RxPG News : Aging

Societies that care for elderly have more centenarians

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:24:12 PST

Toronto, Oct 15 - Societies that care more for the elderly have more centenarians, a new study has found.

Seniors with vocal problems want treatment but aren't getting it

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:00:00 PST

DURHAM, N.C. -- The breathy, hoarse voice of senior citizens is often thought to be a normal sign of aging. But doctors at the Duke Voice Care Center say that's a false perception that needs to change. And they've discovered that it may partially explain why seniors who want treatment for the condition aren't seeking it.

The lucky few: FSU researcher shines light on forgotten generation

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- John McCain, Elvis Presley, Gloria Steinem and Martin Luther King Jr. took different paths in life, but they were all lucky.

Survivors of 1918 flu pandemic protected with a lifetime immunity to virus

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

New research has discovered that infection and natural exposure to the 1918 influenza virus made survivors immune to the disease for the remaining of their lives. Antibodies produced by cells isolated from these survivors served as an effective therapy to protect mice from the highly lethal 1918 infection. The study entitled Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors, was released for advanced online publication by the journal Nature. Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Department of Microbiology contributed to the research findings. An estimated 50 million people were killed by the 1918 flu pandemic worldwide.

Birth during a recession raises risk of fatal cardiovascular disease at advanced age

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

People who suffer from cardiovascular diseases at advanced ages may have reason to suspect that the cause of their illness lies far away ... around the date of their birth. A team of European researchers reports that if economic conditions at the time of birth were bad, then this leads to a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality much later in life.

New male circumcision device for HIV prevention studied by NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (July 31, 2008) -- With the recent endorsement by the World Health Organization (WHO) and scientists worldwide of adult male circumcision as an important strategy for HIV prevention, there is increased urgency to develop safe and cost-effective circumcision services. This is especially the case in Africa where HIV/AIDS continues to spread at an epidemic rate.

Indiana University Alzheimer's disease researcher earns lifetime achievement honor

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana University School of Medicine neuroscientist and neuropathologist Bernardino Ghetti, M.D., has been honored by the Alzheimer's Association with the Henry M. Wisniewski Award for Lifetime Achievement in Alzheimer's Disease Research. The award was presented July 27 during the 11th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders in Chicago.

Statins may protect against memory loss

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---People at high risk for dementia who took cholesterol-lowering statins are half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not take statins, a new study shows.

WUSTL to lead new international Alzheimer's disease research network

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

July 22, 2008 -- The Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will lead a six-year, $16 million international research collaboration dedicated to understanding inherited forms of Alzheimer's disease. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) will fund the project.

For your eyes only: Custom interfaces make computer clicking faster, easier

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

Insert your key in the ignition of a luxury car and the seat and steering wheel will automatically adjust to preprogrammed body proportions. Stroll through the rooms of Bill Gates' mansion and each room will adjust its lighting, temperature and music to accommodate your personal preference. But open any computer program and you're largely subject to a design team's ideas about button sizes, fonts and layouts.

Older workforce requires variety of recruitment strategies

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

Employers globally are facing challenges and needs posed by baby-boom generation employees. A new Penn State study of 208 U.S. employers found a wide range of strategies used to recruit and retain older workers, rather than a single approach.

Online service lets blind surf the Internet from any computer, anywhere

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

Visions of future technology don't involve being chained to a desktop machine. People move from home computers to work computers to mobile devices; public kiosks pop up in libraries, schools and hotels; and people increasingly store everything from e-mail to spreadsheets on the Web.

New photo 'op' for ovaries may solve some mysteries of infertility

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO -- What causes a woman's eggs to deteriorate in quality with age, and can that be reversed?

US could face shortage of 44,000 primary care physicians by 2025

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

COLUMBIA, Mo.- By 2025, the wait to see a doctor could get a lot longer if the current number of students training to be primary care physicians doesn't increase soon, according to a new University of Missouri study. Jack Colwill, professor emeritus of family and community medicine in the MU School of Medicine, and his research team found that the U.S. could face a shortage of up to 44,000 family physicians and general internists in less than 20 years, due to a skewed compensation system that rewards specialists increasingly more than primary care practitioners. The researchers are more optimistic about the future supply of general pediatricians.

'Cancer was one of the best things to happen to me... but I worry about the future'

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: For Dan Savage, surviving testicular cancer has been a spur to him making the most of his life and taking more adventurous decisions, and he says, that in retrospect, it was probably one of the best things that has happened to him. But as he approaches the end of his fifth year in remission from the disease, when he will be signed off as cured by the medical profession, he worries that from now on he will have no regular medical checks that might pick up early signs of the cancer returning. It will be down to him to contact the cancer clinic if he is worried about any new symptoms.

Use of bright lighting may improve dementia symptoms for elderly persons

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

The use of daytime bright lighting to improve the circadian rhythm of elderly persons was associated with modest improvement in symptoms of dementia, and the addition of the use of melatonin resulted in improved sleep, according to a study in the June 11 issue of JAMA.

New guidelines for treating resistant hypertension

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Resistant hypertension, blood pressure that remains above goal despite taking three antihypertensive medications or high blood pressure that is controlled but requires four or more medications to do so, may benefit from specialized diagnostic and therapeutic treatment by health care providers according to guidelines issued by the American Heart Association and co-authored by UAB physicians.

Substance in red wine found to keep hearts young

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- How do the French get away with a clean bill of heart health despite a diet loaded with saturated fats? Scientists have long suspected that the answer to the so-called French paradox lies in red wine. Now, the results of a new study bring them closer to understanding why.

Agent in red wine found to keep hearts young

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

MADISON - How, scientists wonder, do the French get away with a clean bill of heart health despite a diet loaded with saturated fats?

Aggression between nursing-home residents more common than widely believed, studies find

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

When people hear about elder abuse in nursing homes, they usually think of staff members victimizing residents. However, research by Cornell University faculty members suggests that a more prevalent and serious problem may be aggression and violence that occurs between residents themselves.

Active social life may delay memory loss among US elderly population

Thu, 29 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

Boston, MA -- One of the features of aging is memory loss, which can have devastating effects on the quality of life among older people. In a new study, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found evidence that elderly people in the U.S. who have an active social life may have a slower rate of memory decline. The study appears in the July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Public Health and appears in an advance online edition on May 29, 2008.

Harmful blood glucose levels linked to defective gene

Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

A genetic mutation that can raise the amount of glucose in a person's blood to harmful levels is identified today in a study in the journal Science.

Princeton University survey finds 'pain gap'

Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

A novel study that attempts to paint the most accurate and detailed description yet of how Americans experience pain has found that a significant portion of the population -- 28 percent -- are in pain at any given moment and those with less education and lower income spend more of their time in pain. Those in pain are less likely to work or socialize with others and are more inclined to watch television than the pain-free.

Depression increases risk of Alzheimer's disease

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:38:07 PST

Washington, April 8 - Depressed people are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with a more positive outlook to life, says a new study.

One third of risk for dementia attributable to small vessel disease, autopsy study shows

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Alzheimer's disease may be what most people fear as they grow older, but autopsy data from a long-range study of 3,400 men and women in the Seattle region found that the brains of a third of those who had become demented before death showed evidence of small vessel damage: the type of small, cumulative injury that can come from hypertension or diabetes.

Lithium chloride slows onset of skeletal muscle disorder

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Irvine, Calif., March 18, 2008 -- A new UC Irvine study finds that lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, can slow the development of inclusion body myositis, a skeletal muscle disease that affects the elderly.

Scientists identify new longevity genes

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Scientists at the University of Washington and other institutions have identified 25 genes regulating lifespan in two organisms separated by about 1.5 billion years in evolutionary change. At least 15 of those genes have very similar versions in humans, suggesting that scientists may be able to target those genes to help slow down the aging process and treat age-related conditions. The study will be published online by the journal Genome Research on March 13.

Clinical depression raises risk of death for heart attack patients years after attack

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

March 3, 2008 -- Depressed heart attack patients have a higher risk for sudden death in the months following a heart attack. Now a team led by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that the risk continues for many years.

Merging discovery with therapy: Second generation memory care debuts

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:00:00 PST

INDIANAPOLIS -- Researchers and clinicians from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute are blurring the distinction between lab and clinic as they debut the second generation of memory care.

Active seniors curb health care costs

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:00:00 PST

Group Health seniors are not only sweating to the oldies in local health clubs. They are also keeping health care costs down, according to a study by researchers at Group Health and the University of Washington (UW). The study appears in the January 2008 issue of the journal Preventing Chronic Disease.

Seeing our spouses more negatively might be a positive

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---While our relationships with children and best friends tend to become less negative as we age, we're more likely to see our spouses as irritating and demanding.

Less education may lead to delayed awareness of Alzheimer's onset

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:00:00 PST

Jan. 23, 2008 -- A review of epidemiological data has found evidence that people who spend fewer years in school may experience a slight but statistically significant delay in the realization that they're having cognitive problems that could be Alzheimer's disease.

Researcher transplants stem cells to try to save patients' legs

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:00:00 PST

CHICAGO -- A Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine researcher has launched the first U.S. trial in which a purified form of subjects' own adult stem cells was transplanted into their leg muscles with severely blocked arteries to try to grow new small blood vessels and restore circulation in their legs.

Why fish oil is good for you

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 05:00:00 PST

It's good news that we are living longer, but bad news that the longer we live, the better our odds of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Wild chimpanzees appear not to regularly experience menopause

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 05:00:00 PST

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- A pioneering study of wild chimpanzees has found that these close human relatives do not routinely experience menopause, rebutting previous studies of captive individuals which had postulated that female chimpanzees reach reproductive senescence at 35 to 40 years of age.

Exercise testing may help predict seriousness of mitral regurgitation

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Dec. 11, 2007) -- In as many as one in five people over age 55, when the heart contracts to send blood around the body, some degree of backward leakage occurs across the mitral valve, a condition known as mitral regurgitation (MR). When sufficiently severe, MR causes buildup of blood in the lungs, leading to difficulty in breathing (dyspnea, or shortness of breath), a serious condition called congestive heart failure. MR also can cause heart rhythm irregularities (arrhythmias) such as atrial fibrillation, which can lead to strokes and other problems, and ventricular tachycardia, which can cause sudden death.

Aging with GRACE: Improving health care for older adults

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:00:00 PST

INDIANAPOLIS - Most older adults obtain their health care in the offices of busy primary care physicians or, in the case of those without physicians, in even busier hospital emergency departments. In either location, seniors often don't receive the recommended care for preventive services, chronic disease management and geriatric syndromes. A study published in the December 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reports on GRACE, the largest randomized clinical trial of a health system and home-based geriatrics care concept designed to improve health care for community-dwelling low-income older adults.

Stanford researchers produce short-term reversal of skin aging in mice

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:00:00 PST

STANFORD, Calif. - Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have reversed the effects of aging on the skin of mice, at least for a short period, by blocking the action of a single critical protein.

Older workers stress less, U-M study suggests

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Older workers generally report low levels of work-related stress, according to a University of Michigan study of a nationally representative sample of older workers.

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in women may save lives

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Nov. 9, 2007) -- In 9 out of 10 cases, a burst abdominal aortic artery is quickly fatal for its most common victim: elderly males. A new study -- the largest yet performed -- now confirms that women over 65 with a history of smoking or heart disease are also at high risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) -- supporting the notion that they should also receive ultrasound screening to help spot and correct the dangerous condition.

U of I scientist does nutritional detective work in Botswana

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Many Americans have a soft spot for Botswana, developed while reading the best-selling #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. But few have had a chance to do any sleuthing of their own in that African country.

Severely restricted diet linked to physical fitness into old age

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

BUFFALO, NY -- Severely restricting calories leads to a longer life, scientists have proved.

Largest ever Alzheimer's gene study underway

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

The genetics underlying late-onset Alzheimer's disease could soon be revealed thanks to a collaboration of leading UK experts. The team, led by scientists at Cardiff University, has received �1.3 million from the Wellcome Trust, the UK's largest medical research charity, to scan the entire human genome in search of the genes that predispose people to or protect them from developing the disease.

A longer-living, healthier mouse that could hold clues to human aging

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

A study by scientists at UCL (University College London) shows that mice lacking the insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 are more resistant to ageing than normal mice. The research adds to a growing body of work showing the importance of insulin signalling pathways as an ageing mechanism in mammals � and potentially humans.

Zinc may reduce pneumonia risk in nursing home elderly

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

BOSTON � When elderly nursing home residents contract pneumonia, it is a blow to their already fragile health. Simin Nikbin Meydani, DVM, PhD of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and colleagues report that maintaining normal serum zinc concentration in the blood may help reduce the risk of pneumonia development in that population.

Endobronchial valve significantly improves emphysema

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO, Oct. 22 � Emphysema patients whose lungs are implanted with a pencil eraser-sized, one-way endobronchial valve experience significantly improved measures of lung function and report better quality of life, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researcher Frank C. Sciurba, M.D., reported today at CHEST 2007, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. Scientific sessions continue through Thursday, Oct. 25, at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center in Chicago.

More educated people who develop dementia lose their memory faster

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

BRONX, NY � People with more years of education lose their memory faster than those with less education in the years prior to a diagnosis of dementia, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, published in the October 23rd issue of the medical journal Neurology.

Kaiser Permanente study shows electronic medical records and outreach improve osteoporosis care

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

October 22, 2007 (Oakland, CA) �Electronic medical records and outreach programs of e-mail messages, letters and phone calls to patients and their primary care providers after a bone fracture can dramatically improve the diagnosis and management of the patients� osteoporosis, according to a Kaiser Permanente study in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. This is the largest study to show that electronic medical records improve the continuity of care for osteoporosis.

MacArthur commits $11 million to further UCSF work in maternal safety

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has promised $10.75 million to extend a ground-breaking UCSF project to help combat maternal mortality in Nigeria and India � two countries that comprise one-third of all maternal deaths worldwide.

Septic survival

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

While survival rates for sepsis have increased over the past two decades, children under four and those in adolescence remain highly susceptible to the condition. Researchers in The Netherlands have now demonstrated that age and to a lesser extent, gender, are critical factors in whether or not a child sufferer will develop a more severe disease state and survive or not. These findings could help to improve the treatment of sepsis and improve survival rates further still.

Study shows reducing class size may be more cost-effective than most medical interventions

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

October 16, 2007 -- Reducing the number of students per classroom in U.S. primary schools may be more cost-effective than most public health and medical interventions, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Virginia Commonwealth University. The study indicates that class-size reductions would generate more quality-adjusted life-year gains per dollar invested than the majority of medical interventions. The findings will be published in the November issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Severely mentally ill at high risk for cardiovascular disease

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

St. Louis, Oct. 15, 2007 � A psychiatrist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis writes in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that although mortality from cardiovascular disease has declined in the United States over the past several decades, patients with severe psychiatric illness are not enjoying the benefits of that progress.

Genes that both extend life and protect against cancer identified

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

A person is 100 times more likely to get cancer at age 65 than at age 35. But new research reported today in the journal �Nature Genetics� identifies naturally occurring processes that allow many genes to both slow aging and protect against cancer in the much-studied C. elegans roundworm.

AFAR/Ellison Medical Foundation increase commitment to scientists studying aging

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

New York, October 11, 2007 - At a time when established scientists are leaving academia because of a lack of funding for biomedical research and a potential new generation of scientists are considering whether to even enter a field with a competitive funding environment, the Ellison Medical Foundation in partnership with the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), has increased funding for two critical grant programs: the new Ellison Medical Foundation/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellows in Aging Research Program and the Julie Martin Mid-Career Awards in Aging Research.

Time and Money Constraints; other barriers hinder care for dementia

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:49:02 PST

Built-in limitations of the health-care system in the United States, such as time and reimbursement constraints, inhibit the ability of primary care doctors to best meet the needs of dementia patients and their families, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis Health System.
In a study now available in the online edition of the Journal of the Society of General Internal Medicine, the researchers found that physicians often feel challenged in caring for dementia patients, especially those who are more behaviorally complex. Constraints that are intrinsic to the contemporary practice of medicine may lead to the delayed detection of behavioral problems, a reactive as opposed to proactive management of dementia, and an increased reliance on treatment with drugs instead of psychosocial approaches.

Prostate cancer increases hip fracture risk by eight times in 50 to 65 year-olds

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Men who have prostate cancer are on average four times more likely to suffer a hip fracture, with rates rising to eight times in men aged 50 to 65, according to a study of more than 60,000 men published in the October issue of the urology journal BJU International.

Building efficient, effective, locally sensitive solutions for dementia care

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

INDIANAPOLIS � Dementia is a growing burden for society, propelling patients and caregivers to increasingly use the health-care system. A year ago, local researchers, health-care professionals, and community advocates came together to form the Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia (IDND) to enhance dementia care in the nation�s twelfth largest city.

Patients can't recall their medications to tell doctors

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO --- Doctors rely on patients to accurately tell them what prescription medications � and what dosages -- they are taking in out-patient visits. (A patient's chart may not always be available or complete.) That information is essential for physicians to monitor whether a drug is working, and whether it may have adverse interactions with any new medications prescribed.

Limiting refined carbohydrates may stall AMD progression

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Eating fewer refined carbohydrates may slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study from researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

New telomere discovery could help explain why cancer cells never stop dividing

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lausanne, Switzerland, October 4, 2007 � A group working at the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC) in collaboration with the University of Pavia has discovered that telomeres, the repeated DNA-protein complexes at the end of chromosomes that progressively shorten every time a cell divides, also contain RNA. This discovery, published online October 4 in Science Express, calls into question our understanding of how telomeres function, and may provide a new avenue of attack for stopping telomere renewal in cancer cells.

Linking cigarette smoke and obesity: What our genes and environmental factors tell us

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

RICHLAND, Wash. � Identifying biomarkers for the key environmental risk factors responsible for two diseases that significantly contribute to death and disease of hundreds of thousands annually will be the initial focus of a new center being established at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. PNNL will house the Center for Novel Biomarkers of Response, made possible by a $5.9 million grant recently awarded by the National Institutes of Health�s Gene and Environment Initiative.

CU-Boulder worm study sheds light on human aging, inherited diseases

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Microscopic worms used for scientific research are living longer despite cellular defects, a discovery that is shedding light on how the human body ages and how doctors could one day limit or reverse genetic mutations that cause inherited diseases, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study.

Acute lung injury patients one-third less likely to die in 'closed' model ICUs

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Patients with acute lung injury (ALI) are nearly one-third less likely to die if they are treated at ICUs that require board-certified critical care physicians to oversee patient care, as compared to patients treated at ICUs that allow any attending physician to oversee admission and case management.

Genes linked to suicidal thinking during antidepressant treatment

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Specific variations in two genes are linked to suicidal thinking that sometimes occurs in people taking the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants, according to a large study led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health�s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Depending on the particular mix inherited, these versions increased the likelihood of such thoughts from 2- to15-fold, the study found. About 1 percent of adult patients were deemed to be at high genetic risk, 41 percent at elevated risk and 58 percent at lower risk.

Climate may increase heat-related deaths by 2050s, says Mailman School of PH study

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

While some uncertainty does exist in climate projections and future health vulnerability, overall increases in heat-related premature mortality are likely by the 2050s, according to a recent study by Columbia University�s Mailman School of Public Health and soon to be published in the November 2007 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. In metropolitan New York, researchers estimate a 47 percent to 95 percent increase in summer heat-related deaths when compared to the 1990s.

New type of drug shows promise in attacking melanoma in an innovative way

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Barcelona, Spain: An experimental drug that attacks cancer in an entirely new way has shown promise in treating advanced melanoma, delaying progression of the disease and prolonging the lives of patients.

Survey reveals ignorance and confusion about cancer amongst the elderly

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Barcelona, Spain: Elderly Spaniards have very poor knowledge about cancer, its causes, treatment and prevention according to research carried out amongst people living in and around Barcelona. Some even believe that cancer is a contagious disease and that it is a punishment for something bad that the patient has done.

Under-used colon cancer screening test is effective

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Oakland CA -- An under-used colon cancer screening test now available in the U.S. effectively detects colorectal cancer and may help to improve colon cancer screening rates, according to investigators at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. The study appears in the September 25, 2007 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).

Rehabilitation significantly underused after heart attack and bypass surgery

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Waltham, MA � Despite strong evidence that cardiac rehabilitation reduces disability and prolongs life, fewer than one in five people receive rehabilitation services after a heart attack or coronary bypass surgery, according to a Brandeis study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Novel strategy under study for aggressive leukemia

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

A novel strategy to hopefully beat into oblivion one of the most aggressive forms of acute myelogenous leukemia combines the strengths of some of the newest leukemia agents, researchers say.

Older blacks and Latinos still lag whites in controlling diabetes

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite decades of advances in diabetes care, African Americans and Latinos are still far less likely than whites to have their blood sugar under control, even with the help of medications, a new nationally representative study finds. That puts them at a much higher risk of blindness, heart attack, kidney failure, foot amputation and other long-term diabetes complications.

Planning for 2020: increasing elderly population poses huge challenges in cancer care

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Barcelona, Spain: Huge challenges face healthcare professionals and policy makers in planning for, and providing cancer care over the next decade or so. Chief amongst these will be ensuring that healthcare professionals have the skills and knowledge to treat a greater number of elderly people with cancer, that current inappropriate ageist attitudes towards the elderly cease, and that advances are made in ensuring that cancer patients are able to comply with their treatment.

Brain atrophy in elderly leads to unintended racism, depression and problem gambling

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

As we age, our brains slowly shrink in volume and weight. This includes significant atrophy within the frontal lobes, the seat of executive functioning. Executive functions include planning, controlling, and inhibiting thought and behavior. In the aging population, an inability to inhibit unwanted thoughts and behavior causes several social behaviors and cognitions to go awry.

Researchers find connection between caloric restriction and longevity

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

BOSTON, Mass. (September 20, 2007)--For nearly 70 years scientists have known that caloric restriction prolongs life. In everything from yeast to primates, a significant decrease in calories can extend lifespan by as much as one-third. But getting under the hood of the molecular machinery that drives this longevity has remained elusive.

Key to longer life lies in just 14 brain cells

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] -- Two years ago, Brown University researchers discovered something startling: Decrease the activity of the cancer-suppressing protein p53 and you can make fruit flies live significantly longer.

Stem cells in adult testes provide alternative to embryonic stem cells for organ regeneration

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Sept. 20, 2007) -- Easily accessed and plentiful, adult stem cells found in a male patient's testicles might someday be used to create a wide range of tissue types to help him fight disease -- getting around the need for more controversial embryonic stem cells.

NIH selects Weill Cornell Medical College to lead new NYC translational research collaboration

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Sept. 18, 2007) -- Weill Cornell Medical College has been selected by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to establish and lead a new Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC), creating an ambitious and innovative network for biomedical collaboration on New York's Upper East Side. The Center's goal is to facilitate new collaborative research studies that quickly and effectively result in new patient treatments and preventive interventions.

Hebrew SeniorLife researchers search for aging, osteoporosis genes

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

(Boston, Mass.) � Researchers at Hebrew SeniorLife�s Institute for Aging Research (IFAR) have examined close to 100,000 genetic markers for low bone mass and aging to help determine which genes are responsible for the development of osteoporosis and longevity.

New way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease promises earlier treatment

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Physicians may be able to detect and treat Alzheimer�s Disease (AD) in its earliest stages, when patients are experiencing only mild degrees of cognitive impairment, thanks to new diagnostic criteria proposed by an international group of researchers.

Cell death in sparrow brains may provide clues in age-related human diseases

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

A remarkable change takes place in the brains of tiny songbirds every year, and some day the mechanism controlling that change may help researchers develop treatments for age-related degenerative diseases of the brain such as Parkinson�s and dementia.

Bright tumors, dim prospects

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Sept. 13, 2007 -- It doesn't matter how small or large it is, if a cervical tumor glows brightly in a PET scan, it's apt to be more dangerous than dimmer tumors. That's the conclusion of a new study of cervical cancer patients at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Nicotine may accelerate atherosclerosis, may be as dangerous as tar

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Sept. 10, 2007) -- It's well known that smoking cigarettes increases risk for a host of serious health problems from cancer to heart disease. Now a new study from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City looks at how they do their dirty work by contributing to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. The evidence points to nicotine, the addictive chemical in cigarettes.

Preventing or reducing enlarged heart decreases risk of heart failure

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Sept. 10, 2007) -- For high-blood-pressure patients, preventing or reducing enlarged heart (left ventricular hypertrophy or LVH) reduces risk of heart failure. The study is published in the Sept. 4 Annals of Internal Medicine and led by physician-scientists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

Study links education to risk of cancer death

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

A new American Cancer Society study finds having at least some education beyond high school is associated with a decreased risk of cancer death. The study finds higher education levels were strongly associated with decreased cancer mortality among black men, white men, and white women. The difference in mortality for all groups was greatest between those with 12 or fewer years of education and those with more than 12 years.

Antidepressant shows early promise in treating agitation and psychotic symptoms of dementia

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Toronto, ONT � Researchers have found surprising evidence that an antidepressant (citalopram) may perform as well as a commonly-prescribed antipsychotic (risperidone) in the alleviation of severe agitation and psychotic symptoms of dementia. Researchers also found that the antidepressant was associated with �significantly lower� adverse side effects.

Gladstone scientists uncover potential mechanism of memory loss in Alzheimer's disease

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- September 6, 2007 -- Researchers at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) and Baylor College of Medicine have discovered a mechanism by which the protein Amyloid-beta(AB) may impair neurological functions in Alzheimer's disease. AB, which is known to accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer patients, has long been a focus of research into the causes and treatment of the disease. In a study published in the journal Neuron, Gladstone scientists found that A-beta triggers abnormal overexcitation of the very brain networks that are responsible for learning and memory.

Environmental stress probed in cardiovascular disease, diabetes

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

How environmental stress contributes to cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes is under study at the Medical College of Georgia.

Support and counseling helps Alzheimer's caregivers remain healthy

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

New York, September 5, 2007 � Counseling and support for people caring for a spouse with Alzheimer�s disease helps to preserve their health, according to a new study led by Mary S. Mittelman, Dr.P.H., Research Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. The study is published in the September 2007 issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Antioxidant to retard wrinkles discovered by Hebrew University researcher

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

A new method for fighting skin wrinkles has been developed at the Hebrew University Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences.

Small animal imaging facility is big boon to research

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

When powerful magnets line up the body�s protons before radiofrequency waves can grab their attention away, it�s called spin physics.

Report on patients' access to cancer drugs 'uses flawed methods to reached flawed conclusions'

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

A leading epidemiologist has attacked Swedish research that looked at inequalities in patients� access to cancer drugs across Europe and the world. In a commentary published in the September issue of the cancer journal, Annals of Oncology [1], Professor Michel Coleman says the Karolinska report is so badly flawed that no safe conclusions can be drawn from it about cancer survival, and he highlights the role played by a major drug company in funding the research.

China's 1-child policy could backfire on its elderly

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

ST. LOUIS -- China�s efforts to control population growth in the present may cause problems for the county�s senior citizens in the future.

Einstein researchers use novel approach to uncover genetic components of aging

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

(BRONX, NY) -- People who live to 100 or more are known to have just as many,and sometimes even more,harmful gene variants compared with younger people. Now, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered the secret behind this paradox: favorable "longevity" genes that protect very old people from the bad genes' harmful effects. The novel method used by the researchers could lead to new drugs to protect against age-related diseases.

UF scientists reveal how dietary restriction cleans cells

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

GAINESVILLE, Fla. � Reduce, recycle and rebuild is as important to the most basic component of the human body, the cell, as it is to the environment.

Study sheds new light on intimate lives of older Americans

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

The first comprehensive, nationally representative survey on the prevalence of sexual activity among older Americans provides a portrait of the intimate lives of people ages 57 to 85.

Vaccine thwarts the tangles of Alzheimer's

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK, August 22, 2007 � A new study by NYU Medical Center researchers shows for the first time that the immune system can combat the pathological form of tau protein, a key protein implicated in Alzheimer�s disease. The researchers, led by Einar Sigurdsson Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pathology at New York University School of Medicine, created a vaccine in mice that suppresses aggregates of tau. The protein accumulates into harmful tangles in the memory center of the brains of Alzheimer�s patients.

Columbia researchers identify brain network that may help prevent or slow Alzheimer's

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK � Columbia University Medical Center researchers have identified a brain network within the frontal lobe that is associated with cognitive reserve, the process that allows individuals to maintain function despite brain function decline due to aging or Alzheimer�s disease. This finding may provide a hint about how higher levels of cognitive reserve � which is believed to build by regularly engaging in mentally-stimulating activities such as taking classes, gardening and volunteering, provides protection against Alzheimer�s disease or dementia by �exercising� the brain.

Loneliness is bad for your health

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

Two University of Chicago psychologists, Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo, have been trying to disentangle social isolation, loneliness, and the physical deterioration and diseases of aging, right down to the cellular level.

Health care disparities start at the local pharmacy, study shows

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

Despite years of effort in reaching out to their local communities, the role pharmacists play as health care providers still remains unclear to the people who need them the most elderly Americans with multiple medications for chronic diseases.

Diet high in meat, fat and refined grains linked to risk for colon cancer recurrence, death

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

Patients treated for colon cancer who had a diet high in meat, refined grains, fat and desserts had an increased risk of cancer recurrence and death compared with patients who had a diet high in fruits and vegetables, poultry and fish, according to a study in the August 15 issue of JAMA.