New Hampshire Health News Digest

Drug Addiction Erodes 'Free Will' Over Time -- Moran 42 (13): 16 -- Psychiatr News : "Addiction and the progressive loss of control over behavior that seems to accompany the addictive process are the result of changes in multiple regions of the brain. [...] Changes occur initially as a result of the abnormal increase in dopamine that results from use of all drugs of addiction and eventually affect memory and attention, the regulation of impulsivity, and executive function. What Volkow described is an emerging understanding of addiction and the underlying neurobiology of free will and choice that is vastly more sophisticated than theories that were dominant 15 years ago, when addiction was hypothesized as an overactivation of reward systems in the brain by dopamine. Instead, what has evolved is a picture of multiple regions of the brain being progressively compromised—the anterior cingulate gyrus, which governs attention and regulation of impulsivity; the orbital prefronta...

ScienceDaily: Endocannabinoids -- The Brain's Cannabis -- Demonstrate Novel Modes Of Action To Stress : "Scottish team seeks social behavior answers Nancy Sabatier of the University of Edinburgh, noted that 'cannabis, or marijuana, is a drug that is widely abused because of the effects it can have on our mood and our social behavior. Cannabis works this way because it acts like substances that are produced inside our brains that are messengers between brain cells. Our work involves trying to understand what these substances, endocannabinoids, are for.' She said they are particularly interested in how endocannabinoids influence oxytocin cells in the brain, because because OT within the brain is involved in social behavior. 'We have found that oxytocin cells produce endocannabinoids, and can release these to switch off other inputs to the oxytocin cells themselves. We are looking at what stimuli will cause oxytocin cells to release endocannabinoids to understand why ...

NIMH: Trust-Building Hormone Short-Circuits Fear In Humans Trust-Building Hormone Short-Circuits Fear In Humans A brain chemical recently found to boost trust appears to work by reducing activity and weakening connections in fear-processing circuitry, a brain imaging study at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has discovered. Scans of the hormone oxytocin's effect on human brain function reveal that it quells the brain's fear hub, the amygdala, and its brainstem relay stations in response to fearful stimuli. The work at NIMH and a collaborating site in Germany suggests new approaches to treating diseases thought to involve amygdala dysfunction and social fear, such as social phobia, autism, and possibly schizophrenia, report Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, M.D., Ph.D., NIMH Genes Cognition and Psychosis Program, and colleagues, in the December 7, 2005 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. "Studies in animals, pioneered by now...

Adrenalectomy prevents the obesity syndrome produced by chronic central neuropeptide Y infusion in normal rats -- Sainsbury et al. 46 (2): 209 -- Diabetes Adrenalectomy prevents the obesity syndrome produced by chronic central neuropeptide Y infusion in normal rats A Sainsbury, I Cusin, F Rohner-Jeanrenaud and B Jeanrenaud Laboratoires de Recherches Metaboliques, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hypothalamus plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and body weight and seems to be implicated in the etiology of obesity. When intracerebroventricularly (ICV) infused for 6 days in normal rats, NPY resulted in hyperphagia, increased body weight gain, hyperinsulinemia, hypercorticosteronemia, and hypertriglyceridemia compared with vehicle-infused control rats. NPY infusion also resulted in an insulin-resistant state in muscles and in a state of insulin hyperresponsiveness in white adipose tissue, as assessed by the measuremen...

The Scientist : Hunger protein links stress, obesity Hunger protein links stress, obesity Neuropeptide Y builds fat when high-calorie diet combines with stress [Published 2nd July 2007 10:14 AM GMT] A neurotransmitter that acts as a central controller for appetite also regulates stress-induced obesity in the body's periphery, according to a paper in this month's Nature Medicine. The authors found that abdominal fat increased in stressed mice through the actions of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and one of its receptors. Blocking this receptor's signaling prevented stress-induced obesity. "It's really quite an important study, both from a basic point of view as well as for potential clinical applications," said Esther Sabban of New York Medical College in Valhalla, who was not involved in the work. Previous work has found that stress stimulates NPY release from sympathetic nerves. NPY activity also promotes obesity through central mechanisms, primarily by increasing appe...

Cancer's Sweet Tooth Cancer's Sweet Tooth by Patrick Quillin, PHD, RD, CNS photo by Robert Morrissey/Dot for Dot During the last 10 years I have worked with more than 500 cancer patients as director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla. It puzzles me why the simple concept "sugar feeds cancer" can be so dramatically overlooked as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment plan. Of the 4 million cancer patients being treated in America today, hardly any are offered any scientifically guided nutrition therapy beyond being told to "just eat good foods." Most patients I work with arrive with a complete lack of nutritional advice. I believe many cancer patients would have a major improvement in their outcome if they controlled the supply of cancer's preferred fuel, glucose. By slowing the cancer's growth, patients allow their immune systems and medical debulking therapies—chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to reduce the bulk ...

10 Simple Steps To Skyrocket Your Natural Testosterone Production If there is one substance that could be considered the "holy grail" of muscle growth, testosterone would be it. Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle you can ultimately build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with... - Increased muscle size and strength. - Decreased body fat levels. - Increased sex drive and sexual endurance. - Improved mood. - Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Well it is, and in this article I'm going to outline 10 simple steps to naturally raise your testosterone levels and achieve all of these incredible benefits. While these steps will not result in "steroid-like" muscle gains, they will definitely contribute to your overall bottomline re...

Chronic insomnia linked to depression, anxiety - Yahoo! News For some people, chronic insomnia may be a sign of broader mental health problems like depression and anxiety, according to a new study. In surveys of more than 25,000 Norwegian adults, researchers found that those with chronic insomnia were more likely to also be suffering from depression or an anxiety disorder. What's more, people who reported insomnia during the first wave of the survey were at increased risk of having an anxiety disorder during the second wave, conducted a decade later. This, the researchers say, suggests that insomnia may either raise the risk of future anxiety problems, or be a sign that a person is particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety symptoms. The findings are published in the medical journal Sleep. Sleep problems are common in people with depression, anxiety and certain other mental health conditions. But whether insomnia can lead to depression or anxiety is unclear. To study the questio...

Insulin Linked to Alcohol Susceptibility Drunken fruit flies have led to the discovery that insulin may determine susceptibility to alcohol. If confirmed in humans -- and the two species share about two-thirds of their genes -- the finding suggests a promising way to treat alcoholism using drugs that control insulin activity. The finding by scientists at UCSF was published online Sunday (December 12) by Nature Neuroscience in advance of publication in the journal. University of California San Francisco researchers showed that when the normal function of insulin-like molecules in the brain of fruit flies is reduced, the intoxicating effect of alcohol increases. Earlier research has demonstrated that the flies and humans display many of the same vulnerabilities and behavioral responses to alcohol. "This finding opens promising new avenues for the treatment of alcoholism," said Ulrike Heberlein, PhD, UCSF professor of anatomy and senior author on the paper. "Insulin is alre...

Myths and Truths About Nutrition Myths & Truths About Nutrition Myth: Heart disease in America is caused by consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat from animal products. Truth: During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American consumption of animal fats declined but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable fats increased dramatically. (USDA-HNI) Myth: Saturated fat clogs arteries. Truth: The fatty acids found in artery clogs are mostly unsaturated (74%) of which 41% are polyunsaturated. (Lancet 1994 344:1195) Myth: Vegetarianism is healthy. Truth: The annual all-cause death rate of vegetarian men is slightly more than that of non-vegetarian men (.93% vs .89%); the annual death rate of vegetarian women is significantly more than that of non-vegetarian women (.86% vs .54%) (Am J Clin Nutr 1982 36:873) Myth: Vitamin B12 can be obtained from certain plant sources such as blue-green algae and soy products. Truth: Vitamin B12 is not a...

Health Light Inc provides affordable light therapy for SAD From the mid US to the Canadian North, as much as 25% of the population may suffer from "winter depression", SAD. Although it may vary in severity from one individual to another, recurring seasonal symptoms of fatigue, low energy, increased appetite, weight gain, wanting to avoid social contacts, lack of sexual interest and the need for increased sleep are usually present in its victims. Light therapy was first described in 1984 and has proven to be the most effective treatment for SAD. The exposure to specific light sources have produced results in as high as 70% in the first week of treatment. Light Therapy has also been successful in treating: Circadian Rhythms Sleep disorders Fibro myalgia Bulimia P.M.S. Jet Lag Shift Work

Psychology Today: Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature Men like blond bombshells (and women want to look like them) Humans are naturally polygamous Most women benefit from polygyny, while most men benefit from monogamy Most suicide bombers are Muslim Having sons reduces the likelihood of divorce Beautiful people have more daughters What Bill Gates and Paul McCartney have in common with criminals The midlife crisis is a myth—sort of It's natural for politicians to risk everything for an affair (but only if they're male) Men sexually harass women because they are not sexist

Triglycerides Triglycerides Triglycerides are a form of fat in the bloodstream. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol, a high LDL (bad) cholesterol and a low HDL (good) cholesterol level. Many people with heart disease also have high triglyceride levels. Several clinical studies have shown that people with above-normal triglyceride levels (greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL) have an increased risk of heart disease. People with diabetes or who are obese are also likely to have high triglycerides. Triglyceride Level Classification Less than 150 mg/dL Normal 150-199 mg/dL Borderline-high 200-499 mg/dL High 500 mg/dL or higher Very high Triglycerides and the risk of stroke Studies have linked high levels of blood fats called triglycerides to an increased risk of strokes (1). When the researchers accounted for other risk factors for strokes, people with more than 200 mg of triglycerides per dl of blood were nearly 30% more likely to have an ischemic stroke or ...

Better Know Your Triglyceride/HDL Ratio if You Want to Prevent a Heart Attack The published evidence is quite clear in documenting that the actual total cholesterol level itself is not the most important risk factor of cardiovascular disease. It is the ratio between the level of HDL-"good" cholesterol and total cholesterol that we need to be concerned about. Therefore, in adults, the HDL-"good" cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio should be higher than 0.24 (just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol). Or more precisely, the HDL/total cholesterol ratio: 0.24 or higher is considered ideal under 0.24 - low less than 0.10 - very dangerous. Generally speaking, the higher the ratio, the better (the lower your risk of a heart attack). However, HDL is closely related to triglycerides. It appears common for people with high triglycerides to have low HDL's, and these same people also tend to have high levels of clotting factors in their blood stream, which is unhealth...

June Russell's Health Facts: Alcohol - Heart and Triglycerides Occurrence/Statistics More than 250,000 Americans have a fatal heart attack each year. {“Secrets of the Heart,” by Sally Squires, Washington Post Health, August 8, 2000} Each year 500,000 Americans will suffer a stroke, and 150,000 of these will die. {“What Medicine Will Conquer Next,” Parade, Nov. 1995} How Alcohol Interferes with Heart Health Alcohol destroys a vital enzyme necessary for muscle contraction when ingested in any quantity. It is also risky for people with heart problems to drink at all since alcohol can reduce cardiac output. {in the book, “Guidelines to Safe Drinking,” Nicolas Pace, MD, 1984} Alcohol inhibits enzymes needed for heart contraction. The reduction of coronary disease from alcohol consumption is only a weak association (30%) and it would be irresponsible to advise anyone to consume alcohol to reduce risks of coronary disease. Some studies have come into question because of other variables th...