Health News for June 18, 2008

Too much alcohol can cause permanent brain damage
You might not just realize this while downing a mug of chilled beer on a summer afternoon, but a new study has revealed that too much alcohol can cause permanent damage to brain. ANI

New neuro-imaging technique spots Alzheimers 18 months earlier
A neuro-imaging technique developed in the US, called PiB PET, may help spot Alzheimers disease 18 months earlier, according to an Australian study. ANI

Testosterone replacement therapy beneficial for older men
Older men receiving testosterone replacement therapy for low testosterone levels are likely to reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, suggest researchers. ANI

Drinks served at pubs may be larger and stronger than you think
The next time you order a drink at a pub, be careful about the amount you guzzle, for a new study has revealed that ordered drinks may be larger and have greater alcohol content than you may think. ANI

Potential protein biomarkers for growth hormone identifie
Researchers at Ohio University have identified several proteins in mice that might act as biomarkers for growth hormone. ANI

Media exacerbating culture of blame against obese people
Obese people frequently feel overwhelmed and socially discriminated by the publicity that media and health care professionals carry out about their condition, according to a new study. ANI

Hypertension medication effective in reversing vascular damage
Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have shown that a hypertension medication called olmesartan medoxomil is effective in reversing the narrowing of the arteries that occurs in patients with high blood pressure. ANI

Oldies, depressed people more likely to take a tumble
Older people and those who are suffering from depression are at an elevated risk of falling and being injured, according to a new study. ANI

Lower income, less education linked to higher death rate after heart attack
People with lower incomes and education levels are more likely to die after a heart attack than more affluent, educated people, according to researchers at Mayo Clinic. ANI

Ancient Chinese self-massage techniques may be the best stress buster
Chinese self-massage techniques can help relax your body, release tension and reduce anxiety - all this and more without spending a single penny. ANI

Performance enhancing effect of pills may be all in the athletes mind
When athletes think theyre using a performance-enhancing drug, their performance tends to get better - even if theyre taking a dummy drug. ANI

Lowly latrines, not toilets key to global sanitation
While the invention of water-guzzling appliances such as toilets might be considered as the pinnacle of sanitary science, a lowly latrine could be a far better solution in keeping sewage safely separate from drinking water for many parts of the developing world, say researchers. ANI

Your physical and mental health depends on your friendly neighbours
Your friends and neighbours may play a bigger role than your family, when it comes to your physical and mental health, says a new study. ANI

Activation of key developmental pathway may lead to increase in lung stem cells
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered that a molecular pathway vital for stem cell and developmental biology, called the Wnt pathway, may lead to an increase in lung stem cells when activated. ANI

Biomarkers that may help predict prostate cancer recurrence identified
Scientists from University of Texas Southwestern have identified seven biomarkers that may help predict prostate cancer recurrence in patients after surgery. ANI

Soon, wine pills to ward off Alzheimers
A new study has found that red grape seeds extract may offer a new treatment option for Alzheimers patients. ANI

Why homosexuality hasnt become extinct
Italian scientists have come up with an explanation for the puzzle as to why homosexuality, if it is hereditary, has not been eliminated from the gene pool to date, despite the fact that gay people are less likely to reproduce than heterosexuals. ANI

Genetic mutation improves anticancer drugs effect
Oncologists at Ohio State University have found that a gene mutation responsible for some cases of acute leukaemia can even improve the effect of a specific anticancer dug, called cytarabine, on this disease. ANI

Exercise does not reduce hunger in obese women
Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that exercise does not suppress appetite in obese women, as it does in lean women. ANI

Depression ups diabetes risk, and vice versa
Johns Hopkins doctors say that a study conducted by them shows that people with depression have an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes, and vice versa. ANI

Radiation therapy boosts survival rates in recurrent prostate cancer patients
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions have found that radiation treatment significantly increases the survival chances of relapsing prostate cancer patients. ANI