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Alzheimers Toxin May Be Key To Slowing Disease
Australian scientists say they have identified a toxin which plays a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's, raising hope that a drug targeting the toxin could be developed to slow the degenerative brain disease. The toxin, called quinolinic acid, kills nerve cells in the brain, leading to dysfunction and death, the scientists said. "Quinolinic acid may not be the cause of Alzheimer's disease, but it plays a key role in its progression," Alzheimer's researcher Dr Karen Cullen from the University of Sydney said in a statement. "It's the smoking gun, if you like." "While we won't be able to prevent people from getting Alzheimer's disease, we may eventually, with the use of drugs, be able to slow down the progression." Alzheimer's is a brain-destroying disease that affects millions of people around the world. As the population gets steadily older, experts estimate numbers will balloon to as many as 16 million in the United States alone by 2015. More than 200,000 people have Alzheimer's disease in Australia and the number is expected to rise to 730,000 by 2050. Outward symptoms start with memory loss, which progresses to complete helplessness as brain cells are destroyed. In the brain, neurons die as messy plaques and tangles of protein form. The Alzheimer's research team from Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, the University of Sydney and Japan's Hokkaido University found quinolinic acid neurotoxicity in the brains of dementia patients. Quinolinic acid is part of a biochemical pathway called the kynurenine pathway which is also found in other brain disorders, including Huntington's disease and schizophrenia. The scientists said there were several drugs in an advanced stage of development for other conditions which targeted this pathway and that these drugs, which still need to be tested, could be used to complement other treatments for Alzheimer's. "Building on what we've found and others have found, it's likely that they would have significant effect," said Professor Bruce Brew, director of neurology at St Vincent's Hospital. Mike Freije
Media falsely attribute doctor survey to New England Journal of Medicine - Media Matters for America
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Alternative Medicine Pharmaceuticals: The Next Frontier in America's War on Drugs America's war on drugs, which has been fought in the opium fields of Afghanistan and the cocaine plantations of Columbia, will have to reinvent itself to combat what is set to be America's biggest drug abuse problem, pharmaceuticals. One in five American's, nearly 48 million, have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes at least once in their lives. The current past month misuse rate among Americans is 6.2 million. According to a recent white paper by Carnevale Associates, this rate of use is already higher than the historical highs of both cocaine and heroin epidemics. Root Canal Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions Overview How to Remove the Psychological Addiction to Smoking - and Start to ENJOY Giving Up Smoking! 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But, doctors believe that small lifestyle changes can go a long way in preventing this silent killer. Talking Money with Your Doctor: Drugs and Tests for Less Would you buy groceries without knowing their prices? I suspect not. You probably compare the costs of different boxes of cereal in order to get the best deal. But when it comes to medical care, do you even ask for the prices involved? Are Drug Companies Destroying The U.S. Health Care System? The U.S. government's annual bill for healthcare spending $3,925 per person significantly exceeds that of all other nations. Despite this, our current health care system is increasingly failing both patients and medical practitioners. Of 13 nations, the U.S. is last for neonatal and infant mortality, last for years of potential life lost, 10th for age-adjusted mortality, 11th and 12th for female and male life expectancy respectively. 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Eliminate Agonizing Hand Pain Quickly and Easily! According to Dr. Nathan Wei, "The hand and wrist are the mirrors of disease." While the cause of hand pain can be a localized problem, hand pain can also be the presenting sign for other diseases. Anxiety Management With Prescription BuSpar: Don't Worry, Be Happy We've all had one of those weeks: the washing machine overflows, the dog forgets his housetraining and the toddler her toilet training, the boss is going through a divorce and making everyone miserable. And you feel like you just don't know how to handle it all. Get Rid of Tendonitis Now! Advice From An Expert? Tendons are ropes of fibrous tissue that connect muscles to bones. It is this connection that permits joint motion. When muscles contract, they pull on the tendons which cause the bones to move. In order for tendons to glide they move inside a lubricated sheath of tissue that is lined with synovial tissue. This synovial tissue is the same type of tissue that lines the inside of joints. Tendonitis refers to a condition where the sheath through which a tendon glides becomes inflamed. This leads to severe pain. The pain usually gets worse with use of the affected joint. However, when tendonitis becomes severe, there may be pain at rest.
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