The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Effects of Facebook

According to Larry D. Rosen, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, the effects of social media are becoming more and more visible.

Some of their findings suggest that the more time spent on Facebook is related to a greater tendency toward narcissistic behaviors among teenagers. Also, it has been discovered that young adults that spend excessive amounts of time on Facebook show more signs of other psychological disorders, including antisocial behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies.

Additionally, studies have revealed that excessive daily use of social media can negatively affect the health of children, preteens and teenagers alike as they are more prone to anxiety, depression and other psychological disorders as well as more susceptible to future general health problems.

Furthermore, it is clear that school grades will suffer when spending too much time on Facebook as valuable study time is lost. “Studies found that middle school, high school and college students who checked Facebook at least once during a 15-minute study period achieved lower grades.”

Besides, some studies suggest that so-called teenage “hyper-social networkers” are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, drug use, fighting and promiscuity.

Consequently, Rosen claims that parents who secretly monitor their child’s social media usage are wasting their time. Instead he suggests that active, but overt, monitoring and open communication about appropriate usage is the key so that when questions or issues arise such as bullying, a child will feel comfortable communicating with their parents. This active role could prevent serious consequences such as depression, anxiety or even suicide. It is also important for parents to stay abreast with online trends and the latest technologies, websites and applications.

On the other hand, research has shown that, despite the numerous negative effects, Facebook can help young adults to express their virtual empathy and facilitate socialization among introverted teens. Also, “social networking can provide tools for teaching in compelling ways that engage young students.”

It seems, like most things in life, everything in moderation is best.

Social Networking's Good and Bad Impacts On Kids
Texting and Social Websites Associated With Risky Behaviors Among Teens

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Cancer Drug May Treat Schizophrenia

In recent news, scientists have uncovered the molecular pathway involved in the onset of schizophrenia as well as a potential new treatment for the illness. By observing the effects of a cancer drug called MS-275 in mice, researchers discovered that symptoms of schizophrenia were successfully alleviated.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by disintegration of thought processes and emotional responsiveness. It is most commonly manifested as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking. The onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood. Schizophrenia is accompanied by significant social or occupational dysfunction.

Additionally, the disease is said to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia have changes in both brain structure and chemistry. Studies using neuropsychological tests and brain imaging technologies such as fMRI and PET to examine functional differences in brain activity have shown that differences seem to most commonly occur in the frontal lobes, hippocampus and temporal lobes.

The greatest risk for developing schizophrenia is having a first-degree relative with the disease. Environmental factors associated with the development of schizophrenia include the living environment, drug use and prenatal stressors. Factors such as hypoxia and infection, or stress and malnutrition in the mother during fetal development, may result in a slight increase in the risk of schizophrenia later in life. A number of drugs have been associated with the development of schizophrenia including cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines.

“According to the World Health Organization, 90% of people with untreated schizophrenia are in developing countries. Current treatments for schizophrenia include both psychological treatments such as psychotherapy, counselling or cognitive behaviour therapy and/or medication. However, many of the antipsychotic drugs or major tranquillisers used to treat or manage the illness have very bad side-effects.”

Schizophrenia is said to affect about 24 million people worldwide.

Medications prescribed to treat schizophrenia include:

• Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
• Haloperidol (Haldol)
• Perphenazine (generic only)
• Fluphenazine (generic only)
• clozapine (Clozaril)
• Risperidone (Risperdal)
• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• Quetiapine (Seroquel)
• Ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Aripiprazole (Abilify)
• Aliperidone (Invega)

Typical side effects include:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness when changing positions
• Blurred vision
• Rapid heartbeat
• Sensitivity to the sun
• Skin rashes
• Menstrual problems for women
• Rigidity
• Persistent muscle spasms
• Tremors
• Restlessness

Professor Peter Giese at King's College London discovered that individuals with schizophrenia had a reduction in the enzyme activator called p35. By manipulating the level of this enzyme in mice, the researchers were able to mirror typical cognitive impairments found in those with schizophrenia. Consequently, human post-mortem brains revealed that schizophrenic patients had approximately 50% less p35 in their brains.

That being said, the brain requires, among other things, the activation of a protein call Cdk5 to assist in proper development and this protein can only be activated in the presence of the p35 enzyme.

Therefore, by manipulating the level of p35 enzyme in mice, researchers noted that “the mice showed a reduction in synaptic proteins -- important in maintaining neural connections -- and displayed symptoms associated with schizophrenia, including learning impairments and inability to react to sensory stimuli.”

Subsequently, Professor Giese and his research team noticed that the reduction of the p35 enzyme altered molecules in the brain that are targeted by the cancer drug MS-275. To their delight, the molecular changes were corrected and the schizophrenic symptoms were alleviated by this drug.

With any luck, more research will prove that this drug is more beneficial than current medications with intolerable side-effects.

Cancer Drugs May Help Treatment of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Mental Health Medications

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Tranexamic Acid May Prevent Death From Head Injury

Researchers of the CRASH-2 Intracranial Bleeding Study have uncovered the possibility that tranexamic acid may be able to prevent people from dying of head injuries. This hypothesis was derived from the examination of 270 adult trauma patients with traumatic brain injury and with, or at risk of, significant extracranial bleeding within 8 hours of injury. Results of the study were persuasive enough that a CRASH-3 study is needed to test the reliability of this drug among patients with head trauma.

Tranexamic acid, otherwise known as Lysteda or Cyklokapron in the U.S., is often prescribed for excessive bleeding. “It is an antifibrinolytic that competitively inhibits the activation of plasminogen to plasmin, a molecule responsible for the degradation of fibrin. Fibrin is the basic framework for the formation of a blood clot in hemostasis.” In addition to its value for treating trauma patients, it has been used to treat cases of excessive menstrual bleeding, to reduce blood loss during orthopedic surgery, as a mouthwash following dental surgery, as well as in obstetrics, cardiac surgery, hemophilia and hereditary angioedema.

If approved, tranexamic acid could be used immediately following trauma when bleeding typically progresses and causes more and more brain damage by reducing the breakdown of blood clots and decreasing the amount of bleeding into the brain thereby preventing brain damage and even death.

“Although the results are not definitive they provide hope about the potential effectiveness of this simple drug for head injury patients. If such an inexpensive and widely practicable treatment were found to improve patient outcomes after head injury this would have major implications for clinical care” Said Dr Pablo Perel.

Hopefully, CRASH-3 trials will unveil conclusive results so that such a simple treatment could be incorporated immediately following traumatic brain injuries to increase survival rates and reduce disability, not to mention avoiding extensive and challenging rehabilitation.

Potential of Simple Injection On Patients With Head Injury
Tranexamic acid

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Drug Could Erase Bad Memories

According to researchers of the Centre for Studies on Human Stress of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital at the University of Montreal, our brain loses its ability to associate negative emotions with painful memories while using the drug metyrapone.

“‘Metyrapone is a drug that significantly decreases the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that is involved in memory recall,’ explained lead author Marie-France Marin. Manipulating cortisol close to the time of forming new memories can decrease the negative emotions that may be associated with them. "The results show that when we decrease stress hormone levels at the time of recall of a negative event, we can impair the memory for this negative event with a long-lasting effect," said Dr. Sonia Lupien, who directed the research.”

Researchers taught 33 men a story that consisted of neutral and negative events. They separated the men into different groups and observed them 3 days later. A third of the participants received a single dose of metyrapone, another third received a double dose and the final third received a placebo. Researchers asked the participants to recall the story while under the influence of the drug they were given. Their memory of the story was evaluated while using the drug and again 4 days later when the drug was no longer circulating in their bloodstream.

“‘We found that the men in the group who received two doses of metyrapone were impaired when retrieving the negative events of the story, while they showed no impairment recalling the neutral parts of the story,’ Marin explained. ‘We were surprised that the decreased memory of negative information was still present once cortisol levels had returned to normal.’”

Consequently, such research could be very useful in treating mental illness. Not only could this drug be successful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it could help many people with mental health issues resulting from traumatic experiences.

Unfortunately, metyrapone is no longer commercially produced; however research on the impact of certain compounds on cortisol levels can only lead to a better understanding of the way in which our brain processes negative emotions and memories. Additionally, this type of research may lead to the discovery of other medications that are currently available or potentially more successful in erasing our bad memories.

On the other hand, use of such a drug could lead to abuse as many of us could certainly pinpoint at least one painful memory that we would be willing to let go. Also, despite those whose lives have been seriously disrupted from past trauma, it is our experiences, both positive and negative, that molds us into the person we have become. Therefore, erasing our experience of negative emotions from certain memories may be toying with our personality and possibly creating havoc in our society.

Drug May Help Overwrite Bad Memories

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Fish Oil Supplements Could Soon Treat Bipolar Disorder and Alcoholism

A great deal of research boasts about the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil supplements. Now researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have found that it could also be beneficial in treating alcoholism and psychiatric disorders.

“In a multi-year study, researchers showed conclusive behavioral and molecular benefits for omega 3 fatty acid given to mice models of bipolar disorder. The fatty acid DHA, which is one of the main active ingredients in fish oil, "normalized their behavior," according to Alexander B. Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and the lead author of the study reported online in the Nature Publishing Group journal Translational Psychiatry.”

Researchers were able to draw such conclusions by studying the effects of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on mice with characteristic bipolar symptoms including depression and manic episodes when exposed to stress.

Results showed that DHA normalized the behavior of the mice as they showed no signs of depression and experienced no periods of mania when under stress. Furthermore, molecular changes in their brain resulting from DHA correlate with molecular markers found in the blood, suggesting that DHA works similarly to psychiatric medications in the brain. According to Dr. Niculescu, "with these biomarker findings, we can now move forward as a field and do more targeted clinical studies in humans".

In addition, while studying the effects of DHA on the brain, researchers discovered that mice given DHA had less desire for alcohol.

“'These bipolar mice, like some bipolar patients, love alcohol. The mice on DHA drank much less; it curtailed their alcohol abusive behavior,' he said, adding that this is a completely novel finding. To verify this finding, the researchers studied another well-established animal model of alcoholism, the alcohol preferring P rats, and obtained similar results.”

Perhaps fish oil supplements may soon be used to treat bipolar disorder and alcoholism either exclusively or in conjunction with other treatment methods, thereby reducing unpleasant side effects of psychiatric medications while potentially improving overall health.

Fish Oil May Have Positive Effects on Mood, Alcohol Craving, New Study Shows

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Statins May Improve Outcomes For Stroke Patients

Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has uncovered data suggesting that cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as statins, may help clot-busting drugs treat strokes.

Already, statins are well-known for lowering cholesterol, however they have also been recognized for producing other beneficial effects, such as maintaining the health of cells that line our blood vessel walls and increasing our production of nitric oxide, which dilates our blood vessels.

Researchers studied 31 patients that suffered an ischemic stroke, in which a clot blocks blood flow to part of the brain. It was observed that 12 of the 31 subjects already prescribed statins to control cholesterol, experienced more rapid and complete return of blood flow to the blocked areas of the brain.

"We've known that patients on statins have better stroke outcomes, but the data in this study suggest a new reason why: Statins may help improve blood flow to brain regions at risk of dying during ischemic stroke," says senior author Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD, director of the cerebrovascular disease section in the Department of Neurology. "If that turns out to be the case, we may want to consider adding statins to the clot-busting drugs we normally give to acute stroke patients."

To study this possibility, patients experiencing an ischemic stroke were treated with a clot-busting drug and followed up with an MRI. This scan was performed during treatment and again three hours later to assess the effectiveness of the clot-busting drug to restore blood flow to the blocked areas.

"To our knowledge, this is the first time someone has looked at the effects of statins on restoration of blood flow using brain tissue-based measurements instead of looking at the opening of blood vessels," says lead author Andria Ford, MD, assistant professor of neurology. "It's harder to do, but we feel it gives us more accurate measurements."

In only a short 3 hour window, twelve of the patients that were already being treated with statins averaged about 50% restored blood flow to affected areas of the brain, whereas the remaining 19 patients that were not already being treated with statins only averaged roughly 13% restored blood flow.

In addition, physicians tested these patients using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, which evaluates speech, movement, attention and sensation, upon arrival at the hospital and at one month following their stroke. These results also demonstrated that patients treated with statins showed more improvement in their scores when assessed a month after their stroke occurred.

Although results appear promising, researchers have not yet determined whether regular doses of statins or merely treatment of stroke with statins produces such results. Further investigation may prove to have a positive impact on society’s number one disabler.

Cholesterol Drugs May Improve Blood Flow After Stroke

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The Halo Effect of Healthy Eating

“The halo effect is a cognitive bias whereby the perception of one trait (i.e. a characteristic of a person or object) is influenced by the perception of another trait (or several traits) of that person or object. An example would be judging a good-looking person as more intelligent.”

Research conducted by Jenny Wan-chen Lee, a graduate student in Cornell University's Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, has studied the fact that a positive characteristic attributed to certain foods can radiate a "halo" around it so that we may misperceive all other characteristics associated with those foods as positive. The halo effect can not only influence what we eat, but how much we eat.

“For instance, research has shown that people tend to consume more calories at fast-food restaurants claiming to serve "healthier" foods, compared to the amount they eat at a typical burger-and-fry joint. The reasoning is that when people perceive a food to be more nutritious, they tend to let their guard down when it comes to being careful about counting calories -- ultimately leading them to overeat or feel entitled to indulge.“

Furthermore, this theory also applies to many types of foods that are said to be healthy. Quite often, people will assume that an organic product is healthier merely for the simple fact that it carries the “organic” label.

To test this hypothesis, Lee asked 144 subjects at a local mall to compare what they thought were conventionally and organically produced chocolate sandwich cookies, plain yogurt, and potato chips. Lee ensured that all products were identical, however labeled some items as organic and others as regular. Each participant was asked to rate, on a scale of 1-9, ten different attributes of each food item, such as overall taste, perception of fat content etc. Participants were also asked to estimate the number of calories and the price they would be willing to pay for each item.

Results showed that subjects mostly preferred the taste of the organically-labeled foods and reported that these same foods were lower in calories, lower in fat, higher in fiber and worth a higher price. Even organically labeled chips and cookies were considered more nutritious.

The bottom line is that many people are deceived by fancy labels, such as “organic”, and truly believe that they are eating healthy when in reality; they may be just as unhealthy as the rest.

Halo effect
Health Halo Effect: Don't Judge a Food by Its Organic Label

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