Childhood Stress Can Result In Structural Brain Changes

New research shows childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect can result in structural brain changes
New research using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows that childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect, in particular when combined with genetic factors, can result in structural brain changes, rendering these people more vulnerable to developing depression. The study led by scientists at Trinity College Dublin has just been published in the international scientific journal, Neuropsychopharmacology.
Commenting on the significance of the findings, Trinity's Professor Thomas Frodl at the School of Medicine and Trinity Institute for Neuroscience said: "This improved neurobiological understanding shows how stress and genetic variants interact and affect brain structure and function. In turn it demonstrates how it could affect a person's propensity for depression. These structural alterations of the brain are associated with a higher vulnerability to depression and a more chronic course of the depression might be associated with further structural changes".

"Therefore, early intervention in the case of major depression is necessary to increase the chance of a good disease outcome. Fortunately, depression can be treated very well by psychotherapy and antidepressant medication. Moreover, prevention strategies for childhood neglect and misuse are highly important to increase public health and to avoid in later life for these individuals, the burden of major depression."
The world health organization (WHO) found that major depression is one of the most important human diseases with a prevalence of about 10% worldwide. Approximately 500,000 people in Ireland have or will develop major depression in their life. The WHO has forecast that major depression will be the second most common cause of disability by 2020. Advances in this area will have a high impact on overall disease costs.

The study was conducted on a total of 24 patients (aged 18-65 years) being treated as inpatients for major depression. They were investigated with high-resolution structural MRI and childhood stress assessments. Special analysis programs were used to measure brain regions. These patients were compared with 27 healthy control subjects from the local community who were matched for age and gender. Further research is needed in a larger number of patients and controls to identify the underlying causes of depression and stress-gene interaction on brains structure as well as function. 

Grape juice may help memory, Welch's study says

New research funded by Welch Food Inc. suggests that drinking Concord grape juice may "support healthy brain function" in people 65 and over.
"Data from the double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot investigation led by Dr. Robert Krikorian, (department of psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine) suggested that drinking Concord grape juice was beneficial with respect to memory function," Welch said in a press release.
Headquartered in Concord, Welch's is the processing and marketing subsidiary of the National Grape Cooperative and markets products such as 100-percent Concord grape juice under the Welch's brand name. The cooperative is owned by more than 1,200 family farmers.
Welch's has long helped finance studies that examine the impact of Concord grape consumption on cardiovascular health, but this is the first Welch's study that has looked at brain function and memory decline, said Casey Lewis, Welch's health and nutrition manager.
"What is good for the heart may also be good for the mind," Lewis said.
The working hypothesis that can be drawn from Krikorian's study is that the plant nutrients  unique to the Concord grape are what are providing the health benefits, Lewis said.
In a statement, Krikorian said: "Our preliminary findings suggest that supplementing the diet with Concord grape juice may provide benefit for older adults with early memory changes. While further study is warranted to assess the potential of Concord grape juice to forestall progression of age-related memory decline, these results are very encouraging."
The photo with this post was provided by Welch's.

Proton beam therapy shows encouraging long-term outcome for patients with locally advanced sinonasal cancers

Proton beam radiation therapy shows encouraging results for patients with locally advanced sinonasal malignancies, according to a study presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium, sponsored by AHNS, ASCO, ASTRO and SNM.

Sinonasal cancers are very rare but aggressive types of cancer. Patients usually present with advanced stage with tumors involving normal structures in the skull base such as eyes, optic nerves, brain. Between 1991 and 2003, 99 patients with newly diagnosed sinonasal cancers were treated with proton beam therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Sixty-seven percent of the patients had some type of surgery prior to their radiation. The median total dose to the primary tumor was 70 Gray. After a median follow-up of 8.5 years, the local control rates at five and eight years were 87 percent and 83 percent, respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference in local control per histological subtype, T stage, and surgery vs. biopsy.
"Due to the anatomical location of sinonasal cancers, conventional radiation therapy results in very poor local control and is associated with significant treatment-related toxicity," Annie Chan, M.D., a radiation oncologist and the principal investigator of the study at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, said. "Proton beam radiation therapy, with its superior dose distribution, allows the delivery of higher doses of radiation to the tumor while sparing more or the healthy surrounding tissues. This study showed very encouraging results for these patients and now prospective multi-institutional studies are being planned to further study the use of proton therapy in the treatment of this rare but aggressive malignancy."

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The abstract, "Long-term Outcome of Proton Beam Therapy for Advanced Sinonasal Malignacies," will be presented in the plenary session on Thursday, February 25, 2010. To speak with one of the study authors, contact Beth Bukata or Nicole Napoli on February 25-26, 2010, in the press room at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa at 520-796-8228. You may also e-mail them at bethb@astro.org or nicolen@astro.org.
About the American Head and Neck Society
The American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) is the single largest organization in North America for the advancement of research and education in head and neck oncology. The purpose of the AHNS is to promote and advance the knowledge of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of neoplasms and other diseases of the head and neck; to promote and advance research in diseases of the head and neck; and to promote and advance the highest professional and ethical standards.
About the American Society of Clinical Oncology
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 28,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.Cancer.Net.
About the American Society for Radiation Oncology
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.
About SNM
Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy SNM is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to raising public awareness about what molecular imaging is and how it can help provide patients with the best health care possible. SNM members specialize in molecular imaging, a vital element of today's medical practice that adds an additional dimension to diagnosis, changing the way common and devastating diseases are understood and treated.

Nanotechnology may tap into your mind

Advances in nanotecnology could result in sensor that can read and write information directly into the brain 

Telecommunications researchers in Japan are attempting to create electronic sensors that can not only receive information from the brain, but could manipulate our neural pathways.

While the concept might conjure science-fiction images of half-human, half-machine cyborgs, Dr Keiichi Torimitsu of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), says the research is more likely to provide relief for people with Parkinson's disease or overcoming stroke.
Torimitsu presented his team's work on the development of bionic, or bio-mimetic, brain sensors at this week's International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICONN) in Sydney.
"Establishing connections between the brain and electrical instruments is important for understanding how the brain works and for controlling neural activity," says Torimitsu, who heads NTT's Molecular and Bioscience Group.
"To develop some kind of devices or interfaces with the brain that would make it possible to transmit our information, sending it through the telecommunication pathways to another person or device such as a computer - that is the goal."
A neural interface would be a significant achievement in the rapidly advancing realm of bionic technology, which includes devices such as the cochlear ear implant.

Nano-connections

Torimitsu is working on creating a nano-scaled implant comprising a nano-electrode coated with an artificial membrane that mimics the receptor proteins found on the surface of brain cells, such as glutamate and GABA receptors -involved in increasing and inhibiting brain activity.
Interactions between the receptors and neurotransmitters naturally generate electrical activity. Carefully placed nano-electrodes receive the neurotransmissions providing an instant, accurate electrical reflection of what is occurring, which can be read by an external device.
Torimitsu hopes it would not only monitor activity, but also interact in the connections between neurons known as the synapses.
Ideally, he says, the device would use a biological energy source such as glucose.
"If we could use those proteins on a nano-electrode to generate electrical responses, we could achieve the bio-mimicry of responses."
Torimitsu admits there are a number of hurdles to overcome such as adverse immune responses and possible faults with the machinery. He says at this stage it's unlikely that healthy people would volunteer to have the devices implanted.
But, Torimitsu says it has great medical potential for stroke sufferers and people with Parkinson's disease where brain activity could be controlled.

Australian connections

The Japanese team is working with several researchers in Australia to refine the concept and devise applications for the technology.
Torimitsu has been working with Dr Simon Koblar of the University of Adelaide's Centre for Molecular Genetics of Development, looking at how to apply the technology for the treatment of stroke sufferers.
He is also about to commence working with the University of Wollongong's Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, which works at the forefront of bionics.
Director of the Institute, Professor Gordon Wallace, says one of the goals is to improve the interface with cochlear implant.
He says Torimitsu's work - a meeting of telecommunications technology and biological knowledge - shows why it makes it a very exciting time to be doing such research.
"People are starting to realise all around the world that there are lots of tools that we can use that we already have at our disposal to make this field progress very quickly," says Wallace.