Category: Health

Retinal Cells ‘Go With the Flow’ to Assess Own Motion Through Space

Tom Patriot

Summary: A new study reveals how specialized cells in the retina sense motion. Source: Brown. Think of the way that a long flat highway seems to widen out around you from a single point on the horizon, while in the rear-view mirror everything narrows back to a single point behind you. Or think of the way that when a spaceship in a movie accelerates to its “warp” or “hyper” speed, the illusion is conveyed by the stars turning into streaks that zip radially outward off the screen. That’s how a…

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Does Consuming Low Fat Dairy Increase Parkinson’s Risk?

Tom Patriot

Summary: According to researchers, people who consumed at least three servings of low fat dairy a day were had a 34% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Source: AAN. Consuming at least three servings of low-fat dairy a day is associated with a greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to consuming less than one serving a day, according to a large study published in the June 7, 2017, online issue of Neurology. In addition, drinking more than one serving of low-fat or skim milk per day is associated with a…

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How Neurons Use Crowdsourcing to Make Decisions

Tom Patriot

Summary: Researchers investigate how neurons work together to help us make decisions. Source: Santa Fe Institute. How do we make decisions? Or rather, how do our neurons make decisions for us? Do individual neurons have a strong say or is the voice in the neural collective? One way to think about this question is to ask how many of my neurons you would have to observe to read my mind. If you can predict I am about to say the word “grandma” by watching one of my neurons then we…

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Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Getting Botox In Your Groin

Tom Patriot

Most of us are familiar with botulinum toxin injections (commonly known by their brand names as Botox, Dysport and Xeomin) to erase facial wrinkles. But Botox can also help people who suffer from excessive sweating, which is known as hyperhidrosis. In order to put a halt to sweating, it’s become increasingly more common to receive Botox injections in the armpits. And now, people are getting injections in their groin, as well. Interview with Dr. John H.Tu, M.D. from the University of Rochester Department of Dermatology and dermatologist for Dermatology Associates of Rochester. He filled us in on all the…

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Addressing Misconceptions About Electroconvulsive Therapy

Tom Patriot

Summary: Despite popular belief, many patients who receive ECT view the therapy in a positive light, researchers report. Source: Wiley. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has long had a stigma of being a painful and barbaric method of treatment, but a new study found that patients undergoing ECT for a variety of psychiatric disorders view the therapy in a positive light. In the study of 30 patients, 80% found ECT a useful procedure that they would readily have again, with 70% saying it was more efficacious than drug therapy. The study’s investigators…

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