New research shows that hypnosis can reduce pain by up to 42% and may offer a genuine alternative to painkillers. A project led by psychologist Dr. Trevor Thompson of the University of Greenwich found that hypnosis is more effective with people who are especially amenable to suggestion. But it also found that those who are moderately suggestible – essentially...
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What causes us to binge eat? Scientists may have the answer.
By Lois Zoppi, BA Reviewed by Kate Anderton, B.Sc. (Editor) Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have revealed that the reason we eat more than we need to may be caused by cellular communication originating in the emotion-processing center of the brain. The research was published in the journal Neuron yesterday. Indulging in cravings for calorific foods when we already feel full is not...
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Study pinpoints what causes relapse after cancer immunotherapy
by Elaine Fuchs, Rockefeller University Harnessing the body’s immune system to fight off cancer, a tactic known as immunotherapy, has tremendously improved outcomes for patients. But a lingering problem with immunotherapy, as with many other cancer treatments, is relapse. In many cases the tumor comes back, and doctors don’t know why. Now, research from the lab of Elaine Fuchs, Rockefeller’s Rebecca C....
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Trigger region found for absence epileptic seizures
by RIKEN Scientists have discovered a neurological origin for absence seizures—a type of seizure characterized by very short periods of lost consciousness in which people appear to stare blankly at nothing. Using a mouse model of childhood epilepsy, a team led by Kazuhiro Yamakawa at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan showed that absenceepilepsy can be...
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New discovery could lead to improved blood sugar level control
by Uppsala University Many diabetes patients do not only have problems with their insulin, but also with the release of the hormone glucagon. Researchers at Uppsala University have now discovered a regulation mechanism which could provide an opportunity to improve blood glucose control in these patients. The research is published in the journal Diabetologia. The hormone glucagon, which is released from alpha cells in the...
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How cortisol affects exposure therapy for anxiety disorders
by Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum Bochum-based psychologists have studied how the application of the stress hormone cortisol affects exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. The researchers knew from earlier studies that extinction learning, which constitutes the foundation of exposuretherapy, can be reinforced by administering cortisol. However, the team headed by Professor Armin Zlomuzica at Zentrum für Psychotherapie (psychotherapy centre) at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has demonstrated with a group of...
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Québec siblings with rare orphan disease lead to discovery of rare genetic diseases
Mutations in a gene involved in brain development have led to the discovery of two new neurodevelopmental diseases by an international team led by researchers at McGill University and CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center. The first clues about the rare disorder arose after doctors were unable to diagnose why two siblings from Québec City were experiencing seizures and neurodevelopmental deficits. Desperate, the children’s family turned to...
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This neurotransmitter helps aggressive tumors spread
By Maria Cohut Fact checked by Jasmin Collier New research has looked at human cancer cells implanted into mice, human tumor samples, and other assays in an attempt to better understand what drives the spread of certain aggressive cancers. A team at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, MD, has recently conducted a study, the results of which...
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Using Antibiotics For More Than 2 Months Increases Women’s Risk For Heart Attack And Stroke
By Allan Adamson Women who use antibiotics over a long period face increased risk of suffering from heart attack or stroke. Using antibiotics for more than two months may increase risk of heart disease by destroying good bacteria in the gut. Duration Of Antibiotic Use And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease In the new study, researchers looked at the data of 36,429 women spanning between 2004 and 2012. The participants were at least 60 years old when the...
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Placental function linked to brain injuries associated with autism
Allopregnanolone (ALLO), a hormone made by the placenta late in pregnancy, is such a potent neurosteroid that disrupting its steady supply to the developing fetus can leave it vulnerable to brain injuries associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to Children’s research presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies 2019 Annual Meeting. In order to more...