Modern European languages tend to share their names with the places they’re spoken. Swedish: Sweden. German: Germany. And so on. But where’d they come from before that? David Reich, professor of genetics, is quoted.
Increasingly, researchers are demonstrating that getting poor sleep, or too little sleep, can make us behave badly. Even a small loss of sleep can have a large negative impact. Charles Czeisler, Frank Baldino, Jr., Ph.D. Professor of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is quoted.
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may slow down prostate cancer in men who are also taking medication to reduce their levels of male hormones, according to new research. Lauren Harshman, assistant professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is the study’s lead author.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents aged 10 to 24 and results in approximately 4,600 lives lost every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of suicides for youth living in rural areas is almost double the rate for youth living in urban areas. Randy Auerbach, assistant professor of psychiatry at McLean Hospital, is quoted.
The theory behind transcranial direction current stimulation (tDCS) is that a weak direct current alters the electric potential of nerve membranes within the brain. Felipe Fregni, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, is quoted.
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved its first “biosimilar” drug — a lower-cost version of an expensive, complex medication — which could boost market competition and lead to billions of dollars in savings for insurers and patients. Aaron Kesselheim, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is quoted.
Harvard Medical School held a symposium on Ebola that drew several hundred attendees for presentations about efforts to develop vaccines and therapeutics. Jeffrey S. Flier, dean of the faculty of medicine at Harvard University and Caroline Shields Walker Professor of Medicine; John Mekalanos, head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology and Adele Lehman Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; and Paul Farmer, Kolokotrones University Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine and head of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, are mentioned.
Steven Schlozman, assistant professor of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, authored this blog post about curtailing the national obsession with firearms.
New research suggests that a short nap not only feels nice, but it can reduce stress and help your body fight off illness, recover from sleep deprivation, and function better. Jeanne Duffy, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is quoted.
Gout, the most common type of inflammatory arthritis, affects an estimated 8.3 million Americans. People with the condition suffer from intense joint pain and a limited range of motion, but new research suggests a surprising benefit of the diagnosis: protection against Alzheimer’s disease. Hyon Choi, professor of medicine professor at Massachusetts General Hospital, led the research.
