A rare form of epilepsy can be characterized by seizures of uncontrolled laughter. What is the root cause, and can doctors address it? A new case study answers this question. Share on PinterestA case study found that an individual’s uncontrolled bursts of laughter resulted from a rare form of epilepsy. Gelastic seizure, or gelastic epilepsy,…
At a time when germs are growing more resistant to common antibiotics, many companies that are developing new versions of the drugs are hemorrhaging money and going out of business, gravely undermining efforts to contain the spread of deadly, drug-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic start-ups like Achaogen and Aradigm have gone belly up in recent months, pharmaceutical…
“Where was this product made?” “Is this brand sustainable?” Those are common conscientious consumer queries these days. For a growing number of Americans, though, another question is taking precedence: “Is this a black-owned business?” What used to be considered a statement of radical Afrocentricism is now little different from “buy green, buy woman-owned or even…
For the past 10 years (and change), I have been covering exercise science in this column. During that time, I have seen interest in high-intensity exercise soar and enthusiasm for barefoot running fizzle. We have learned contracting muscles talk to baby neurons, creativity blooms from walking, a minute of exertion can be ample, aging is…
Uber recently revealed that more than 3,000 incidents of sexual assault were reported last year in its vehicles in the United States. While that number represents a small fraction of its total rides, it’s still a scary possibility to customers who want to safely use the service. Both Uber and Lyft, the other leading ride-hailing…
It’s Christmas Day, and you want to enjoy yourself — that’s only natural. In this feature, we provide some quick tips that will allow you to have the fun you are hoping for without affecting your health too significantly. Share on PinterestChristmas does not need to overturn healthful living completely. The holiday period is, commonly,…
Stuart Lightbody’s The 361 Classical Acupuncture Points: Names, Functions, Descriptions and Locations, revolves around Classical Acupuncture’s impact on the body, mind and particularly the spirit of the patient. This book presents well-researched information on each acupuncture Point. It provides the student and practitioner with a deeper understanding of the therapeutic effects of the Points, drawing…
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests through symptoms such as tremor, slow movements, limb rigidity and gait and balance problems. As such, nearly all diagnostic testing revolves around how a patient moves and requires the patient to walk for extensive distances and amounts of time. The discomfort caused to patients by this kind…
In a sleepy haze, reaching out and grabbing the coffee cup in front of you seems to happen on autopilot. But your caffeine-deprived brain is working hard. It’s collecting sensory information and other kinds of feedback – clues about where your arm is in space relative to the mug – and sending it to your…
Researchers at LSTM have identified a completely new mechanism by which mosquitoes that carry malaria are becoming resistant to insecticide. After studying both Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii, two major malaria vectors in West Africa, they found that a particular family of binding proteins situated in the insect’s legs were highly expressed in resistant populations.…