Volunteering reduces risk of hypertension in older adults, Carnegie Mellon research shows

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PITTSBURGH—It turns out that helping others can also help you protect yourself from high blood pressure.

Sleep mechanism identified that plays role in emotional memory

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RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Sleep researchers from University of California campuses in Riverside and San Diego have identified the sleep mechanism that enables the brain to consolidate emotional memory and found that a popular prescription sleep aid heightens the recollection of and response to negative memories.

Their findings have implications for individuals suffering from insomnia related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders who are prescribed zolpidem (Ambien) to help them sleep.

New imaging technique holds promise for speeding MS research

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Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that detects the telltale signs of multiple sclerosis in finer detail than ever before – providing a more powerful tool for evaluating new treatments.

Scan predicts whether therapy or meds will best lift depression

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Pre-treatment scans of brain activity predicted whether depressed patients would best achieve remission with an antidepressant medication or psychotherapy, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

"Our goal is to develop reliable biomarkers that match an individual patient to the treatment option most likely to be successful, while also avoiding those that will be ineffective," explained Helen Mayberg, M.D., of Emory University, Atlanta, a grantee of the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health.

Scripps Research Institute team points to brain's 'dark side' as key to cocaine addiction

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LA JOLLA, CA – June 12, 2013 – Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found evidence that an emotion-related brain region called the central amygdala—whose activity promotes feelings of malaise and unhappiness—plays a major role in sustaining cocaine addiction.

Research shows male guppies reproduce even after death

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RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Performing experiments in a river in Trinidad, a team of evolutionary biologists has found that male guppies continue to reproduce for at least ten months after they die, living on as stored sperm in females, who have much longer lifespans (two years) than males (three-four months).

Doubling of deaths among sick mums-to-be amid poor evidence on drug safety in pregnancy

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The lack of hard data on the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of drugs in pregnancy has hindered the treatment of pregnant women, contributing to a doubling of deaths amongst mums-to-be with an underlying health problem over the past 20 years, argues an editorial in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

It's time to include pregnant women in drug trials so that they can get the medical treatment they need, says DTB.

Biomarkers may be key to discovery of successful initial treatment of depression

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In a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded clinical trial, researchers at Emory have discovered that specific patterns of brain activity may indicate whether a depressed patient will or will not respond to treatment with medication or psychotherapy. The study was published June 12, 2013, in JAMA Psychiatry Online First.

The choice of medication versus psychotherapy is often based on the preference of the patient or clinician, rather than objective factors. On average, 35-40 percent of patients get well with whatever treatment they start with.

Alzheimer's brain change measured in humans

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Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have measured a significant and potentially pivotal difference between the brains of patients with an inherited form of Alzheimer's disease and healthy family members who do not carry a mutation for the disease.

Researchers have known that amyloid beta, a protein fragment, builds up into plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. They believe the plaques cause the memory loss and other cognitive problems that characterize the disease. Normal brain metabolism produces different forms of amyloid beta.

Commonly-prescribed drugs may influence the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease

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Multiple drug classes commonly prescribed for common medical conditions are capable of influencing the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. The findings are published online in the journal PLoS One.