Visual test linked to high IQ
USA Today – Dan Vergano – May 23, 2013
Optical illusions have a storied history in neuroscience, pointing out insights into how the brain works. A visual tests now finds impaired abilities to see large motions in high-IQ folks…
Don’t scratch the itch: Scientists find neuro-transmitter that could be key to stopping the sensation
The Independent – Steve Connor – May 23, 2013
Scientists have discovered a key substance in the central nervous system responsible for transmitting the sensation of an itch from the skin to the brain – a finding that raises the prospect of new treatments for serious itching conditions…
Chronic Heartburn May Raise Odds for Throat Cancer: Study
U.S. News and World Report – Steven Reinberg – May 23, 2013
People who suffer from frequent heartburn may be at increased risk for cancers of the throat and vocal cords even if they don’t smoke or drink alcohol, a new study says. Interestingly, common over-the-counter antacids seemed to protect against these cancers while prescription medications…
Do Nuts & Olive Oil Help Preserve Cognitive Function?
HelpingYouCare – May 22, 2013
Mediterranean Diet including nuts and olive oil may help prevent cognitive decline, new study suggests A new study by researchers at three universities and several medical institutions in Spain has linked a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts to better cognitive function in older people than was associated with a low-fat diet, after a 6½ year period on the diets…
Vitamin C May Be Key to New TB Treatments
MedPage – Charlene Laino – May 22, 2013
In a serendipitous discovery, researchers said they killed cultured strains of drug-resistant tuberculosis bacteria with vitamin C. The finding suggests that adding vitamin C to existing TB drugs may significantly shorten the current 6-month course of chemotherapy and opens the door for the development of novel TB agents, according to the team from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York…
Feet home to more than 100 fungi
BBC News - Helen Briggs – May 22, 2013
Fungi live all over the human body, but their favourite spots are the heel, under toenails and between the toes, according to a US study. A new map of the body’s fungal diversity could help combat skin conditions such as athlete’s foot, researchers report in Nature journal…
Vitamin B may protect against Alzheimer’s, say reseachers
Science Recorder – James Fluere – May 22, 2013
Researchers at the University of Oxford have discovered the vitamin B may protect against Alzheimer’s. They found that B vitamins could halve brain shrinkage in older people with memory problems…
Schoolmates of suicide victims at higher risk
Reuters – Kathryn Doyle – May 21, 2013
The idea that suicide might be “contagious” has been around for centuries, senior author Dr. Ian Colman, who studies mental health at the University of Ottawa, told Reuters Health. Past studies supported the idea, but none had looked at such a large body of students, he said…
Bed sharing may increase risk of SIDS by five times
CBS News – Michelle Castillo – May 21, 2013
Sharing a bed with an infant significantly increases their risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to a new study published online on May 20 in BMJ Open…
Skin cancer vaccine being studied by local doctor
Fox59 – Jenny Anchondo – May 21, 2013
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and there is a big push for people to take proper precautions to protect their skin. But what if there was a skin cancer vaccine to help keep skin cancer at bay?…
