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How some bacteria protect themselves from our immune system
Ever since Dr. Barry Marshall from the University of Western Australia ingested the bacterium H. Pylori to prove that they were the cause of gastric ulcers for which was awarded the Nobel prize for Medicine in 2005, it seems that not all these bacteria are created equal in terms of their cancer–causing potential. Researchers from…
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New insight into how the brain rewires itself after injury
Scientists say they are gaining insight into how the brain rewires itself as it learns new things, potentially helping them move toward better treatments for mental illness and brain injuries. Researchers report in a new study, published in the August 8, 2008 issue of Cell, that a protein appears to tell the brain that it’s…
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endMS campaign
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada announced the launch of endMS, a three-year national campaign with a goal of raising $60 million to fund research activities and establish the endMS Research and Training Network. The Network is a first in the MS community and represents an immediate, dedicated investment to advance Canada’s leadership position in…
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Knowledge is the best medicine
A partnership among The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) and Canada’s Research Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) has produced a program to raise awareness and educate patients through the publication of Knowledge is the best medicine. The aim is to promote safe and appropriate medication use among Canadians. Mr. Ronnie Miller,…
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Statins may increase risk of delerium after surgery in the elderly
In the elderly, the response to stressful procedures like surgery can lead to some post-operative effects on mood and perception. These effects can hamper the recovery process. A new study published in the September 2008 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal from Ontario’s Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) found the use of stains…
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Immune system changes foreshadow Huntington's disease by 16 years
Researchers from University College London have gained a new understanding of how changes in the immune system can foreshadow the expression of Huntington’s disease by 16 years. The research on this fatal neurodegenerative disease was published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine and shed some light on possible therapies that would target the immune…
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Health Canada slow to approve new medications compared to other countries
How does Canada compare to other countries with respect to the provision of new medications for people over 65 years of age and low income families? A study by Wyatt Health Management looked at 18 OECD countries. Unfortunately, the results support previous findings by other organizations; we did not fare very well. George Wyatt, Managing…
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Oily fish may help reduce risk of rheumatoid arthritis
New research presented June 13 at EULAR 2008, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Paris, France, from the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden suggests that dietary factors such as the intake of oily fish can reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis whereas work stress and smoking will increase the…
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Medication increases memory function by rewiring brain: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease
Scientists at the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) have discovered that a cancer drug – Bryostatin – enhances the formation of new connections in rat brains during memory storage. This drug could potentially increase normal memory capacity in humans as well as repair and restore memory lost from Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and head trauma. An…
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