Jazz on the brain

A pair of Johns Hopkins and government scientists have discovered that when jazz musicians improvise, their brains turn off areas linked to self-censoring and inhibition, and turn on those that let self-expression flow. more  

Brain stress system presents possible treatment target for alcohol dependence

A brain circuit that underlies feelings of stress and anxiety shows promise as a new therapeutic target for alcoholism, according to new studies by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). more

Teens with treatment-resistant depression more likely to get better with switch to combination therapy

Teens with difficult-to-treat depression who do not respond to a first antidepressant medication are more likely to get well if they switch to another antidepressant medication and add psychotherapy rather than just switching to another antidepressant, according to a large, multi-site trial funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). more  

Panel finds hydroxyurea treatment is underutilized for sickle cell disease

An independent panel convened this week by the NIH concluded that the use of hydroxyurea for sickle cell patients should be increased in adolescents and adults. Hydroxyurea was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in adults with sickle cell anemia in 1998, but provider and patient concerns have hindered its use, depriving many patients of its proven benefits. Research has shown that sickle cell patients on this drug experience fewer pain crises and hospital admissions, and the panel advocated increased utilization of this drug with appropriate monitoring. Additionally, the panel concluded that the risks of serious side effects of hydroxyurea appear to be lower than previously expected. more

FDA approves Nexium for use in children ages 1-11 years  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) for short-term use in children ages 1-11 years for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). more

Arcalyst is first treatment for extremely rare condition called Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndrome or CAPS 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a drug to help ease the suffering faced by those with certain chronic inflammatory diseases. Arcalyst (rilonacept, an Interleukin-1 blocker) is now approved for the long term treatment of two Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS) disorders: Familial Cold Auto-Inflammatory Syndrome (FCAS) and Muckle-Wells Syndrome (MWS). more

Does gingko biloba affect memory?

Taking the supplement ginkgo biloba had no clear-cut benefit on the risk of developing memory problems, according to a study published in the February 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. more

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