http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from Tel Aviv University Widely available in pharmacies and health stores, phosphatidylserine is a natural food supplement produced from beef, oysters, and soy. Proven to improve cognition and slow memory loss, it's a popular treatment for older people experiencing memory impairment. Now a team headed by Prof. Gil Ast and Dr. Ron Bochner of Tel Aviv University's Department of Human Molecular Genetics have discovered that the same supplement improves the functioning of genes involved in degenerative brain disorders, including Parkinson's disease and Familial Dysautonomia (FD). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-common-food-supplement-degenerative-brain.html Medical research Tue, 21 May 2013 12:20:01 EST news288356860 (Medical Xpress)—Some parts of the body, like the liver, can regenerate themselves after damage. But others, such as our nervous system, are considered either irreparable or slow to recover, leaving thousands with a lifetime of pain, limited mobility, or even paralysis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-reversing-paralysis-gel-implant-regenerate.html Neuroscience Mon, 13 May 2013 10:18:54 EST news287659107 Cases of type 2 diabetes continue to rise in the US. And while the development of the disease is more commonly associated with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity, research has shown that stress can also have a significant impact. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-positive-social-shown-diabetes.html Diabetes Thu, 09 May 2013 10:53:49 EST news287315614 (Medical Xpress)—A debilitating mental illness, schizophrenia can be difficult to diagnose. Because physiological evidence confirming the disease can only be gathered from the brain during an autopsy, mental health professionals have had to rely on a battery of psychological evaluations to diagnose their patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-sniffing-schizophrenia-neurons-nose-key.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:57:28 EST news286455414 Evidence indicates that the accumulation of amyloid-beta proteins, which form the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, is critical for the development of Alzheimer's disease, which impacts 5.4 million Americans. And not just the quantity, but also the quality of amyloid-beta peptides is crucial for Alzheimer's initiation. The disease is triggered by an imbalance in two different amyloid species—in Alzheimer's patients, there is a reduction in a relative level of healthy amyloid-beta 40 compared to 42. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-brain-alzheimer-disease.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:50:27 EST news285504615 Several studies have examined the impact of stress on a pregnancy – both chronic stress, such as workload, and acute stress associated with traumatic events like the 9/11 terrorist attacks. They conclude that stress can lead to adverse birth outcomes, including miscarriage and premature birth. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-sustained-stress-heightens-miscarriage.html Health Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:25:53 EST news284657146 The creation of new blood vessels in the body, called "angiogenesis," is usually discussed in connection with healing wounds and tumors. But it's also an ongoing process in the female reproductive tract, where the growth and breaking of blood vessels is a normal part of the menstrual cycle. But abnormal growth of blood vessels can have painful consequences and resultant pathologies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-relief-gynecological-disorders.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:39:11 EST news284211538 Psychologists have traditionally characterized compulsive gambling as an "impulse control disorder," and treated it by addressing the patient's obsessive tendencies. But according to Prof. Pinhas Dannon of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Beer Yaakov Mental Health Center, not all pathological gamblers fit the same profile. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-knowledge-game-advantage-sports-gambling.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:38:56 EST news282908265 Americans work longer hours, take fewer vacation days, and retire later than employees in other industrialized countries around the globe. With such demanding careers, it's no surprise that many experience job burnout—physical, cognitive, and emotional exhaustion that results from stress at work. Researchers have found that burnout is also associated with obesity, insomnia, and anxiety. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-job-burnout-severely-compromise-heart.html Cardiology Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:36:24 EST news282310538 When it comes to body shape, diet and exercise can only take us so far. Our body shape and geometry are largely determined by genetic factors. Genetics also have an impact on our body composition – including soft fat tissue and hard bone tissue – and can lead to excess fat or osteoporosis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-fat-bone-mass-genetically-linked.html Medical research Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:02:24 EST news282225632 The transistors and wires that power our electronic devices need to be mounted on a base material known as a "motherboard." Our human brain is not so different—neurons, the cells that transmit electrical and chemical signals, are connected to one another through synapses, similar to transistors and wires, and they need a base material too. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-star-shaped-glial-cells-brain-motherboard.html Neuroscience Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:29:51 EST news281881772 Lower back pain is a common complaint, and treatment often requires many hours of physical therapy over multiple weekly clinic visits—a costly commitment. Now Dr. Michal Katz-Leurer of Tel Aviv University's Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine says that a simple aerobic walking program is as effective in alleviating lower back pain as muscle strengthening programs that require specialized equipment in rehabilitation clinics. The program includes walking two to three times a week for a period of 20 to 40 minutes, http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-pain.html Health Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:16:58 EST news281708211 A new study from a Tel Aviv University researcher says that children with learning disabilities develop less secure attachments with mothers and teachers, and that closer and more secure relationships with parents and adults may help them overcome these disabilities. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-closer-personal-relationships-teens-disabilities.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:05:27 EST news281275521 Trudging from place to place with heavy weights on our backs is an everyday reality, from schoolchildren toting textbooks in backpacks to firefighters and soldiers carrying occupational gear. Muscle and skeletal damage are very real concerns. Now Tel Aviv University researchers say that nerve damage, specifically to the nerves that travel through the neck and shoulders to animate our hands and fingers, is also a serious risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-heavy-burden.html Health Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:47:55 EST news280673268 (Medical Xpress)—The onset of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is unpredictable. Because it depends on the unforeseeable occurrence of traumatic events, it is difficult to identify preventative or causative factors. Scientists typically turn to patients who have already developed PTSD to study the disorder, but that means they can't draw comparisons to their psychological state prior to experiencing trauma. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-gene-high-anxiety-effect-battlefield.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:50:01 EST news279994850