Powerful scans are letting doctors watch just how the brain changes in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and concussion-like brain injuries – signature damage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It’s work that one day may allow far easier diagnosis for patients – civilian or military – who today struggle to get help for these

A new study of twins suggests that environmental factors, including conditions in the womb, may be at least as important as genes in causing autism. The researchers did not say which environmental influences might be at work. But other experts said the new study, released online on Monday, marked an important shift in thinking about

Researchers develop biologically based test with 94% accuracy Researchers have developed a biologically based test for autism, which uses MRI to measure deviations in brain circuitry and can detect the disorder in individuals with high-functioning autism with 94 percent accuracy. Indeed, we have new ways to discover more about the biological basis of autism and

New Molecule Heralds Hope for Muscular Dystrophy Treatment enlarge In myotonic dystrophy, a mutation causes RNA to bind to an important protein in the cell nucleus. A new molecule developed at the University of Illinois causes the RNA to “let go” of the protein, breaking up the nuclear clusters. (Credit: Graphic by Amin Haghighat Jahromi)

In FD is a rare genetic disorder that impacts the nervous system and appears almost exclusively in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. Photo by: Thinkstock/Imagebank A natural food supplement widely available in pharmacies and health stores – called phosphatidylserine – is made from beef, oysters and soy. Proven to improve cognition and slow memory loss, it’s

Premature Babies at Risk of Ill Health in Later Life, Research Suggests The number of preterm babies born each year is rising, and in developed countries, around 2 per cent of babies are born before 33 weeks of gestation. (Credit: Fanfo / Fotolia) ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2011) Young adults who were born prematurely show multiple

WASHINGTON  After staunchly defending the safety of artificial food colorings, the federal government is for the first time publicly reassessing whether foods like Jell-O, Lucky Charms cereal and Minute Maid Lemonade should carry warnings that the bright artificial colorings in them worsen behavior problems like hyperactivity in some children. The Food and Drug Administration concluded

Five years ago, Colton and Mandersheidi surveyed mortality data from eight states and concluded that, on average, Americans with major mental illness die 14 to 32 years earlier than the general population. The average life expectancy for people with major mental illness ranged from 49 to 60 years of age in the states they examined

What a learning disorder is not By BETTY KLINCK USA TODAY Despite an increased understanding that kids learn differently, a majority of Americans still do not completely understand what conditions are related to learning disabilities, a new poll says. The report by the Tremaine Foundation, which supports programs in arts, environment and disabilities, is based

Compassion Fatigue, Fort Hood, Military, As we prepare to send a “surge” of 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, we must look urgently and squarely at the mental health as well as the military and political consequences of our deployment. This means preparing American men and women to deal as effectively as they can with the

The MDA & St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY are providing free support groups for patients and their families. The groups are held on a monthly basis on Fridays from 12 to 1pm at the Outpatient Clinic. The upcoming groups are listed below: PEDIATRIC GROUP Mar 18 May 20 July 15 Sept 16 Nov

NEW YORK — Teens who routinely smoke marijuana risk a long-term drop in their IQ, a new study suggests. The researchers didn’t find the same IQ dip for people who became frequent users of pot after 18. Although experts said the new findings are not definitive, they do fit in with earlier signs that the