Blood test could help to accelerate brain cancer diagnosis
A blood test which could help to accelerate the diagnosis of brain cancer has been developed in new research.
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A breath test for opioids
A test to detect opioid drugs in exhaled breath has been developed by engineers and physicians. A breath test could be useful in caring for chronic pain patients as well as for checking for illegal drug use.
Read moreStudy pinpoints Alzheimer's plaque emergence early and deep in the brain
By scanning whole brains of Alzheimer's model mice from an early age, researchers were able to precisely trace the terrible march of amyloid plaques from deep brain structures outward along specific circuits. They also showed that plaque density in a key region in humans scales with disease stage.
Read moreChair yoga more effective than music therapy in older adults with advanced dementia
Researchers assessed the ability of older adults with advanced dementia to participate in non-pharmacological interventions and compared chair yoga with chair-based exercise and music therapy. Results showed that participants with moderate-to-severe dementia could safely adhere to non-pharmacological interventions; more than 97 percent fully engaged in each session. The chair yoga group reported a higher quality of life score, including physical condition, mood, functional abilities, interpersonal relationships, and ability to participate in meaningful activities.
Read moreA brain protein that could put the brakes on Alzheimer's
Biologists blazing new approaches to studying Alzheimer's have made a major finding on combating inflammation linked to the disease. The researchers' discovery about the role of a protein called TOM-1 heralds a shift toward examining the molecular underpinnings of Alzheimer's processes.
Read moreGenetic markers linked to the start of symptoms of Parkinson's disease
Researchers have identified a group of genetic variants related to the starting point of Parkinson's disease. These results, published in the journal Movement Disorders, will enable delimiting the research on new therapeutic targets, and could have implications in the diagnosis of the disease.
Read more'Relaxed' enzymes may be at the root of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
Treatments have been hard to pinpoint for a rare neurological disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth, in part because so many variations of the condition exist. So far, mutations on more than 90 genes have been positively linked to the disorder; a patient needs just one of those mutations for the disease to emerge. Scientists just moved a step closer to finding a possible root cause.
Read moreMonthly phone check-in may mean less depression for families of patients with dementia
A monthly, 40-minute phone call from a non-clinical professional may suppress or reverse the trajectory of depression so frequently experienced by family members caring for patients with dementia at home, according to a new study.
Read moreCannabis study reveals how CBD offsets the psychiatric side-effects of THC
Researchers have shown for the first time the molecular mechanisms at work that cause cannabidiol, or CBD, to block the psychiatric side-effects caused by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis.
Read moreSimple cardiac risk score can predict problems with blood flow in the brain
The study shows that for those participants who do not have a history of heart disease or stroke that a simple cardiac risk score — a summary measure of factors such as blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, abdominal fat, and dietary factors — is associated with MRI-detected pre-clinical cerebrovascular disease like carotid artery plaque and silent strokes.
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