Pitt researchers develop less risky treatment for depression, seizures

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, with the help of a team of Pittsburgh high school science teachers, have developed a wireless device that is implanted in the neck to fight depression and epileptic seizures. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration already has approved a wired version of the device, but that one carries risks and several undesirable side effects. more  

Commonly used antidepressants may also affect human immune system

Drugs that treat depression by manipulating the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain may also affect the user's immune system in ways that are not yet understood, say scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center and a Canadian research institute. more

Working memory retains visual details despite distractions

The ability to retain memory about the details of a natural scene is unaffected by the distraction of another activity and this information is retained in "working memory" according to a study recently published in Journal of Vision, an online, free access publication of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). more  

Heart-healthy compound in chocolate identified

In a multifaceted study involving the Kuna Indians of Panama, an international team of scientists has pinpointed a chemical compound that is, in part, responsible, for the heart-healthy benefits of certain cocoas and some chocolate products. more

Defusing a time bomb: Heart attack risk-detection technology developed at UH 

A breakthrough in computational medicine is helping one University of Houston professor pave the way to uncover a ticking "time-bomb" in the heart. more

Genetics plays role in relapse of illicit drug-seeking behavior  

Inbred strains of rats differ in how aggressively they seek cocaine after a few weeks of use, researchers say. more

Divorce drops a person's wealth by 77 percent, study finds

A new nationwide study provides some of the best evidence to date of the devastating financial toll divorce can wreak on a person's wealth. more