Anxiety as a personality trait appears to be linked to the functioning of two key brain regions involved in fear and its suppression, according to an NIMH-funded study. Differences in how these two regions function and interact may help explain the wide range of symptoms seen in people who have anxiety disorders. The study was … Read more
A surgical procedure to repair a common birth defect of the spine, if undertaken while a baby is still in the uterus, greatly reduces the need to divert, or shunt, fluid away from the brain, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health and four research institutions.
Medicare, NHGRI charts course for the next phase of genomics research
Scientists today published catalogs of the fruit fly and roundworm’s functional genomic elements: DNA sequences in the genome that carry the instructions and determine which genes are turned on and off at various times in different cells.
A multinational research team led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health has found that a genetic variant of a brain receptor molecule may contribute to violently impulsive behavior when people who carry it are under the influence of alcohol. A report of the findings, which include human genetic analyses and gene knockout studies … Read more
Researchers have identified a mutation in a gene that could lead to targeted therapies for certain lymphoma patients whose cure rates are currently poor. Mutation of the MYD88 gene was found to be one of the most frequent genetic abnormalities in a form of cancer known as diffuse large B cell lymphoma. MYD88 encodes a … Read more
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has announced major changes to be made in the long-established Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program that conducts many of the nationwide trials of new cancer therapies. In a major transformation, NCI intends to consolidate the nine groups that currently conduct trials in adult cancer patients into four state-of-the-art entities that … Read more
Submit a 10-second video that shows someone doing something good for the environment while reading and showing a sign that says, “It’s My Environment.” The deadline is December 1.
The National Institutes of Health is expanding the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a groundbreaking study that will recruit hundreds of new volunteers to help define the subtle changes that may take place in the brains of older people many years before overt symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. ADNI is the largest public-private partnership to … Read more
Succimer, a drug used for treating lead poisoning, does not effectively remove mercury from the body, according to research supported by the National Institutes of Health. Some families have turned to succimer as an alternative therapy for treating autism.
The National Institutes of Health is making waves with exciting exhibits and special science performances at the inaugural USA Science and Engineering Festival this weekend, Oct. 23-24, on the National Mall. The festival is aimed at making science fun, intriguing, and accessible to people of all ages. NIH will feature a mammoth exhibit at National … Read more
Medicare, NIH researchers identify genetic elements influencing the risk of type 2 diabetes: A team led by researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has captured the most comprehensive snapshot to date of DNA regions that regulate genes in human pancreatic islet cells, a subset of … Read more
The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), an initiative of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is pleased to recognize November as National Diabetes Awareness Month and Nov. 14 as World Diabetes Day. This year, NDEP is raising awareness about the importance of preventing type 2 diabetes by focusing … Read more
Parents and caregivers can take steps to reduce the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) during the colder months, when infants are at higher risk, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Can you figure out the common link between: being older than 45, giving birth to a baby that weighs more than 9 pounds and high blood pressure? They are all risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes This month is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time when health organizations try to raise awareness about risk factors, … Read more
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is today releasing initial results from a large-scale test of screening methods to reduce deaths from lung cancer by detecting cancers at relatively early stages.
For our third birthday we launched the Share Your Story: GovGab Guest Writer Challenge. We’re proud to showcase our winning posts, which will run this whole week. Krista Cook has four higher-education degrees, three in government (B.A., M.P.A., and Ph.D) and she recently finished up a fourth in library/information science (M.L.S.) at Emporia State University. … Read more