Fact or fiction? Losing one’s ability to use a particular sense will heighten the other senses. Neuroscientists at McGill University, home of the world-renowned Montreal Neurological Institute, set out to test this idea and discovered that in certain circumstances blindness can, in fact, heighten the other senses. By testing blind and sighted subjects for pitch perception and their ability to locate sounds, researchers found that blind subjects generally scored higher, not surprisingly. However, they also discovered that those who were born blind performed the best, while those who became blind as young children were slightly worse, and those who lost their vision after age 10 did no better than the sighted subjects. The theory is that a young brain could be rewired so that visual-processing areas were used for other purposes. And sure enough, by looking at MRI scans of subjects’ brains, they discovered that blind subjects who performed the best were using both the visual and auditory regions of their brains. [via New York Times]
An article in the September 17th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine proposes that a national “soda tax” of 1 cent per ounce of soda and other sugar-laden drinks could curb the United State’s obesity epidemic while generating funds to promote obesity prevention programs. While this tax strategy has reduced cigarette and alcohol use, will it would work with food? That remains to be seen. “There are certain products which make a strong contribution to the obesity epidemic while, conversely, there is no plausible public health benefit [from them],” noted Dr. David Ludwig, senior author of the paper and associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Opponents of such an idea say that singling out a specific food type sends the wrong public health message. Rather, they say, the government should promote proper nutrition education. Would a heftier price stem your appetite for soda? [via BusinessWeek]
Historically, pregnant women have been one of the groups least likely to get the flu vaccine for a variety of reasons. Not surprisingly, their reluctance to take any medication during pregnancy is one of the reasons for the low vaccination rates. Additionally, the majority of obstetricians do not routinely vaccinate their patients due to costs involved and that it’s not part of routine obstetrician training. Therefore, the CDC and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology are urging obstetricians to partner with hospitals or drugstores to guarantee their patients a place to get the flu shot. A vaccine is a two-for-one deal during pregnancy. It can protect both mom and baby because the flu-fighting antibodies made by mom will cross the placenta to the fetus and can help protect the baby during its first few months of life. This is why health officials are working on increasing the number of vaccinated pregnant women this year, especially since pregnant women make up 6% of H1N1-confirmed deaths even though they account for only 1% of the population. [via NBC News]
We know that a diet high in sugar can contribute to obesity, which in turn can cause hypertension. But now scientists have discovered that sugar, especially fructose, can have a direct bearing on one’s blood pressure. The connection? Uric acid. If you have gout, you probably know a bit about uric acid. It’s the substance that builds up in joints during a painful gout attack. But it seems that uric acid can also inhibit the production of nitric oxide, a compound that is essential for keeping our blood vessels flexible – when our blood vessels are less flexible and compliant, hypertension sets in. Researchers tested this theory by placing subjects on a high-fructose diet and giving some of them allopurinol, a drug commonly used to reduce uric acid levels in patients with gout. Those who weren’t on the drug had a 6 mm Hg-increase in systolic blood pressure and a 3 mm Hg-increase in diastolic pressure, compared to those on allopurinol. These findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research Conference in Chicago. [via ABC News]
This is going to be a busy flu season, especially considering that there will be two different flu vaccines available – one for the seasonal flu and the other for H1N1 (swine) flu. There are different recommendations for both vaccines, but only the seasonal flu vaccine is currently available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends any adult who wants to reduce their risk of becoming ill with influenza to get the vaccine. However, if you are on the fence about the decision here is an up-to-date list from the CDC of high risk groups that should not think twice about getting the vaccine:
persons aged 50 years and older;
women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
persons who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
health-care personnel;
household contacts and caregivers of children aged <5 years and adults aged 50 years and older, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged <6 months; and
household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications from influenza.
*If you have concerns about thimerosal or other vaccine preservatives, this year’s flu vaccine only comes in two flavors – latex-containing and latex-free. Neither contains thimerosal.
Some researchers believe the popularity of indoor tanning among adolescent girls in recent years may be behind a recent increase in melanoma rates among U.S. women aged 15-39. Melanoma is a dangerous type of skin cancer. This has prompted the FDA to recommend to indoor tanning operators that teenagers be limited to three or fewer sessions in the first week of tanning. However, a new study published in the Archives of Dermatology shows that only about 11% of operators followed these guidelines, and 71% of tanning bed operators said they would allow a teen to tan seven days a week. “Exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning lamps has been linked with both melanoma and squamous cell cancer, and first exposure before age 35 years may increase melanoma risk by as much as 75 percent,” said the study authors. [CBS News]
If you still have doubts about the perils of smoking, a new report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association should clarify any suspicion. After looking at 13 major studies which evaluated the number of heart attacks after smoking bans were instituted in the US, Canada and Europe, researchers found that the total number of heart attacks dropped almost immediately – 17% within one year – and nearly 36% over a three-year period. This dramatic decline in heart attack rate is not only due to less smokers having heart attacks, but passive or secondhand smokers are spared as well. “This study adds to the already strong evidence that secondhand smoke causes heart attacks, and that passing 100 percent smoke-free laws in all workplaces and public places is something we can do to protect the public,” said study author James Lightwood, assistant adjunct professor in the department of clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. [Circulation via Medical News Today]
Researchers report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that there may be a seasonality of mortality. After combing through data from Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Sweden, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan they discovered that the lowest mortality rates occurred during the warm months of July to September in the Northern hemisphere and February to March in the Southern hemisphere. A multitude of factors may be at play, including better nutrition or less pandemic diseases during these months. However, the researchers offer up an intriguing thought – could environmental factors, such as taking a summer vacation, lead to decreased death rates? “Vacations can have both physiologic and psychological effects. The positive psychological effects of vacations consist of ameliorating mood, decreasing mental stress and providing a sense of recuperation and well-being that may last for at least a month after the vacation,” said the study authors. Do we really need scientific studies to tell us that vacations are good for the mind, body and soul? I think common sense can tell me that. But, it is interesting data that’s worth looking into. [CMAJ via Medical News Today]
If you have doubts that lack of health insurance can have deadly consequences, consider these new findings from the American Journal of Public Health: Americans without health insurance are 40% more likely to die than those with private insurance. The Harvard study reiterates a 1993 Institute of Medicine study, which found a 25% higher death risk among those without insurance compared with privately insured adults. Why does the uninsured face this greater risk? The Institute of Medicine identifies three factors that influence health outcomes: not getting care when needed, not having a regular source of care, and not getting continuity of coverage – all of these are difficult goals to accomplish for the uninsured. Approximately 45,000 Americans of working age die each year because they lack health insurance. [via Yahoo! News]
I found a great cartoon that clearly, in my opinion, depicts why we need a health care system that is devoid of for-profit insurance companies. I’d like to share it with you.
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About Dr. Steven Chang
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.