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Compounds found in green tea , carrots and rice have helped reverse Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice genetically programmed to develop the neurodegenerative disease, a study has found. The study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, was carried in mice, and many mouse discoveries never translate into human treatments, researchers noted. However, the findings lend credence to the idea that certain readily available, plant-based supplements might offer protection against dementia in humans, they said. "You do not have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market; you can make these dietary changes today," said Terrence Town, a professor at the University of Southern California (USC) in the US. "I find that very encouraging," Town said in statement. The study supports the idea that combination therapy, rather than a single magic bullet, may offer the best approach to treating people living with Alzheimer's. ...

Trying to figure out a trick to keep mental stress in check? It turns out just thinking about your romantic partner during a stressful situation may help keep your blood pressure under control just as effectively as actually having your significant other in the room with you. As part of a recent study, 102 participants were asked to complete a stressful task which included submerging one foot into 3 inches of cold water ranging from 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The participants, all of whom were in committed romantic relationships, were randomly assigned to one of three conditions when completing the task. * They either had their significant other sitting quietly in the room with them during the task. * They were instructed to think about their romantic partner as a source of support during the task * Or they were instructed to think about their day during the task. Those who had their partner physically present in the room or who thought about their partner had...

Business Standard : Do you sleep too much or do you not get sufficient sleep ? If so, there is bad news. The amount of time you sleep, including daytime naps, is associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, a new study warns. The study found that people who slept for longer than the recommended duration of six to eight hours a day had an increased risk of dying or developing heart disease or stroke. "Our study shows that the optimal duration of estimated sleep is six to eight hours per day for adults," said Chuangshi Wang, postdoctoral student from the McMaster University in Canada. "Too little sleep could be an underlying contributor to death and cases of cardiovascular disease, and too much sleep may indicate underlying conditions that increase risk," Wang added. Although daytime napping was associated with higher risks of death or cardiovascular problems in those with sufficient or longer sleep at night, this w...

Business Standard : As most brides-to-be aspire for a fairytale wedding , they often neglect the stress and anxiety that comes along with it. Don't get too consumed and do take care of your mental health, experts suggest. Shreyasi Ghosh, Content Head, The Wedding Brigade and Saket Nath Tiwari, Psychiatrist, National Mental Health Programme, Ghaziabad, have shared their thoughts on importance of mental health -- whether you're a bride-to-be with a pre-existing mental health disorder or one with a serious case of pre-wedding blues: * Accept your condition: As in the case of every other problem, even with depression, acceptance is the first step towards getting better. Even if your first reaction to your diagnosis is denial, know that acceptance is extremely empowering. It prepares you for your next step towards recovery. Acceptance, however, does not mean resignation to your problem. It means understanding you have special needs and finding those to better equip your...

A new research has suggested that higher-level brain functions play a major role in losing weight . In the study among 24 participants at a weight-loss clinic, those who achieved the greatest success in terms of weight loss demonstrated more activity in the brain regions of the lateral prefrontal cortex associated with self-control. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Cell Metabolism. "What we found is that in humans, the control of body weight is dependent largely on the areas of the brain involved in self-control and self-regulation. That area of the brain has the ability to take into account long-term information, such as the desire to be healthy, in order to control immediate desires," said Alain Dagher of the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital in Canada. Two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, are known to trigger the body to eat in a weight-loss setting. Previous research confirms that these hormone levels change rapidly when ...

Business Standard : According to a study, people with treatment-resistant Back pain may get significant and lasting relief with dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation therapy, an innovative treatment that short-circuits pain. Chronic pain - pain that lasts three months or more - occurs when nerves continue to send signals to the brain after the original source of the pain is gone. An alternative to spinal cord stimulation, DRG stimulation disrupts pain signals by specifically targeting the nerves responsible for the pain. This may avoid unnecessary stimulation of nerve fibers that come from non-painful areas, which may occur with spinal cord stimulation. It also helps to meet the need for non-drug pain treatments in select patients. During the study at American Society of Anesthesiologists, people who had DRG stimulation reported significant improvement in pain even after a year. They had tried numerous therapies, from drugs to spinal cord stimulation to surgery, but got l...