http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from King's College London Children who have suffered maltreatment are 36% more likely to be obese in adulthood compared to non-maltreated children, according to a new study by King's College London. The authors estimate that the prevention or effective treatment of 7 cases of child maltreatment could avoid 1 case of adult obesity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-child-maltreatment-adult-obesity.html Overweight and Obesity Tue, 21 May 2013 04:00:01 EST news288291900 Researchers from King's College London have for the first time used a novel form of MRI to identify crucial developmental processes in the brain that are vulnerable to the effects of premature birth. This new study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), shows that disruption of these specific processes can have an impact on cognitive function. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-premature-birth-vital-brain-cognitive.html Neuroscience Mon, 20 May 2013 15:00:24 EST news288271189 (Medical Xpress)—Scientists at King's College London have discovered that Vitamin D has the potential to significantly reduce the symptoms of asthma. The study, led by Professor Catherine Hawrylowicz from the MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma at King's, was published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and highlights Vitamin D as a possible new treatment for the condition. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-vitamin-d-effective-treatments-asthma.html Immunology Mon, 20 May 2013 07:40:01 EST news288253463 Research from King's College London reveals the detailed mechanism behind how stress hormones reduce the number of new brain cells - a process considered to be linked to depression. The researchers identified a key protein responsible for the long-term detrimental effect of stress on cells, and importantly, successfully used a drug compound to block this effect, offering a potential new avenue for drug discovery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-effects-stress-brain-cells-clues.html Neuroscience Mon, 06 May 2013 15:00:15 EST news287057827 (Medical Xpress)—Researchers at King's College London's Dental Institute have shown that people with a certain kind of kidney disease have characteristic facial features that may reflect the genetic mutation they carry. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-link-facial-kidney-disease.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:04:16 EST news286005850 Scientists from King's College London have identified patterns of epigenetic changes involved in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by studying genetically identical twins who differ in autism traits. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, is the largest of its kind and may shed light on the biological mechanism by which environmental influences regulate the activity of certain genes and in turn contribute to the development of ASD and related behaviour traits. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-epigenetic-biological-mechanism-autism.html Autism spectrum disorders Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:00:01 EST news285877545 A new study by scientists at King's College London and the University of Arizona (UA) published in Science reveals the deep similarities in how the brain regulates behaviour in arthropods (such as flies and crabs) and vertebrates (such as fish, mice and humans). The findings shed new light on the evolution of the brain and behaviour and may aid understanding of disease mechanisms underlying mental health problems. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-strikingly-similar-brains-aid-mental.html Neuroscience Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:06:14 EST news284907960 (Medical Xpress)—New research published in the journal Cell Metabolism has identified a key mechanism in the immune system involved in the development of obesity-linked type 2 diabetes. The findings open up new possibilities for treatment and prevention of this condition, which is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. The study is by Dr Jane Howard and Professor Graham Lord, King's College London, and colleagues, and is funded by the UK Medical Research Council. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-key-link-obesity-diabetes.html Medical research Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:15:32 EST news284278519 (Medical Xpress)—A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry has shown there has been an 11.5% reduction in average levels of discrimination. Led by King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), the study of England's Time to Change anti-stigma programme (run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness) provides the first evidence that it is possible to change the way the public treat people with mental health problems, but that a long term focus is needed to ensure that discrimination is removed from all areas of people's lives. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-mental-health-discrimination.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:16:46 EST news284195799 (Medical Xpress)—Professors Shitij Kapur and Sir Simon Wessely, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry, are contributors to a major new report by the Academy of Medical Sciences - Strengthening academic psychiatry in the UK. The report calls for a breakdown of unhelpful boundaries between psychiatry and neuroscience and makes recommendations for strengthening academic psychiatry to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental ill health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-academic-psychiatry.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 29 Mar 2013 06:53:09 EST news283758782 Researchers at King's College London have uncovered how the human ear is formed, giving clues as to why children are susceptible to infections such as glue ear. The work was funded by the UK Medical Research Council and published today in the journal Science. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-evolutionary-glitch-childhood-ear-infections.html Medical research Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:00:07 EST news283090104 Men who have children at older ages are more likely to have grandchildren with autism compared to younger grandfathers, according to new research. This is the first time that research has shown that risk factors for autism may accumulate over generations. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-older-grandfathers-autism.html Autism spectrum disorders Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:24:56 EST news283015476 (Medical Xpress)—Results from a clinical trial into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), led by King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry show that lithium carbonate is ineffective at treating the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-lithium-benefit-mnd-patients.html Neuroscience Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:10:01 EST news282901907 (Medical Xpress)—Research published in the journal Cancer Cell has revealed the mechanism by which leukaemia cells develop resistance to the ATRA (All-Trans-Retinoic Acid) treatment, used to treat an aggressive form of cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL: a fast-growing cancer in which there are too many immature blood-forming cells in the blood and bone marrow). The research is by Professor Eric So, Department of Haematological Medicine at King's College London, and colleagues, and was funded by the charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-scientists-mechanism-resistance-vital-leukaemia.html Cancer Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:00:01 EST news282901860 Scientists from King's College London are warning that millions of people may be exposed to risk of developing kidney failure and bladder cancer by taking herbal medicines that are widely available in Asia. The medicines, used for a wide range of conditions including slimming, asthma and arthritis, are derived from a botanical compound containing aristolochic acids. These products are now banned in the USA and many European countries but the herbs containing this toxic acid can still be bought in China and other countries in Asia and are also available worldwide over the internet. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-millions-people-asia-potentially-exposed.html Medications Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:00:01 EST news282829144