http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. The issue of sleep deprivation has gone beyond the counting of sheep and into the scientific domain, as European researchers set up 'sleep labs' to study the biomedical and sociological factors keeping us awake at night. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-scientists.html Health Fri, 03 May 2013 07:20:02 EST news286782589 A new study from investigators at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) finds that elicitation of the relaxation response – a physiologic state of deep rest induced by practices such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing and prayer – produces immediate changes in the expression of genes involved in immune function, energy metabolism and insulin secretion. Published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, the study combined advanced expression profiling and systems biology analysis to both identify genes affected by relaxation response practice and determine the potential biological relevance of those changes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-genes-pathways-response.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 01 May 2013 17:00:14 EST news286628359 Joslin scientists report significant findings about the location, genetic expression and function of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the generation of new BAT cells. These findings, which appear in the April 2013 issue of Nature Medicine, may contribute to further study of BAT's role in human metabolism and developing treatments that use BAT to promote weight loss. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-scientists-advance-human-brown-adipose.html Medical research Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:35:47 EST news285870940 The disrupted metabolism of sugar, fat and calcium is part of the process that causes the death of neurons in Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have now shown, for the first time, how important parts of the nerve cell that are involved in the cell's energy metabolism operate in the early stages of the disease. These somewhat surprising results shed new light on how neuronal metabolism relates to the development of the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-early-stage-alzheimer-disease.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:00:13 EST news285854606 With previous evidence suggesting that melatonin may have a role in glucose metabolism, researchers have found an independent association between decreased secretion of melatonin and an increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the April 3 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-decreased-melatonin-secretion-higher-diabetes.html Diabetes Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:00:02 EST news284125986 If you're pulling and all-nighter to finish a term paper, a new parent up all night with a fussy baby, or simply can't sleep like you once could, then you may be snoozing on good health. That's because new research published in The FASEB Journal used mice to show that proper sleep patterns are critical for healthy metabolic function, and even mild impairment in our circadian rhythms can lead to serious health consequences, including diabetes and obesity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-internal-clocks-diabetes-obesity.html Medical research Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:19:55 EST news284030389 Joslin scientists have discovered a mechanism that regulates the production of brown fat, a type of fat which plays an important role in heat production and energy metabolism. The findings, which appear in the upcoming issue of Nature, may lead to new therapies that increase BAT formation to treat obesity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-team-mechanism-production-energy-burning-brown.html Medical research Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:00:04 EST news282396182 Workplace-based programs that include dietary advice coupled with behavioral counseling appear to be a promising approach for men and women with significant weight loss goals, based on the results of a pilot study conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University. Employees enrolled in the intervention arm of a randomized controlled trial lost on average, 18 pounds over a six-month period compared to a two pound weight gain in a control group. The study results are published online ahead of print by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-employees-pounds-worksite-based-weight-loss.html Health Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:47:31 EST news280601244 It's been said that food is the language of love. If so, can certain foods—or aphrodisiacs—promote romantic feelings or sexual desire? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-food-aphrodisiacs-expert-nutrition.html Health Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:00:20 EST news279370813 (Medical Xpress)—Results of a recent clinical study by researchers from Western and the University of Arkansas reveal the presence of a unique blood marker, which may further the understanding of possible gut linked environmental contributors to autism. The findings may also forecast potential blood tests for early screening to identify and potentially treat the condition, even before symptoms present. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-team-potential-blood-autistic-patients.html Autism spectrum disorders Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:37:00 EST news278663797 (Medical Xpress)—UC Irvine-led studies have revealed the cellular mechanism by which circadian rhythms – also known as the body clock – modify energy metabolism and also have identified novel compounds that control this action. The findings point to potential treatments for disorders triggered by circadian rhythm dysfunction, ranging from insomnia and obesity to diabetes and cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-circadian-rhythms-potential-treatment-disorders.html Cardiology Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:12:20 EST news278089921 A new study led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers has found that leptin, a hormone that plays a key role in energy metabolism, fertility, and bone mass, also regulates airway diameter. The findings could explain why obese people are prone to asthma and suggest that body weight–associated asthma may be relieved with medications that inhibit signaling through the parasympathetic nervous system, which mediates leptin function. The study, conducted in mice, was published in the online edition of the journal Cell Metabolism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-obese-people-higher-asthma.html Medical research Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:00:05 EST news276862025 As part of their ongoing research on the physiologic factors that contribute to the development of obesity, Joslin Diabetes Center scientists have identified a cell cycle transcriptional co-regulator – TRIP-Br2 – that plays a major role in energy metabolism and fat storage. This finding has the potential to lead to new treatments for obesity. The study is being published today ahead of print by Nature Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-important-factor-fat-storage-energy.html Medical research Sun, 06 Jan 2013 13:00:01 EST news276684146 Researchers at McGill University have discovered that a key regulator of energy metabolism in cancer cells known as the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) may play a crucial role in restricting cancer cell growth. AMPK acts as a "fuel gauge" in cells; AMPK is turned on when it senses changes in energy levels, and helps to change metabolism when energy levels are low, such as during exercise or when fasting. The researchers found that AMPK also regulates cancer cell metabolism and can restrict cancer cell growth. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-cellular-fuel-gauge-key-restricting.html Cancer Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:02:43 EST news275835756 In a study that challenges the long-held notion that the primary function of sleep is to give rest to the brain, researchers have found that not getting enough shut-eye has a harmful impact on fat cells, reducing by 30 percent their ability to respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates energy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-fat-cells.html Medical research Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:00:01 EST news269514884 A new study finds that fruit flies exposed to methamphetamine drastically reduce their food intake and increase their physical activity, just as humans do. The study, which tracked metabolic and behavioral changes in fruit flies on meth, indicates that starvation is a primary driver of methamphetamine-related death in the insects. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-fruit-flies-methamphetamine-die-largely.html Addiction Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:48:24 EST news263033281 (Medical Xpress) -- A protein essential for metabolism and recently associated with neurodegenerative diseases also occurs in several brain-specific forms. This discovery emerged in the course of a research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the findings of which have now been published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. The scientists working on the project discovered a large new region in the genetic code of the protein PGC-1alpha. Previously unknown variations of the protein, which can be found specifically in the brain, are produced from this region. This discovery may provide tissue-specific starting points for the development of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-brain-variants-protein-huntington-neurodegenerative.html Genetics Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:30:14 EST news262247400 The ability for substances to pass through the blood-brain barrier is increased after adult stroke, but not after neonatal stroke, according to a new study the UCSF that will be published July 11 in the Journal of Neuroscience. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-blood-brain-barrier-permeable-newborns-adults.html Neuroscience Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:00:22 EST news261155926 Using a mouse model of autism, researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have successfully treated an autism spectrum disorder characterized by severe cognitive impairment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-success-autism-spectrum-disorder.html Autism spectrum disorders Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:29:26 EST news260468882 A reproductive hormone helps regulate food intake and energy metabolism without causing adverse effects, a new animal study finds. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-hormone-oxytocin-potential-weight-loss-treatment.html Overweight and Obesity Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:06:34 EST news259855583 In a highlighted paper published online in Nature Communications, researchers from Sichuan Agricultural University and BGI reported the atlas of DNA methylomes in porcine adipose and muscle tissues, providing a valuable epigenomic source for obesity prediction and prevention as well as boosting the further development of pig as a model animal for human obesity research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-unravel-dna-methylomes-obesity.html Genetics Tue, 22 May 2012 12:57:24 EST news256910237 A major 12-year study based on a Taiwanese population cohort has demonstrated that not only does diabetes increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease more than 2-fold, the use of sulfonylureas, commonly used as treatment for diabetes, increases the risk further by about 57%. This study also found that by including metformin in the therapy, no increased risk in developing Parkinson's disease was recorded. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-metformin-substantially-parkinson-disease-diabetes.html Diabetes Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:10:15 EST news253789808 (HealthDay) -- Short sleep duration may affect total daily energy expenditure or directly affect energy metabolism, although more study is required, according to a review published online March 22 in Obesity Reviews. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-evidence-lacking-length-energy-metabolism.html Health Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:50:01 EST news253195782 (HealthDay) -- There is considerable evidence that calcium and vitamin D intake are influential in modulating energy metabolism in humans, according to a study published online March 2 in Obesity Reviews. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-calcium-vitamin-d-modulate-human.html Health Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:30:01 EST news250779073 Stop exercising, eat as much as you want ... and still lose weight? It sounds impossible, but UC Irvine and Italian researchers have found that by blocking a natural, marijuana-like chemical regulating energy metabolism, this can happen, at least in the lab. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-blocking-natural-marijuana-like-chemical-brain.html Medical research Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:48:26 EST news250260485 Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered that decaffeinated coffee may improve brain energy metabolism associated with type 2 diabetes. This brain dysfunction is a known risk factor for dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. The research is published online in Nutritional Neuroscience. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-decaffeinated-coffee-memory-function-brain.html Neuroscience Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:29:49 EST news247289373 Studies have shown that people who are overweight in middle age are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease decades later than people at normal weight, yet researchers have also found that people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease are more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI). A current study examines this relationship between Alzheimer's disease and BMI. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-people-early-alzheimer-disease-bmi.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:40:39 EST news241116031 Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that an enzyme found in the mitochondria of cells is decreased in the skeletal muscle of those with diabetes, a finding that could lead to the development of drugs to boost the activity of this enzyme in an effort to fight the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-treatment-diabetes-prediabetes.html Medical research Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:25:48 EST news233245537 The research team led by Prof. Samuel Lo, Associate Head of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, recently discovered that chronic exposure to low-dose methyl-mercury, an environmental contaminant commonly found in seafood, may increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-chronic-exposure-methyl-mercury-neurodegenerative-disease.html Health Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:00:01 EST news231658411 Experimental results to be presented at the upcoming annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, suggests that dietary supplementation with molasses extract may provide a novel approach for weight management in humans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-molasses-decreases-obesity-high-fat-diet.html Medical research Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:48:21 EST news229657677