UCLA researchers now have the first evidence that bacteria ingested in food can affect brain function in humans. In an early proof-of-concept study of healthy women, they found that women who regularly consumed beneficial bacteria known as probiotics through yogurt showed altered brain function, both while in a resting state and in response to an emotion-recognition task.
The Michigan Veterans Homeowners Assistance Program has announced that it plans to financially support service members and their families hit hard by the 2006-present mortgage foreclosure crisis. The funds will come from more than $95 million the state government received as part of a bank mortgage settlement.
Financial assistance is now available as a first-come, first-serve outreach; there is no ceiling limit currently set on the amount of assistance one individual can get. The program is able to help people rent a new place, or help with a home loan modification in order to save their home from foreclosure.
Also, a plan was just introduced in the Michigan legislature that would give a tax break for disabled vets.
In the latest example, researchers at Georgetown University say they have found neurological damage in gulf war veterans reporting symptoms of the disease.
Using magnetic resonance imaging to study the brains of gulf war veterans before and after exercise, the researchers discovered evidence of damage in parts of their brains associated with heart rate and pain. Such damage was not evident in the control group, which included nonveterans and healthy veterans.
Such neurological damage, the researchers theorize, caused the veterans to be more sensitive to pain, to feel easily fatigued and to experience loss of short-term “working memory,” all symptoms associated with gulf war illness.
Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics
People with tics usually have an urge that is relieved when they have the tic—like scratching an itch. During CBIT, the therapist helps individuals with tics learn to become more aware of the tics and the urge to tic. Once a person is more aware of their tics and urges, they learn how to perform a different behavior instead of the tic. The new behavior (competing response) needs to be something that makes it difficult to perform the tic. For example, a child with a frequent throat clearing tic could be taught to engage in slow rhythmic breathing whenever he or she felt the urge to clear his or her throat. In order for this to work, the new behavior has to be carefully chosen and practiced over and over. This "new behavior" helps reduce and, in some cases, even eliminate the tic.
Tics can also be brought on or made worse by stressful situations or how other people react to the person with a tic. An important part of the CBIT treatment is for the person with the tic and their families to learn how to identify these situations and try to change them so the tics aren't made worse. For example, someone whose tics get worse when doing homework or before a presentation at work would learn how to manage their stress before and during these situations; they may take a walk, listen to calming music, or do some breathing exercises before they begin their homework or presentation.
he Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is hosting a series of public forums for the state's plan to integrate care for individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The forums will provide MDCH the opportunity to update participants on the status of Michigan's proposal and announce additional opportunities for stakeholders to be involved in the implementation process.
The first forum has been scheduled for June 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Forfa Auditorium of Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Mich.
Interesting if mysterious...
Led by Dr. Jingyu Liu, the nine researchers analyzed and verified changes in DNA methylation patterns in people with and without schizophrenia and found significant changes in seven genes that moderate immune responses. In the current study, the researchers found that the seven genes that were up or down regulated protect against the delusion and hallucination symptoms in schizophrenia patients. This finding suggests that methylation changes related to immune function may be one of the pathways to moderate symptoms in schizophrenia patients.
"More than half of the women participating in our study suffered from depression, PTSD or both illnesses," said Mansoo Yu, an assistant professor of social work in the College of Human Environmental Sciences. "However, most of the survivors had not used mental health services in the past year, even though they reported having access to the services. Social stigmas, shame, privacy concerns, health care costs and lack of information may prevent survivors from getting the help they need."
The study, a collaboration between Lund University in Sweden and Stanford University, showed that the rate of suicide among men is almost three times that of women. Being young, single and having a low level of education were stronger risk factors for suicide among men, while mental illness was a stronger risk factor among women. Unemployment was the strongest social risk factor among women, whereas being single was the strongest among men.
Duh! of the week:
The researchers wanted to determine the extent to which treating mental illness can keep people with mental health problems out of trouble with the law. It is well established that people with mental health problems, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, make up a disproportionate percentage of defendants, inmates and others who come into contact with the criminal justice system.
Amantadine, a substance used for treatinginfluenza and Parkinson, could be a new treatment option for pathological gambling according to researchers from Gabriele d'Annunzio University in Chieti, Italy, reporting at the 23rd Meeting of the European Neurological Society (ENS) in Barcelona. About 3,000 experts are gathering to discuss current developments in their field. The initial results seem quite promising although larger studies will be needed for confirmation. Amantadine is a non-specific glutamate blocker.