Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Heavy, chronic drinking can cause significant hippocampal tissue loss

Heavy, chronic drinking can cause significant hippocampal tissue loss: " * The hippocampus, a brain structure vital to learning and memory, is likely vulnerable to damage from heavy and chronic alcohol consumption.
* A new study has found a reduction in total hippocampus volume among alcoholics.
* This suggests that heavy drinking can cause significant hippocampal tissue loss.

The hippocampus is a brain structure vital to learning and memory. It also appears vulnerable to damage from chronic, heavy alcohol consumption. An examination of alcohol's effects on the hippocampus has found that heavy drinking can reduce total hippocampus volume, which likely reflects a loss of hippocampal tissue substance.

Results are published in the November issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research."

Behavioral and emotional problems common among children with developmental disabilities

Behavioral and emotional problems common among children with developmental disabilities: "Children and adolescents with developmental disabilities often have emotional and behavioral problems, and these problems can persist as the person grows older, according to a study in the October 25 issue of JAMA."

Alcoholism may cause decreased density of neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex

Alcoholism may cause decreased density of neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex: "Researchers do not, however, find a link to death by suicide among alcoholics

* The orbitofrontal cortex (ORB) may play an important role in risky decision making, impulsive behaviors, and disturbances in reward processing that tend to accompany addiction.
* Researchers examine if functional alterations in the ORB may be linked to suicide among alcoholics.
* Alcoholism appears to cause a decrease in the overall density of neurons in the ORB, but this does not appear to be related to death by suicide among alcoholics."

Friday, January 05, 2007

Adolescent brains are insensitive to alcohol for a short time, but at great cost

Adolescent brains are insensitive to alcohol for a short time, but at great cost: "The adolescent ability to quickly develop alcohol tolerance allows for greater abuse of alcohol

* Adolescent brains can compensate for some of alcohol’s effects, including intoxication and hangover.
* New findings indicate they are also less impaired by alcohol’s effects on social inhibition. Adolescent brains can compensate for some of alcohol’s effects, including intoxication and hangover.
* New findings indicate they are also less impaired by alcohol’s effects on social inhibition.
* However, this ability to have more drinks per occasion will also likely lead to alcohol abuse."

Electronic chip, interacting with the brain, modifies pathways for controlling movement

Electronic chip, interacting with the brain, modifies pathways for controlling movement: "Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) are working on an implantable electronic chip that may help establish new nerve connections in the part of the brain that controls movement. Their most recent study, to be published in the Nov. 2, 2006, edition of Nature, showed such a device can induce brain changes in monkeys lasting more than a week. Strengthening of weak connections through this mechanism may have potential in the rehabilitation of patients with brain injuries, stroke, or paralysis."

Catching Up Time

Just a warning - I will be shortcutting and posting a WHOLE BUNCH of posts that have been sitting in my box waiting for me to do something with them.

Nothing pretty, just an info dump for a while here.

Brace yourself.