Relation between job loss and Heart attacks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20391529

This article talks about how job loss leads to increased chance of heart attack. In the article they state that there still needs to be more research done in the area of how stress effects cardiovascular disease, but this shows us some insight on how it could increase the chance of heart attacks. They say that people who recently lost a job were 27% more likely to have a heart attack and that number jumped up to 63% for people who had lost more than 4 jobs. They also showed that in their studies people who lost their jobs had a higher risk of having a heart attack than people with stressful jobs. They also state that for people who keep busy by doing physical activities when they lose a job, their risk of having a heart attack are reduced greatly. 

A Brief History of Electroshock Therapy and One Man's Personal Story

This link takes you to a video of a TED talk that is about 20 minutes long.  As a warning, there is some vulgar language in the talk, but I think it is worth watching anyway.

http://www.ted.com/talks/sherwin_nuland_on_electroshock_therapy.html

It is the story from a man who emerged from a deep depression because of electroshock therapy.  We discussed this in class the day before Thanksgiving break, and I think some of our minds were blown by the idea.  I myself have known about this therapy for a while, and have discussed it in other classes and for some reason it has come up in “casual” discussions with friends, but each time, I still have such a hard time believing that it could work.  Believing that such a seemingly terrible experience to put someone through could have such a positive effect on a person’s life.  I have never known someone who has gone through something like this, and still do not, but listening to this man talk about his experience with it definitely brings the subject closer to home.  When someone talks so passionately and positively about his experience, it makes me believe more readily that it works. 

            I think if we knew how and why it worked, people would not attach such a negative stigma to it, though.  As Sherwin Newland describes in the TEDtalk, the therapy came about as a type of exorcism for the evils in the body.  Long ago, it was believed that evil spirits brought about these depressive issues, and to rid people of them, they needed to be shaken from the body.  They thought that the seizures that were induced from herbs/drugs, and later electroshock therapy, is what rid people of the burdens of depression.  Though we know now that depression is not caused by evil spirits, we still do not have an answer to how sending jolts of electricity repeatedly through a person can raise them from the depths of depression back to a practicing surgeon, for example.  We are taught as small children not to stick a key into an electrical socket (a lesson I myself did not believe from my parents, and had to learn through my own experience), but something that simple, and “dangerous” could be the answer to bringing someone out of a terrible situation.  How is this explained!?

What are the moral implications of this type of therapy, if any?  Do the ends justify the means in this case?  If you read the comments below the talk, there are some stories of others who have undergone similar treatments – some successful, and others less so.  It was just incredible for me to see this man talk about his experience, and I thought it was worth sharing.  I hope you take the time to watch through the whole thing, and let me know your thoughts through comments.  You will also get points for the class J

Multiple sclerosis: New drug 'most effective'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20151891

This article explains a bit about Multiple sclerosis.  Someone with MS has a dysfunction within their immune system.  The immune system targets the nerves causing pain and discomfort.

There have been many drugs out on the market to help treat MS but no definitive cure.  And there still is no definitive cure but there is a new drug option that seems to work the best.  The drug, alemtuzumab, is also used to treat cancer patients with leukemia.  It works by completely wiping out the immune system so that the immune system has to rebuild itself and start from scratch.  

Is this the best option?  It runs the risk of causing other immune system deficits.  And similar to the other drugs on the market, it isn't a cure but only the most effective.  I know that some treatment is better than no treatment however, do the benefits outweigh the potential harm? 

Having seen a friend go through Leukemia it's hard to say what was the cancer and what was the medication.  Should we allow others to go through this as well?  

- Morgan Eary 

Why genes don't predict behavior.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-genes-dont-predict-voting-behavior

The concept here is interesting:  Could genes potentially play a role in the behavior of voting?  But after reading this article it seemed a bit like a waste of money to conclude that they don't.  This complex behavior or higher order thinking doesn't seem to have any predictive biological factors but rather environmental factors such as socioeconomic status, parental opinions, ethnicity, etc.  Thoughts?

- Morgan Eary

Hydrogen bonds in Amyloid-beta peptide

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121105081451.htm

Researchers recently discovered that the cause of Alzheimer's may be Amyloid-beta peptide, not the amyloid plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer's patients.  This article discusses recent findings in the research of Amyloid-beta peptide.  Until now the structure of Amyloid-beta in its most dangerous form was not known but recently researchers at Lulea University of Technology and Warwick University have been able to use NMR spectroscopy to study the its hydrogen bonds.  Hydrogen bonds are essential to the structure and function of molecules.  Being able to identify the correct hydrogen bonds could lead to a treatment that blocks Alzheimer's instead of just attempting to alleviate symptoms.
 
While a cure is not imminent, this research does make an important step in the correct direction and could potentially help the millions of people currently struggling with Alzheimer's disease.  Researchers at Lulea University are already collaborating with other researchers to work towards fully characterizing the oligomers they believe are responsible for Alzheimer's disease. I believe that this research is important because being able to stop the progression of Alzheimer's instead of just treating the symptoms would change of the lives of millions of people around the world.

Behavior Therapy Normalizes Brains of Autistic Children

http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/26/behavior-therapy-normalizes-brains-of-autistic-children/

This article discusses how children with a mild form of autism enter an intervention program. These children showed dramatic improvement in both I.Q. and normal developmental behaviors such as brushing their teeth and engaging with family members during meals. Geraldine Dawson did a study using this Early Start Denver Model by taking EEG readings before and after the intervention. The intervention actually changed the brain activity of the children enrolled. Dawson believes that while the intervention is not a cure, it shows that some aspects of ASD can be manipulated and redirected toward normal development.

I have always been fascinated with the brain and autism. The implications from this study can be life changing for people who are living with the disorder. The idea that people with mild forms of ASD can retrain their brain, if started young, to follow a more normal developmental path is a huge deal. I would like to look up the actual study instead of reading about it in Time magazine, but if what is reported is true, this has the potential to make a difference in the lives of many people.

Can comparing your DNA to fMRI scans reveal psychological problems?

http://discovermagazine.com/2012/may/04-the-brain-can-tell-you-what-drugs-take-choices/article_view?b_start:int=0&-C=

In this article, Ahmad Hariri, is using links between people’s genetic code and their behavioral characteristics or responses to certain stimuli. Patients were place in a fMRI machine and asked questions about their personal history, drug and alcohol use, and stressful experiences. In another they were asked to guess weather the number on a card would be high or low and they were rewarded with money for getting it right. Hariri then compares their responses to their DNA and looks for links among patients. This is much faster than the traditional ways of research.

Hariri has already found associations between people with a short copy of the serotonin transporter gene and anxiety-related disorders. Hariri wants to make a “comprehensive genetic test for the mind”. This test could show how well a person would react to certain drugs. It would also serve as a warning to people by warning them that they are more prone to certain psychological problems. For example, some people that Hariri found were more prone to anxiety, but only if they did not have a strong social support. Therefor they could make sure to surround themselves by loved ones and friends.

I am extremely interested in research like this. For there to someday be a diagnostic test that can be run simply from a person’s DNA is amazing. Babies could have their DNA tested at birth and the information could be passed on the parents to assist in raising them. For example, if someone’s DNA shows they have a strong tendency to drink, then their parents could know that drinking will be a big issue they would have to address. Same can go for anxiety and other psychological traits. By individually testing how certain DNA components affect emotion, Hariri will most likely eventually be able to create this (in my opinion).

I think this will create invaluable knowledge that may not be directly known from family history or current psychological status.