Diagnostic testing for Alzheimer’s disease is becoming more accessible
The current guidelines require imaging tests or cerebrospinal fluid samples – both of which can be expensive and hard to schedule for many patients. New research in the journal Brain uses a novel test that can detect specific bio-markers from a blood sample. In the study, this new method outperformed the current blood diagnostic tests while also being cheaper and much less invasive.
Not all fiber is created equal
Scientists have found that psyllium fiber, which is derived from plant seeds, stops inflammation in mice. The results come from research published in the journal Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affect three million adults in the U.S. This recent mouse study shows how psyllium fiber may protect against these conditions.
Do you know why childhood stress can affect your adult life?
Research in Nature Communications has discovered a new pathway in our brain involved in the reward circuit that may explain this connection. The paper details how dealing with adversity early in your life can change this brain connection at a cellular level. These changes disrupt reward behaviors, reducing pleasure and motivation. This impairment is believed to be a factor in depression, substance abuse and other major disorders.
The source of our balance can be found inside our ears
Researchers have recently discovered specialized synapses that process signals faster than anything else in our bodies. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to figure out how these synapses operate so quickly. This finding is a huge step in improving treatments for vertigo and other balance disorders.
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