A Worcester nonprofit aimed at finding a cure for narcolepsy has awarded its third round of grants to researchers. Thomas Scammell, HMS professor of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, is one of the recipients.
Scientists have long known that malnutrition during childhood, especially before a baby’s first birthday, can cause lifelong intellectual and behavioral problems. To make matters worse, a new study links those deficits to suppressed economic opportunities in adulthood, leading to a ripple effect on the surrounding community. Janina Galler, HMS professor of psychiatry at Judge Baker Children’s Center, is the lead author of the study.
A team of Boston scientists has for the first time altered the brain activity and behavior of monkeys with what sounds like science fiction — blue flashes of light that directly activate brain cells. Wim Vanduffel, HMS assistant professor of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, led the research.
Compared to people who’ve never smoked, former smokers have a higher risk of developing two inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, according to a new study. Leslie Higuchi, HMS instructor in pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, is the lead author.
New research sheds light on the fact that while access to health care has improved in Massachusetts, those in public programs have more difficulty finding doctors and paying for care. Danny McCormick, HMS assistant professor of medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance, is the lead author.
The massacre in Aurora, Colorado, has focused attention on abnormal or extreme behavior in the young. Serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, typically crop up in late adolescence or early adulthood, psychiatrists say. Mark Goldstein, HMS assistant professor of pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, is quoted.
Security flaws in medical devices that transmit health data on a screen or between patients and physicians could potentially expose consumers to physical harm if hackers gain remote control of the software, according to a new report by HMS and UMass Amherst that urges improved federal monitoring of therapies that rely on wireless connectivity.
Expanding U.S. state Medicaid programs may contribute to reduced death rates, as the poor, elderly and other vulnerable people benefit from greater access to health care, Harvard University researchers said in a report. Benjamin Sommers, HMS assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, led the study.
In a finding that could offer vital clues to scientists working to cure AIDS, Boston researchers reported Thursday that the virus was quashed beyond detection in two HIV-infected patients who underwent bone marrow transplants while taking powerful drug cocktails. Daniel Kuritzkes, HMS professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Timothy Henrich, HMS instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, led the study.
