Targeted Brain Stimulation a Promising Treatment for Addiction

April 4, 2013 | by

Could drug addiction treatment of the future be as simple as an on/off switch in the brain? A study in rats has found that stimulating a key part of the brain reduces compulsive cocaine-seeking and suggests the possibility of changing addictive behavior generally [1]. The study, published in the journal Nature, was conducted by scientists at the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the University of California, San Francisco.

Brain stimulation

National Public Health Week: Public Health is ROI

April 1, 2013 | by

This week is National Public Health Week (NPHW). The annual observance brings U.S. communities together to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the public’s health. The theme for National Public Health Week (NPHW) 2013 — Public Health is ROI: Save Lives, Save Money – spotlights the value of prevention and the importance of well-supported public health systems in preventing disease, saving lives and curbing healthcare spending.

National Public Health Week 2013

Mayo Clinic Study: Top 10 Reasons We Go to the Doctor

March 26, 2013 | by

Although chronic diseases with high morbidity and mortality such as diabetes and heart disease command the lion’s share of research dollars, people actually seek healthcare most often for skin issues such as actinic keratosis (a premalignant condition of thick, scaly, or crusty patches of skin) or acne, followed by joint disorders and back pain, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study [1].

Doctor's appointment

Sugar, Diabetes and a Call for Regulation

March 21, 2013 | by

Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who has been crusading about the evils of sugar for decades, has watched more and more of his young patient population become obese. He recently published a study in the journal PLOS One demonstrating that increased sugar consumption directly leads to increased rates of diabetes [1].

Sugar

Talking Changes Minds: the Effect of CBT on Depression

March 16, 2013 | by

Researchers recently examined the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on brain functioning in depressed patients and found that the psychotherapeutic approach made actual changes in the brain [1]. The study was published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.

Cognitive behavioural therapy