Medical Portal

Researchers from Medical School of Pennsylvania University have shown that human neurons can be used to create the three-dimensional networks with a set topology, suitable for transplantation on a place of the damaged nerve tissues.

Earlier scientists have managed to grow in a nutrient medium rats’ network of neurons from back-radicular ganglions. In the new work they have created a similar network from human neurons.

Scientists isolated nerve cells from back-radicular ganglions and thoracal neurons. Cells have been cleared and raised in a nutrient solution, stimulating growth of axons by a mechanical tension. Axons grew approximately 1 millimeter a day, and in general neurons have been cultivated for about 3 months, keeping their ability to transmit nerve impulses.

The winter gradually comes to an end, but despite of increasing light day, the mood for some reasons does not want to improve. And some people begin to suffer from the seasonal depression. Nothing can help – neither long sleep, nor eating chocolate.

Northlands inhabitants suffer from seasonal depressions stronger than others. It is connected to production of melatonin in winter time. This hormone is produced by a pineal gland and controls reaction of the organism to change of illumination.

The majority people suffering from seasonal depression can be cured with phototherapy. Constantly switched on light in an apartment will not rescue. The vital thing is a source of the bright light close to the natural one. In room conditions it can be created by 3 - 4 fluorescent lamps covered with a matte glass.

It is necessary to be near the light source not further than one and a half meters. The time for phototherapy - in the early morning, one hour the least. Many people describe an effect from light baths, as the holiday spent in tropics.

New American research has shown that there is connection between excess weight and depression in middle-aged woman.

Scientists have collected the information about growth, weight, diet and physical activity of 4641 women.

In result they have found out that women suffering from depression, twice more often suffer from excess weight, and women suffering from excess weight, twice more often are subject to a depression. Connection between excess weight and depression remained strong even taking into account marital status, education, smoking and taking antidepressants.

Depression and fatness are closely interconnected and inject each other, considers Gregory Simon, head of the research.

In Gregory Simon’s opinion, putting on the weight leads to depression, and being in depression it is more difficult to do something for growing thin. The stout label lowers self-respect and desire to grow thin.

An international group of scientists from America and Italy has conducted large-scale brain survey and has found out a substance anandamin, which on its properties is similar to marihuana.

According to scientists, anandamin is endogenous substance, that is generated by an organism. Researches have shown, that this substance also acts as an analgesic and antidepressant.

Experts led by Daniel Piomelli, director of the Medicines Development Center at the Californian University Irvin, have conducted an experiment during which they injected to aggressive laboratory rats the new created substance URB597, which blocks anandamin disassimilation in a brain, raising its level.
Laboratory rats had raised level of the substance and started to behave antiaggressively.

According to scientists, substance URB597 also takes part in feed regulation and influences adiposity processes. URB597 has already been patented and in 2008 the European pharmaceutical company Organon will start its clinical tests.

British scientists from the Medical school of Hull and York have conducted an experiment and found out that black chocolate more effectively than white helps to treat chronic weariness.

10 people participated in experiment: 5 from them within two months consumed 45 g of black chocolate daily. The others ate white, but tinted so that it did not differ seemingly from black.

Then the experiment has been suspended for a month and after that researchers have changed type of chocolate.

It turned out that those who ate black chocolate, less complained of weariness. But when they stopped to eat it, they began to complain of weariness even more.

The head of the research, endocrinologist Steve Atkin has said: “Black chocolate is rich with polyphenols which positively influence on health, in particular, lower pressure. However the high content of polyphenol, probably, promotes increase of serotonin level in a brain, and low serotonin level is connected with a syndrome of chronic lassitude”.

According to Atkin, additional researches are required to confirm his conclusions; however, his experiment didn’t harm any patient. But what is the most important, none from volunteers has put on excess weight.

Scientists from American Northwestern University in Chicago conducted 30-years researches and have proved, that timidity and shyness, reduce lifetime and cause cardiovascular diseases.
It is necessary to note, that objects of the study were men exclusively. So it has been established, that timid men are twice more often exposed to heart attacks and insults, than their coevals without complexes.
Thus as appeared, even such factors as meal peculiarities, smoking and excessive weight have no appreciable influence on this phenomenon.
“Everything witness to that, that shy people should change their way of life immediately: they should more often meet with their friends, go to theatres, cafes, restaurants and dance halls”, - declared one of the scientists.
At the same time scientists cannot explain for a while why socially more active people are less often ill with dangerous to life cardiovascular diseases.

Scientists have revealed that detailed discussion of problems with friends raises risk of anxiety and depression at girls and teenagers. Most likely the same concerns adult people.
Research lasted for six months, 813 children and teenagers took part in it. Girls who discussed problems with friends more often had symptoms of depression and anxiety, than those did not devote much time to conversations about their problems.
Scientists assume that endless “chewing” of routine problems leads to constant feeling of alarms and hopelessness. Besides the girls devoting to too much time to discussion of their difficulties, have not enough time for more useful pastime which could cheer them up.
“It is wonderful to have an opportunity to tell about the problems, but in this occupation moderation is needed”, - says the author of the research Amanda Roz (Missouri University, Columbia, the USA).
It is interesting, that the boys who discussed the problems with friends, considered their friendship more strong, but, as against to girls, were not exposed to risk of emotional disorders. Psychologists assume that girls, in comparison with boys, are more inclined to take another’s problems to heart.

The Swiss scientists during the World Congress on neuropathology in Melbourne (Australia) informed that they have managed to find remedy for shyness.
Scientists have discovered that hormone oxytocin can help people which suffer from sociophobia as this hormone influences separate zones of a brain responsible for fear.
Marcus Heinriehs and his colleagues from university of Zurich during their research have examined 70 patients which suffered this illness that is characterized by huge nervousness and isolation of the person. During the whole experiment patients received hormone oxytocin as a spray for nose.
It appeared, that oxytocin helped patients to get confidence and has increased their readiness for a dialogue in various role situations.

The research conducted at the University of California has shown, that it is not important whom you speak to - a friend, a concrete wall or the imagined interlocutor. Both that, and another helps a human brain to cope with a crisis situation.
According to scientists, putting into words anger, annoyance and disappointment calms brain’s sector which is responsible for emotional shocks. Bluntly speaking, conversation reduces work of the sector responsible for a panic and fear, making active the area responsible for the control over emotions. This process allows the person to calm down and cope with negative feelings.
Within the framework of an experiment scientists have connected to brain scanners 18 women and 12 men in the age from 18 till 36 years. The volunteers have been shown photos with the faces reflecting various emotions - such as anger and fear - and have been asked to describe these feelings.
Research has shown, that at that moment when the person uses words “malicious� and “angry� to the face reflecting these emotions - scanners show decrease in reaction in amigdalin sector, the part of a brain responsible for emotions and feelings.

The amount of antidepressant prescriptions in the Great Britain in 2006 has reached 31 millions. Such information was published in the research of the British public organization Mind engaged in problems of mental health.
The exact number of the British regularly taking antidepressants remains unknown; however, experts consider that there are a few millions of them.
The last generation antidepressants are the so-called selective inhibitors of the return serotonin capture. Despite of the efficiency of these drugs, it is not recommend to take them for treatment of slight forms of depression because of dangerous side-effects: first of all, the increased susceptibility to a suicide and dangerous behavior of patients.
According to Mind’s data, consumption of these drugs in the Great Britain has increased by 10 % in comparison with the last year. The general number of drug prescriptions has increased by 6 %.
In opinion of the researchers, the responsibility for a developed situation lays on doctors who too willingly prescribe drug therapy, and seldom use alternative methods, such as psychotherapy and physical exercises which are also effective in treatment of slight forms of depression.