In a mice study, Johns Hopkins researchers have found a link between elevated levels of a stress hormone in adolescence — a critical time for brain development — and genetic changes that, in young adulthood, cause severe mental illness in those predisposed to it.

The findings could have wide-reaching implications in both the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia, severe depression and other mental illnesses.

“We have discovered a mechanism for how environmental factors, such as stress hormones, can affect the brain’s physiology and bring about mental illness,” said study leader Akira Sawa, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

“We’ve shown in mice that stress in adolescence can affect the expression of a gene that codes for a key neurotransmitter related to mental function and psychiatric illness. While many genes are believed to be involved in the development of mental illness, my gut feeling is environmental factors are critically important to the process,” Sawa added.

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A biochemist-turned-winemaker in Queensland, Australia has claimed to have created what drinkers had only dreamed of – wine that is beneficial to your health.

Greg Jardine, founder of Mt Nebo-based company Dr Red Nutraceuticals, filed a patent for Modified Polyphenol Technology in Wines late last year and said the creation would “finally give wine a real medicinal edge,” the Courier Mail reported.

The process involved ageing red wine for a certain period of time, which enhanced the number of antioxidants within it, made them fat-soluble, rather than water-soluble, and easier to absorb into the bloodstream.

Some studies have shown antioxidants are effective at fighting a multitude of different diseases.

Jardine said that he had been working on the process for 10 years but had only recently discovered a way to retain the taste while enhancing antioxidants.

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A study has found that Norwegian pregnant women who received a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus showed no increased risk of pregnancy loss, while expectant mothers who experienced influenza during pregnancy had an increased risk of miscarriages and still births.

The study suggests that influenza infection may increase the risk of fetal loss.

Scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) conducted the research following the H1N1 influenza pandemic that took place between spring 2009 and fall 2010. The researchers at the NIH were from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

Norwegian public health officials had urged pregnant women to be vaccinated. However, media reports of pregnancy losses after flu shots caused some expectant mothers to forgo vaccination.

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Orthopaedics expert, Dr VV Prasad answers readers’ questions on bone health. Get your doubts cleared and see them featured on our FAQ page every Monday.

This week’s answers:

I got injured while playing Volley ball and ended with a ligament tear on my left ankle. It’s been almost 7 months but still I have pain. Last week, I had an MRI Scan and found ligament tear still exists and no other issues (bone…etc). I am still playing the game (almost daily) with the pain.Is there any treatment (eg. physiotherapy) that can reduce the pain & heal the wound, apart from giving total rest to it.?
Kindly advise.
Regards,
Radhesh

You can try wearing HIGH ANKLE BOOTS for daily use for 3 months.

I have been diagnosed to have a tennis elbow on my right arm.I do a routine gym workout of cardio and weight training under the watchful eyes of a competent trainer.Whats are the dos and donts to follow? Is their any physiotherepy I can use? I am 42 and slightly overweight.
Ravi Rajpal

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