Women's Health: Antidepressant drug linked with increased risk of birth defects ♦ Infertility treatments do not contribute to developmental delays in children

Infertility treatments do not appear to contribute to developmental delays in children Children conceived via infertility treatments are no more likely to have a developmental delay than children conceived without such treatments, according to a study. The findings may help to allay longstanding concerns that conception after infertility treatment could affect the embryo at a sensitive stage and result in lifelong disability

What are the risks of giving birth inside, outside a hospital setting? The out-of-hospital birth setting in Oregon was associated with a higher risk of perinatal death, while the in-hospital birth setting was associated with a higher risk for cesarean delivery and other obstetric interventions (e.g., induction or augmentation of labor), according a new American study.

Antidepressant drug linked with increased risk of birth defects when taken in early pregnancy Using paroxetine -- a medication prescribed to treat conditions including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder -- during the first trimester of pregnancy may increase newborn's’ risk of congenital malformations and cardiac malformations. Up to one-fifth of women of childbearing age experience depressive symptoms that often lead to mild to moderate depression, and prescriptions for antidepressants during pregnancy have increased in recent years. The most common drugs for treating depression in pregnant women are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and up until 2005, one drug in that class -- paroxetine -- was considered to be safe for use during pregnancy.

Improving vaginal discomfort after menopause A new phase III trial with positive results is taking intravaginal DHEA a step closer to governmental approval. The formulation could provide women who cannot or do not wish to use intravaginal estrogen with an effective vaginal alternative for easing vaginal symptoms and pain with sex after menopause.

Brain Research: Playing 3-D video games can boost memory formation ♦ Geometric study of brain cells could change strategies on Alzheimer's

Human trials suggest 'rescued' drug could be safer treatment for bipolar disorder Ebselen, abandoned as a stroke treatment, has a successful first human trial as scientists aim to repurpose it as a treatment for bipolar disorder.

Antidepressant with novel action appears safe, effective A small clinical trial of a novel antidepressant that stimulates neurogenesis -- the production of new brain cells -- shows that the compound appears to be safe and may be effective against depression.

Geometric study of brain cells could change strategies on Alzheimer's Applying mathematical models used for studying the galaxies or interactions between elementary particles, researchers have analysed the spatial distribution of astrocytes: brain cells that are essential for the correct functioning of neurons.

Playing 3-D video games can boost memory formation Playing three-dimensional video games -- besides being lots of fun -- can boost the formation of memories, according to neurobiologists. Along with adding to the trove of research that shows these games can improve eye-hand coordination and reaction time, this finding shows the potential for novel virtual approaches to helping people who lose memory as they age or suffer from dementia.

Brain Research: Brain protein discovery could lead to better treatments ♦ Antidepressant may change brain differently in depressed and non depressed people

Common antidepressant may change brain differently in depressed and non depressed people A commonly prescribed antidepressant may alter brain structures in depressed and non depressed individuals in very different ways.

A new factor in depression? Brain protein discovery could lead to better treatments Low. Down. Less than normal. That's what the word depression means, and what people with depression often feel like. But sometimes, depression can mean too much of something -- as new research shows.The discovery, about a protein called fibroblast growth factor 9 or FGF9, goes against previous findings that depressed brains often have less of key components than non-depressed brains.

External brain stimulation temporarily improves motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's People with Parkinson's disease (PD) tend to slow down and decrease the intensity of their movements even though many retain the ability to move quickly and forcefully. Now, scientists report evidence that the slowdown likely arises from the brain's 'cost/benefit analysis,' which gets skewed by the loss of dopamine in people with PD. In addition, their small study demonstrated that noninvasive electrical stimulation of the brain corrected temporarily improved some patients' motor symptoms.

Routinely screen those older than 70 for brain health In a consensus paper, a global panel of leading aging experts suggests physicians routinely screen everyone older than 70 annually for cognitive problems

Cardiovascular Research: Switch for health heart muscle ♦ Half-dose combo of common diuretics a 'win-win' for hypertension ♦Potential value of antidepressant in some stroke victims

Research in mice shows potential value of antidepressant in some stroke victims Working with mice, researchers have added to evidence that a commonly prescribed antidepressant called fluoxetine helps stroke victims improve movement and coordination, and possibly why.

Switch for health heart muscle Researchers have discovered a protein, called Mel18, that regulates the development of heart muscle. Faults in the production of Mel18 in early cardiac cells may play a role in heart defects. The findings could help grow cardiac cells in the laboratory from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS).

Depressed patients have more frequent chest pain even in the absence of coronary artery disease Depressed patients have more frequent chest pain even in the absence of coronary artery disease, according to results. The findings suggest that pain and depression may share a common neurochemical pathway

Half-dose combo of common diuretics a 'win-win' for hypertension The combination of two commonly used diuretics, each at half dose, can significantly reduce blood pressure without the side-effects caused by full doses of either alone.

Spironolactone 'a clear winner' for resistant hypertension In patients with poor blood pressure control despite treatment with a combination of three drugs (‘resistant hypertension’), addition of the diuretic spironolactone was significantly more effective than adding other blood pressure lowering drugs.

Children's Health: Antidepressant use in late pregnancy and newborn respiratory disorder ♦ Altruism linked with better physiological regulation ♦ Adolescents with sports-related concussion

Examination of antidepressant use in late pregnancy and newborn respiratory disorder An analysis of approximately 3.8 million pregnancies finds that use of antidepressants late in pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). However, the absolute risk was small. PPHN is a rare but life-threatening condition that occurs when a newborn's circulation system doesn't adapt to breathing outside the womb

Kids' altruism linked with better physiological regulation, less family wealth Children as young as four years old may reap better health from altruistic giving, a behavior that tends to be less common among kids from high-income families, according to new research on the nature and nurture of altruism.

Vestibulo-ocular dysfunction in children and adolescents with sports-related concussion Researchers have investigated the frequency of vestibule-ocular dysfunction in children and adolescents with sports-related concussion and found that its presence was predictive of a prolonged recovery.

Cyberbullying less emotionally harmful to kids than traditional in-person harassment Contrary to popular belief, cyberbullying that starts and stays online is no more emotionally harmful to youngsters than harassment that only occurs in-person and may actually be less disturbing because it's likelier to be of shorter duration and not involve significant power imbalances

Health Research: GMO Salmonella promising as anti-cancer therapy ♦ Inactive tumor suppressor gene discovered in lung cancer ♦ New treatment for Barrett's esophagus

New treatment for common digestive condition Barrett's esophagus New research could transform treatments and diagnosis for a common digestive condition which affects thousands of patients.

How gum disease treatment can prevent heart disease  A new study is helping to shed more light on the important connection between the mouth and heart. According to research, scientists have demonstrated that using an oral topical remedy to reduce inflammation associated with periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease, also results in the prevention of vascular inflammation and can lower the risk of heart attack.

Wristband that measures rest, activity schedule may help predict response to antidepressants A wristband that records motion throughout a 24-hour cycle may be an inexpensive, safe way to determine which patients with major depressive disorder will respond best to commonly prescribed drugs such as Prozac

Inactive tumor suppressor gene discovered in lung cancer The PARD3 gene has been identified by researchers as a tumor suppressor that is inactivated in lung cancer squamous type. PARD3 gene encodes a protein that regulates cell polarization and cell junctions. When the gene is inactivated, errors occur in this cell orientation and in contact with neighboring cells. "Any change affecting this structure promotes tumor development,"

GMO Salmonella promising as anti-cancer therapy Genetically modified Salmonella can be used to kill cancer cells, scientists report. For years, researchers have known that certain strains of bacteria, including Salmonella enterica, can kill cancer cells. Specifically Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium has been shown to not only colonize solid tumors, but also to exhibit an intrinsic antitumor effect. However, in order to use Salmonella as a weapon against cancer in humans, researchers must find a balance between allowing it to kill the cancer and be safe for the patient. This bacteria, commonly known for causing severe food poisoning

Cardiovascular Research: Turbo-charging hormone can regrow the heart ♦ Antidepressant increased coronary atherosclerosis ♦ Near-death brain signaling accelerates demise of the heart

Common antidepressant increased coronary atherosclerosis in animal model

A commonly prescribed antidepressant caused up to a six-fold increase in atherosclerosis plaque in the coronary arteries of non-human primates, according to a study. Coronary artery atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attacks.

Near-death brain signaling accelerates demise of the heart

What happens in the moments just before death is widely believed to be a slowdown of the body’s systems as the heart stops beating and blood flow ends. But there's a brainstorm happening, strongly synchronized with heart rhythm. Blocking this brain outflow may change the odds of survival for those who suffer cardiac arrest.

Turbo-charging hormone can regrow the heart, animal study suggests

Researchers have discovered a way to stimulate muscle regrowth in the heart of a mouse, opening up prospects of new treatments for people who suffer heart attacks.

Pomegranate-date cocktail a day keeps the doctor away

Pomegranates and dates are delicious, increasingly trendy, and healthy to boot. As it turns out, when consumed together they are a winning combination in the war against heart disease. The researchers conclude that people at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, as well as healthy individuals, could benefit from consuming the combination of half a glass of pomegranate juice (4 ounces), together with 3 dates. Ideally, the pits should be ground up into a paste and eaten as well, but even without the pits, the combination is better than either fruit alone

1/25/14 Health News: Deadly Delays in Newborns - New Biopsy Picks Out Aggressive Cancer - Gold Nanoparticles Track Enteroviruses - New Suicide Test.

Deadly Delays in Newborns Blood Tests

In a special report titled "Deadly Delays," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper showed this past fall that Iowa and Delaware are the only two states in the U.S. that get blood samples from babies and quickly transport them to a lab for analysis as required by federal law. While all states may take the samples, the report found that how and when they are transported to a lab varies widely across the nation. The Iowa State Hygienic lab is centrally located in Ankeny for what is called the Newborn Screening Program. The lab operates in partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health in Des Moines and the University of Iowa Children's Hospital in Iowa City.Continue Reading

New Biopsy Test Could Pick Out Aggressive Form of Skin Cancer

Testing the genetic profile of immune cells next to a melanoma could lead to more accurate diagnosis to spot whether a skin cancer is aggressive enough to spread, researchers from Italy have found. Development of the research finding could enable doctors to focus cancer treatment on skin cancer patients who need it - while sparing the harm of intervening when patients do not need it continue reading

Gold Core Nanoparticles Allow for Precise Tracking of Enteroviruses

Enteroviruses are a cause of a bunch of infamous and pernicious diseases, from polio to hand, foot and mouth disease, but because of their size and variability studying them has proven to be a significant challenge. Being able to attach tracking particles that are discreet enough not to affect the behavior of the virus may revolutionize our ability to study these pathogens The study also showed that the infectivity of the viruses is not compromised by the attached gold particles, which indicates that the labelling method does not interfere with the normal biological functions of viruses inside cells. Continue Reading

'Suicide Test' May Aid Antidepressant Decision Making

A genetic test in development promises to help doctors identify patients at increased risk for suicide after starting antidepressant therapy. The test for treatment-emergent suicidal ideation is based on research carried out Continue Reading