish oil supplements may be a way to prevent the onset of psychosis, according to a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Due to the controversial nature of using anti-psychotic drugs as a preventive treatment for at-risk [...]
Wearing a helmet when you take to the slopes is commonly considered a good idea, but just how much of a difference does it really make? A big one. According to an analysis published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, for skiers and snowboarders, wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury by more [...]
Many children and adolescents may hear voices that aren’t really there, but most don’t suffer any long-term effects of the imaginary chatter, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. As Reuters reports, a study of 3,870 Dutch preschoolers found that nearly one in ten reported hearing voices “that only you [...]
Loss of smell is often an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, and, according to new research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, could possibly serve as a warning sign at the onset of the disease. Previous research has explored the relationship between loss of smell—or olfactory dysfunction—and the accumulation of a protein in the brain [...]
Clarification added January 6, 2010. A wealth of research has shown that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are effective at reducing the symptoms of depression—though new research suggests that study populations limited to those with severe depression may skew these findings, and that antidepressants only show truly significant benefits over placebo in patients with major [...]
Video games are a controversial topic these days. Do popular games cater enough to a female audience? Can interactive games introduce a new forum for sexual predators? Is there such a thing as video game addiction? Yet, for all of the negative perceptions and criticisms of video games, there is a growing body of evidence [...]
For brain surgery patients, a doctor’s bedside exam is still superior to a routine CT scan for identifying potential post-surgical complications, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery. Researchers from the Department of Neurological Surgery at Loyola University in Chicago examined the records of 251 patients who had a CT scan within [...]
In children, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may inhibit the function of a brain region associated with memory, according to a new study published online today in the Journal of Pediatric Psychiatry. In an effort to better understand how trauma may impact brain function in children, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard [...]
Tired of your mindless treadmill routine and all that running leading nowhere? Consider mixing up your fitness plan, with more and more gyms offering unique classes for workouts that are effective — and fun.
