NIH Research Matters
February 2008 Archive
February 25, 2008
A new study has implicated meat, fried food and, surprisingly, diet soda in the development of metabolic syndrome. More research will now be needed to confirm and explain these intriguing findings.
An experimental cholesterol-fighting drug can also strip staph bacteria of their golden color and make the microbes more susceptible to killing by the immune system. The finding may lead to new options for battling Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which are increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
A team approach to treating depression in older adults has already been shown to be effective. According to a new study, it's also less expensive than usual care.
February 11, 2008
Researchers have found that, while vitamin and mineral supplement use is widespread among cancer patients and survivors, up to 68% of physicians may not know when their patients are using them. The finding highlights the need for doctors to discuss supplement use with their cancer patients.
Certain variations in a gene that helps regulate our response to stress may protect adults who were abused in childhood from developing depression, a new study has found.
A blood test developed by NIH scientists can detect a rare but deadly genetic disorder called Menkes Disease in newborns. The test may eventually lead to newborn screening to identify affected children before symptoms appear, when treatment is mostly likely to succeed.
February 4, 2008
For people with metabolic syndrome—who are at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, heart failure and stroke—treatment of high blood pressure with less expensive diuretic drugs may be a better choice than newer, more costly medications, according to a new report.
Quick flashes of cocaine-related photos—so brief viewers don’t even realize what they’re seeing—can instantly trigger “reward circuitry” in the brains of drug-addicted patients, activating the same brain regions that respond to sexual images. Researchers say their findings may provide new clues for treating addictions and possibly other conditions, like eating disorders, that are marked by uncontrolled desires and behaviors.
An international research team has linked levels of molecules called microRNAs to colon cancer progression. The finding may lead to new tools to assess colon cancer prognosis and help clinicians determine appropriate treatments. The researchers also uncovered a potential new target for colon cancer therapies.
NIH Research Matters
Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B64A, MSC 2094
Bethesda, MD 20892-2094
About NIH Research Matters
Editor: Harrison Wein, Ph.D.
Assistant Editors: Vicki Contie, Carol Torgan, Ph.D.
NIH Research Matters is a weekly update of NIH research highlights from the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health.