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Stereotaxis reports first-ever use of Niobe Magnetic Navigation System to treat hypertension

Stereotaxis, Inc. announced today the first-ever use of its Niobe® Magnetic Navigation System in a renal artery ablation procedure for the treatment of chronic hypertension that was not treatable with medication.

24 Feb 2011

Scientist finds potential positive influence of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular health

A Michigan Technological University scientist is finding a growing body of evidence suggesting that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil protect against cardiovascular disease.

14 Feb 2011

Study sheds light on difficulty of controlling blood pressure in patients with high aldosterone levels

A hormone already responsible for increasing blood pressure by prompting the kidneys to retain salt appears to moonlight as a major stimulator of the brain centers that control the vascular system and blood pressure.

10 Nov 2010

Studies explore impact of upper GI conditions on sleep

The impact of upper GI conditions, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia, on sleep—and treatments aimed at providing relief to heartburn/acid reflux patients who suffer from disordered sleep—were explored in three new studies related to sleep dysfunction presented today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

18 Oct 2010

Optogenetics helps to restore optimal movement in people with physical disabilities

Researchers at Stanford University were able to use light to induce normal patterns of muscle contraction, in a study involving bioengineered mice whose nerve-cell surfaces are coated with special light-sensitive proteins.

28 Sep 2010

Research on gut mucosa enables effective drug treatment for irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome makes life miserable for those affected an estimated ten percent or more of the population. And what irritates many of them even more is that they often are labeled as hypochondriacs, since physical causes for irritable bowel syndrome have never been identified. Now, biologists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have shed new light on the matter: They have discovered mini-inflammations in the mucosa of the gut, which upset the sensitive balance of the bowel and are accompanied by sensitization of the enteric nervous system.

20 Aug 2010

Research findings could help save lives from sick sinus syndrome

The pioneering research, using detailed computer models, could help save lives through preventative treatment of those most at risk from a form of heart rhythm disorder called sick sinus syndrome.

From The University of Manchester 7 Jul 2010

Brain stimulation with ultrasound may enhance cognitive function

The ability to diagnose and treat brain dysfunction without surgery, may rely on a new method of noninvasive brain stimulation using pulsed ultrasound developed by a team of scientists led by William "Jamie" Tyler, a neuroscientist at Arizona State University. The approach, published in the journal Neuron on June 9, shows that pulsed ultrasound not only stimulates action potentials in intact motor cortex in mice but it also "elicits motor responses comparable to those only previously achieved with implanted electrodes and related techniques," says Yusuf Tufail, the lead author from ASU's School of Life Sciences.

10 Jun 2010

New study provides cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness

A Nobel Prize-winning University of Utah geneticist discovered that bone marrow transplants cure mutant mice who pull out their hair compulsively. The study provides the first cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness, and points toward eventual new psychiatric treatments.

28 May 2010

Study: Protein channel aids nerve sensors in controlling blood pressure

University of Iowa researchers have shown that a protein channel helps nerve sensors in blood vessels keep blood pressure in check. Without the protein channel, known as ASIC2, the sensors are unable to send the brain the signals it needs to properly control blood pressure.

24 Dec 2009

Exercise remains one of the most effective interventions for peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects 5 million individuals in the U.S. and is the leading cause of limb amputations. Doctors have long considered exercise to be the single best therapy for PAD, and now a new study helps explain why. Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and published in this week's Online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the findings demonstrate that a protein called PGC-1alpha plays a key role in the process.

3 Dec 2009

New findings on Alzheimer's disease suggest a possible way for treatment

The action of a small protein that is a major villain in Alzheimer's disease can be counterbalanced with another brain protein, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in an animal study.

7 Oct 2009

Researchers learn some of nicotine's secrets

Duke University Medical System researchers have discovered there are differing taste pathways for nicotine, which could provide a new approach for future smoking-cessation products.

23 Jan 2009

Link found between mitochondria and tumor formation in stem cells

Researchers report on a previously unknown relationship between stem cell potency and the metabolic rate of their mitochondria -a cell's energy makers. Stem cells with more active mitochondria also have a greater capacity to differentiate and are more likely to form tumors.

12 Oct 2008

Susceptibility to pain is affected by premature birth and also genetics

Scientists in US and UK laboratories have made key discoveries into the elusive nature of pain in children and adults. The results, presented at the Forum of European Neurosciences Monday will help guide the future management and treatment of pain.

14 Jul 2008

Premature babies feel pain but don't show it

Brain scans of premature babies undergoing a simple medical procedure have revealed though they may appear to be pain free, they are experiencing pain.

24 Jun 2008

3D view of neurons provided by new technique

A new technique that marries a fast-moving laser beam with a special microscope that look at tissues in different optical planes will enable scientists to get a three-dimensional view of neurons or nerve cells as they interact, said Baylor College of Medicine scientists in a report that appears in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

27 Apr 2008

Botox effective for CHARGE Syndrome in infants

Botulinum toxin, also called Botox, is best known as one of the most commonly used molecules to reduce wrinkles.

18 Mar 2008

Risk factors for Parkinson's disease focus of new research

A new study demonstrates that high levels of MAO-B, an enzyme that regulates nerve activity in the brain, cause Parkinson's-like symptoms in mice genetically engineered to overexpress the protein.

20 Feb 2008

One red wine good, two bad!, says study

One drink of either red wine or alcohol slightly benefits the heart and blood vessels, but the positive effects on specific biological markers disappear with two drinks, say researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital.

13 Feb 2008