Category: Studies

  • How Acupuncture Works

    For pain, it’s the adenosine: Once scientists recognized adenosine’s role, the team explored the effects of a cancer drug called deoxycoformycin, which makes it harder for the tissue to remove adenosine. The compound boosted the effects of acupuncture treatment dramatically, nearly tripling the accumulation of adenosine in the muscles and more than tripling the length…

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  • The Angry Brain

    From ScienceDaily, a portrait of the chemistry of the angry brain.  Summed up: When we get angry, the heart rate, arterial tension and testosterone production increases, cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases, and the left hemisphere of the brain becomes more stimulated.  

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  • Virtual Reality v. PTSD

    For Memorial Day, some progress amidst the generally sobering veteran’s mental health news: Exposure therapy using virtual reality appears to be more effective for alleviating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than traditional treatment among members of the military who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, researchers said here. Here, a longer, older New Yorker…

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  • The Wait for Happiness

      From telegraph.co.uk: Happiness begins at 50 claims new research. Variables such as having young children, being unemployed, or being single did not affect age-related patterns of well being.  The research showed that levels of stress, worry and anger all dropped significantly in the fifties and levels of happiness and enjoyment increased. Rather listen than…

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  • Face Time v. Depression

    From Web MD, a study showing that, with or without meds, increased face-to-face time with health care staff can result in decreased depression. About 30% of patients on placebo who were given one screening test per visit showed mood improvements on a commonly used scale known as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.  In contrast, about…

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