Hormone News and Research

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A hormone is a chemical released by one or more cells that affects cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. It is essentially a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.

Finasteride combined with oral contraceptives may improve female hair loss

Finasteride, a medication approved to treat hair loss in men, may also improve the condition in women when combined with oral contraceptives, according to an article in the March issue of Archives of Dermatology.

21 Mar 2006

Pesticides more influential in causing cancer than previously thought

New research at the University of Liverpool suggests that environmental contaminants, such as pesticides, are more influential in causing cancer than previously thought.

20 Mar 2006

You're so vain, you probably think this "article" is about you!

Norwich Union Healthcare's 'Mr Vain' study, which surveyed over 500 men, suggests that a third of men hate their stomachs, 20% are unhappy with their legs and a quarter admit they have issues with their entire body.

17 Mar 2006

European research brings us a step closer to a better understanding of psychiatric disorders

About 1 in 10 Europeans has to contend with some form of depression during his or her life. But how people become depressed is still largely a mystery.

15 Mar 2006

Hormone C-type natriuretic peptide protects the heart muscle from thickening abnormally

When the heart is weakened, it tries to compensate for its impaired pumping function through an enlargement of the heart muscle cells. Physicians speak in this case of cardiac hypertrophy, abnormal enlargement of the heart.

13 Mar 2006

Australian researchers find key 'go-betweeen' in heart disease

Medical researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) - Australia, have shed light on a little-known mechanism involved in the thickening of arteries, a process associated with heart disease.

13 Mar 2006

Scientists exploit novel route to reverse enlarged hearts in obese mice

Working on genetically engineered obese mice with seriously thickened hearts, a condition call cardiac hypertrophy, scientists at Johns Hopkins have used a nerve protection and growth factor on the heart to mimic the activity of the brain hormone leptin, dramatically reducing the size of the heart muscle.

13 Mar 2006

Smk-1 is the first known gene that regulates longevity without disrupting life-sustaining function

Within a hormone-triggered cascade of molecular signals that plays a crucial for a wide range of physiological functions, researchers for the very first time have identified a protein that functions specifically to extend lifespan and youthfulness - without disrupting fertility

13 Mar 2006

Disturbance of serotonin can lead to sudden infant death syndrome

University of Chicago researchers and colleagues have found strong support that a disturbance of a specific neurochemical can lead to sudden infant death syndrome, the primary cause of death before age 1 in the United States.

13 Mar 2006

Nematode hormone discovery may aid fight against parasitic disease

New research at UT Southwestern Medical Center shows that on a biochemical level, hormone-like molecules in tiny worms called nematodes work similarly to the way in which certain hormones work in humans - findings that one day may help eradicate worm infections that afflict a third of the world's population.

9 Mar 2006

Sex chromosome genes influence aggression

It has been well documented that, across human cultures and in most mammals, males are usually more aggressive and less nurturing than females.

9 Mar 2006

Depressed older adults more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment

Older adults with depressive symptoms are more likely than those without depression to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) within six years, according to a study conducted by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

9 Mar 2006

Deodorants - a risk factor for breast cancer?

Underarm deodorants or antiperspirants are an essential part of the modern day hygiene routine, but most underarm hygiene products contain chemicals that work to disguise odour and reduce wetness. They also contain preservatives which ensure the product continues to work for a long period.

8 Mar 2006

Discovery of compound that reduces hallmark lesions of Alzheimer's disease in mice

Researchers at UC Irvine have found that a new compound not only relieves the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but also reduces the two types of brain lesions that are hallmarks of this devastating disease, thereby blocking its progression.

7 Mar 2006

Genes play a key role in stress response

Both nature and nurture - genetic makeup and the environment experienced through life - combine to influence health and well-being, Duke University Medical Center researchers and their colleagues have determined in four new studies.

7 Mar 2006

Study may lead to ways to reduce heart attacks in diabetes patients

For people with type 2 diabetes, the death rate from a first heart attack is two to three times the death rate of patients without the disease. Similarly, patients with diabetes and ischemic (reduced blood flow) heart disease have a much higher mortality rate than the general population.

7 Mar 2006

Study to explore whether hormone therapy in women during menopause protects against atherosclerosis

Researchers in The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale have launched the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS), which will further understanding of the possible beneficial effects on the heart and arteries and/or quality of life in recently menopausal women.

7 Mar 2006

As children transform into adults some of the genes involved in controlling their blood pressure change as well

The study of black and white identical and fraternal twins showed that changes in gene expression between ages 14 and 18 accounted for up to one third of the blood pressure variation that occurred by age 18, says Dr. Harold Snieder, genetic epidemiologist at the Medical College of Georgia.

7 Mar 2006

Anti-inflammatory effect of beer

Scientists at Innsbruck Medical University have succeeded in demonstrating the anti-inflammatory effect of beer extracts.

6 Mar 2006

Topical therapies show promise for Psoriasis

Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly patches that itch and bleed, not only makes the activities of daily life difficult, but also can affect a person's emotional well being.

6 Mar 2006