From the category archives:

Psychosomatic Medicine

Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice.

by Romeo Mariano, MD (January 17, 2010)

Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice.: “

Psychosom Med. 2010 Jan 11;
Authors: Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Christian L, Preston H, Houts CR, Malarkey WB, Emery CF, Glaser R
Objective: To address the mechanisms underlying hatha yoga’s potential stress-reduction benefits, we compared inflammatory and endocrine responses of novice and expert yoga practitioners before, during, and after a restorative hatha yoga [...]

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Is Heart Failure a Mental Illness? - MAO Inhibitors offers promise in treating heart failure

by Romeo Mariano, MD (January 10, 2010)

Is Heart Failure a mental illness? At the very least, it is a psychosomatic illness as this press release indicates.
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Public release date: 6-Jan-2010
Contact: David March
dmarch1@jhmi.edu
410-955-1534
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Old antidepressant offers promise in treating heart failure

Monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor drug blocks buildup of toxic free radicals in animal hearts
A team of Johns Hopkins and other [...]

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Abuse in childhood linked to migraine and other pain disorders

by Romeo Mariano, MD (January 6, 2010)

(Via EurekAlert! - Breaking News.)
Abuse in childhood linked to migraine and other pain disorders: “Researchers from the American Headache Society’s Women’s Issues Section Research Consortium found that incidence of childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse and neglect, are prevalent in migraine patients. Full findings of the study appear in the January issue of Headache: The [...]

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Stress Causes Weight Gain

by Romeo Mariano, MD (July 12, 2009)

Psychosocial stress and change in weight among US adults.
Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Jul 15;170(2):181-92. Epub 2009 May 22.
Block JP, He Y, Zaslavsky AM, Ding L, Ayanian JZ.

Childhood Physical Abuse Increases the Risk for Cancer

by Romeo Mariano, MD (June 26, 2009)

In a recent study, childhood physical abuse increased the risk of developing cancer by 40%. What are the potential mechanisms? Here are my thoughts:
Traumatic events such as childhood physical abuse may lead to chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal dysregulation with low cortisol production. This is seen particularly in those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder or [...]