Author: Tom Patriot

Can a video game-based ‘digital medicine’ help children with autism and co-occurring ADHD?

Tom Patriot

Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) evaluated a digital medicine tool designed as an investigational treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and co-occurring attention/deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results of the study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, confirmed the acceptability, feasibility, and safety of Project: EVO, which delivers sensory and motor stimuli through an action video game experience, designed by Akili Interactive, a prescription digital medicine company. As many as 50 percent of children with ASD have some ADHD symptoms, with roughly 30 percent receiving…

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Older women benefit significantly when screened with 3D mammography

Tom Patriot

Mammography remains an effective method for breast cancer screening in women ages 65 and older, with the addition of a 3-D technique called tomosynthesis improving screening performances even more, according to a study published in the journal Radiology. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of death from cancer among women in the United States. Research has shown that digital 2-D mammography (DM) is effective at reducing breast cancer-related mortality through early detection, when the cancer is most treatable. In 2011, the U.S. Food and…

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How to Tell the Difference Between Dermatitis and Eczema

Tom Patriot

These days, it sometimes feels as if eczema is just as ubiquitous as acne. (For the record, it’s not: An estimated 60 million Americans have active acne, while eczema affects an estimated 32 million people). Regardless, it’s a very common condition that, akin to acne, can impact people’s lives both physically and emotionally. Despite being so widespread, though, there’s still so much we don’t know about the condition. For instance, many people are unaware that eczema is actually an umbrella term — as is dermatitis — used to describe a gamut of skin inflammations. They…

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