Archive for February 2012
February 28, 2012 | 
Author Last month a team of scientists at the University of California Berkeley programmed computers to decode brain waves, transmitting them into words. Another group of scientists at Berkeley five months prior showed their colleagues movie trailers, and then using computers played back in color what people saw.
With these technological advances, the potential for helping paralyzed people “speak”, or understanding what a patient in a coma is thinking could be enormous.
Jack Gallant, the neuroscientist who led the first Berkeley team says that despite the breakthroughs, the current technology for decoding brain activity is still “relatively primitive.” ”Eventually, someone will invent a decoding machine you can wear as a hat.” Such technological progress may take another thirty years to so, according to Gallant.
Just imagine, you could watch your dreams on a computer…..Newsweek February 20, 2012 Samar Halarnkar
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Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine recently reported that low doses of the opioid antagonist naltrexone (ReVia) significantly reduced pain in a study of patients with fibromyalgia. The patients reported an overall decreased amount of pain on naltrexone, as opposed to taking a placebo. Naltrexone is different than other pain medications because it targets the immune pathway of pain. Dr. Jarred Younger, a researcher at Stanford said there was no impact on sleep quality or fatigue from the patients. While naltrexone seems to be an effective, tolerable and inexpensive medicine for fibromyalgia, Younger said further testing is needed.
Naltrexone is currently used as a treatment for alcohol and drug addiction……MedPage Today February 26, 2012 Kristina Fiore
In a recent study, scientists at the University of South Carolina reported that men in their 40s who did well on cardiovascular fitness tests, and stayed fit were 30% less likely to die over the next 11 years. For men who boosted their fitness levels, the research revealed a 40% lower risk of death from all causes.
For men, as well as women keeping up with an exercise routine not only makes you feel better physically, it can provide a feeling of personal accomplishment for you emotionally. Whether its walking briskly with your dog, taking a pilates class, or riding a stationery bike, just work it! Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter March 2012, Vol. 30, Number 1
Research increasingly indicates that obesity may be an influencing factor in migraines. A recent study looked at the relationship between bariatric (weight-loss) surgery and improvement in migraine pain.
The researchers found that bariatric surgery significantly lessened the intensity of headache pain for their patients… suggesting that weight loss for the severely obese can help minimize migraines. Does this mean that losing weight less dramatically, such as exercising and watching the diet mean less migraines? This study says future research is needed to link the two. We do know however that healthy eating and physical activity are key elements in overall health…..The Journal of Head and Face Pain Volume 51, Number 8
Just released research indicates that middle-aged women are approximately 40% more likely to become depressed if they have migraine headaches.
The study, conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston suggests that the risk of depression stays raised even if the pain stops. “For women at least, migraine is a risk for depression.” “But there’s no good biological reason why the link would not apply to men,” says lead author Tobias Kurth, M.D. Previous research suggests that the risk of depression rises as the severity of migraine increases. Kurtz said he and his colleagues will address that issue in the future.
Jason Rosenberg, M.D., director of the Johns-Hopkins Headache Center who was not involved in the study said “Its been well-known that migraine and depression occur together much more commonly than can be explained by chance.” However, Rosenberg cautions that the participants in the study were over the age of 45. ”Most women develop migraine when they are well under 40.” ”An older population could skew the results one way or the other.”
While there is no simple explanation for a migraine-depression relationship, frequent migraines may bring on depression by lowering a person’s quality of life, and biological factors may be involved as well….. CNN.com 2/22/12 Matt McMillen
Green tea has important antioxidants and compounds that help in maintaining good health. The benefits of green tea are plentiful, including it’s potential to fight cancer and heart disease. There have been studies that show green tea can help lower cholesterol, burn fat, prevent diabetes and stroke, as well as stave off dementia.
The antioxidants in green tea are unique catechins which scavenge for free radicals that can damage DNA. Because its leaves are withered and steamed, not fermented like other teas, its catechins are more concentrated. A synthetic form of green tea’s catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is being studied with success to use in shrinking prostate cancer tumors in mice.
The notion of “pregnancy brain” and its symptoms such as memory loss and general “fogginess” has recently been discussed by Laura M. Glynn, a professor of psychology at Chapman University. While much research has been done on the teenage and menopausal brain, the pregnant brain has not been studied much. Doctors however have suspected for decades that the “hormonal bath” of pregnancy has helped women prepare for motherhood. Recently, Dr. Glynn along with Curt A. Sandman of the University of California-Irvine, Glynn published a paper describing “maternal programming” … a necessary task for women. Though the woman may be losing some memory, she is also gaining new functions necessary for bonding with and caring for her baby. ”While there may be some less-than-ideal effects of this remodeling… these are some really important processes” says Glynn.
This research may help to reassure pregnant women that the negative effects of pregnancy are not imaginary, and serve a purpose. ”I think people take some comfort from our findings and they don’t feel like a crazy person.” Newsweek February 27 and March 5, 2012
Tossing and turning, or going to bed too late can make us feel drained the next day. Many migraineurs know lack of sleep is a trigger for a headache. Here are some tips for putting some pep in your step, even if you didn’t sleep well last night…..
Let the sunlight in when you wake up. The natural light even on a snowy day helps to reset your body clock, so open the shades!
Sugary foods might give you a quick morning rush, but why not try something with protein and whole-grain carbs instead. A whole-wheat English muffin with peanut butter and a sliced banana will give you lasting energy.
Try putting your coffee in a thermos and sip it slowly throughout the morning. According to a study in the journal Sleep, drinking just 2 ounces of coffee per hour will still boost your energy level.
Take a ten minute walk in the afternoon. It will stimulate your heart, brain and muscles. If you can’t step out, pacing around your office may help recharge you.
Following a poor night’s sleep, try to go to bed around your usual time. Staying close to your natural rhythm is better for you. According to Janet Kennedy, PhD, a New York City-based clinical psychologist, “Changing your schedule to make up for lost sleep can actually lead to other problems, like early waking and even insomnia.” You’ll feel more refreshed if you go to bed around your normal time…… Health Magazine March 2012
The muscles in the body respond to exercise by making new mitochondria, the very small structures inside cells that provide the body with energy. Wondering if brain cells could do the same thing, J.Mark Davis, a physiologist at the University of South Carolina and his colleagues studied the effects of exercise on the brains of mice. They found that “a master regulator” of mitochondria production increased in the brain after half an hour a day on a treadmill. There appeared to be more mitochondrial DNA, providing “gold standard” evidence of more mitochondria. “It appears that the brain adapts and changes by bringing more of these powerhouses online” says Davis.
These findings may help researchers understand how exercise can ward off disease and age-related decline in brain capacity. The increased energy supply to the brain may help in dementia prevention and mood regulation. “The evidence is accumulating rapidly that exercise keeps the brain younger,” Davis says……Scientific American Mind Stephani Sutherland March/April 2012
An article in The Journal of Head and Face Pain reported a study looking at parent-adolescent conflict, family functioning, and adolescent autonomy as predictors for depression in teens with headache.
While depression and decreased activity levels are common in adolescents with headache, this study investigated the role of parent-teen interactions as they related to symptoms of depression. The adolescents diagnosed with migraine or chronic daily headache were interviewed independently, as well as videotaped with their parents.
Higher levels of conflict between parent and teen, weaker family functioning, and lower levels of teen autonomy were connected to more depression in the adolescents studied. This research highlights the connection between teens with headache, depressive symptoms and parent-teen interactions……..The Journal of Head and Face Pain Volume 50, Number 4
