From the category archives:

Medicine

Saturated Fat Reduces Risk for Stroke

by Romeo Mariano, MD (August 19, 2010)

Dietary intake of saturated fatty acids and mortality from cardiovascular disease in Japanese: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk Study? Yamagishi K, Iso H, Yatsuya H, Tanabe N, Date C, Kikuchi S, Yamamoto A, Inaba Y, Tamakoshi A; for the JACC Study Group. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Aug 4.   [...]

Microglial Mutation contributes to obsessive-compulsive behavior

by Romeo Mariano, MD (August 1, 2010)

   Hematopoietic origin of pathological grooming in Hoxb8 mutant mice. Chen SK, Tvrdik P, Peden E, Cho S, Wu S, Spangrude G, Capecchi MR. Cell. 2010 May 28;141(5):775-85.   Mouse Hoxb8 mutants show unexpected behavior manifested by compulsive grooming and hair removal, similar to behavior in humans with the obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum disorder trichotillomania.   As Hox gene disruption often [...]

Vitamin K reduces Insulin Resistance

by Romeo Mariano, MD (July 30, 2010)

Effect of vitamin K supplementation on insulin resistance in older men and women. Yoshida M, Jacques PF, Meigs JB, Saltzman E, Shea MK, Gundberg C, Dawson-Hughes B, Dallal G, Booth SL. Diabetes Care. 2008 Nov;31(11):2092-6. Epub 2008 Aug 12. OBJECTIVE: Vitamin K has a potentially beneficial role in insulin resistance, but evidence is limited in [...]

The Usefulness of TSH

by Romeo Mariano, MD (July 24, 2010)

Effect of Exogenous Thyroid Hormone Intake on the Interpretation of Serum TSH Test Results: http://www.thyroidscience.com/ hypotheses/ warmingham.2010 /warmingham.intro.7.2010.htm Here is the free PDF: http://www.thyroidscience.com/ hypotheses/ warmingham.2010/ warmingham.7.18.10.pdf I prefer monitoring actual thyroid hormone levels in addition to TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) for assessment and treatment, rather than relying on TSH alone. One major factor is that there [...]

Reducing dietary sodium: the case for caution.

by Romeo Mariano, MD (February 21, 2010)

Reducing dietary sodium: the case for caution. JAMA. 2010 Feb 3;303(5):448-9 Authors: Alderman MH QUOTE: Multiple randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have established that reduction of sodium intake sufficient to lower blood pressure also increases sympathetic nerve activity, decreases insulin sensitivity, activates the renin angiotensin system, and stimulates aldosterone secretion. ———- Low salt diets lead to: [...]

Low Serum Folate Levels as a Risk Factor for Depression

by Romeo Mariano, MD (February 21, 2010)

Low Serum Folate Levels as a Risk Factor for Depressive Mood in Patients With Chronic Epilepsy J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 15:64-66, February 2003 Johannes Rösche, Dr.med., M.A., Carmen Uhlmann, Dr.hum.biol., Dipl.Psych. and Walter Fröscher, Prof.Dr.med. This study takes into consideration whether low serum folate levels may contribute to depressive mood in patients with chronic epilepsy. [...]

Hydrocortisone treatment restores brain metabolism and working memory in PTSD

by Romeo Mariano, MD (February 20, 2010)

Changes in Relative Glucose Metabolic Rate Following Cortisol Administration in Aging Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An FDG-PET Neuroimaging Study J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci.2009; 21: 132-143 Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., Philip D. Harvey, Ph.D., Julia A. Golier, M.D., Randall E. Newmark, B.A., Christopher R. Bowie, Ph.D., Janelle J. Wohltmann, B.A., Robert A. Grossman, M.D., James Schmeidler, [...]

DHEA improves immune system response against parasites

by Romeo Mariano, MD (February 20, 2010)

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and benznidazole treatments during acute infection of two different Trypanosoma cruzi strains. Immunobiology. 2010 Feb 15; Authors: Domingues Santos C, Loria RM, Rodrigues Oliveira LG, Collins Kuehn C, Alonso Toldo MP, Albuquerque S, do Prado Júnior JC A significant role for hormones in regulating the balance of Th1- and Th2-associated cytokines [...]

Gut microbes enhance the immune system

by Romeo Mariano, MD (February 7, 2010)

Gut microbes extend reach to systemic innate immunity Nature Medicine 16, 160 (2010). Authors: Dana J Philpott & Stephen E Girardin Microbes in the gut can influence distant events, affecting the function of neutrophils in the circulation of mice (pages 228-231). The findings should lead to new studies examining how intestinal microbes affect immunity. ———- [...]

Selenium slows memory decline – Reducing acetylcholinesterase activity

by Romeo Mariano, MD (February 7, 2010)

Organoselenium improves memory decline in mice: Involvement of acetylcholinesterase activity. Neurosci Lett. 2010 Jan 29; Authors: Pinton S, Rocha JT, Zeni G, Nogueira CW The present study was designed to investigate the possible neuroprotective effect of p,p’-methoxyl-diphenyl diselenide [(MeOPhSe)(2)] in a model of sporadic dementia of Alzheimer’s type (SDAT) induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of [...]