Author: Michelle Korhonen
Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, and slowness of movement. The term “idiopathic” means that the cause of the disease is unknown but but it’s believed to be linked to the progressive loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra, a region deep within the brain that produces dopamine. Dopamine acts as a chemical messenger, sending signals that control and coordinate muscle movement.It is not directly inherited in the same way as some other diseases, like cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s disease. It is believed to occur due to problems with how the…
Sharing the top blog posts in 2023! Hi friends! How are ya? I hope you’re enjoying the morning so far! I’m looking forward to a barre class and then catching up with a friend for lunch. For today’s post, I wanted to share the top 10 posts and pages from 2023. It’s always helpful to go back and see what type of content performed well, so that I can expand on these topics or write additional posts in the new year. Here are the top 10 posts and pages of 2023! 10. Why I Tried Nutrisense and What I Learned…
Newer blood tests can help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s disease without a brain scan or spinal tap. But some tests are more accurate than others. Tek Image/Science Photo Library/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Tek Image/Science Photo Library/Getty Images Newer blood tests can help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s disease without a brain scan or spinal tap. But some tests are more accurate than others. Tek Image/Science Photo Library/Getty Images A new generation of blood tests is poised to change the way doctors determine whether patients with memory loss also have Alzheimer’s disease. The tests detect substances in the blood that indicate the…
On Saturday, voters in Taiwan will head to the polls to choose their next president. The outcome will determine the course of relations between Taiwan and China. But even before the results are in, the very prospect of a free election in Taiwan raises an issue that goes to the core of the seven-decade dispute over the island’s fate.The mere existence of a successful, democratic, Chinese society in Taiwan is an affront and a challenge to China’s leader, Xi Jinping, as well as to his political and global ambitions. Ultimately, if given the opportunity, Xi will destroy Taiwan’s democracy to…
Five Key Genetic Variants Linked to Parkinson’s Disease – The largest meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease variants, involving individuals of European, East Asian, Latin American, and African ancestry, identified 78 independent genome-wide significant loci.Additionally, a large-scale replication of rare Parkinson’s disease variants resulted in the identification of 11 significant variants, including variants in GBA1 and LRRK2.This study confirmed five key Parkinson’s disease variants and provided a robust list of variants associated with the disease, paving the way for more accurate risk assessment and personalized clinical care.The identification of genetic risk factors is crucial for understanding and mitigating the global burden of…
In January 1995, when The Atlantic published “In Praise of Snow,” Cullen Murphy’s opus to frozen precipitation, snow was still a mysterious substance, coming and going enigmatically, confounding forecasters’ attempts to make long-term predictions. Climate change registered to snow hydrologists as a future problem, but for the most part their job remained squarely hydrology: working out the ticktock of a highly variable yet presumably coherent water cycle. “We still don’t know many fundamental things about snow,” Murphy wrote. “Nor do we understand its relation to weather and to climate—the dynamics of climate being one of the perennials on the ‘must…
New Parkinson’s treatment focuses on stopping toxic protein production – Parkinson’s disease, a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative condition, robs people of their ability to move freely and enjoy life. While current treatments can manage symptoms, they do nothing to halt the disease’s cruel march. However, a new approach to Parkinson’s treatment developed by chemist Matthew Disney, Ph.D., offers a glimmer of hope, targeting the very source of the problem: toxic protein production, such as alpha-synuclein, which are associated with the disease. This innovative method targets the RNA that produces the alpha-synuclein protein, preventing its production and slowing down the progression of…
In the short weeks since the Colorado Supreme Court threw Donald Trump off the ballot on the grounds that he is barred from office for engaging in “insurrection or rebellion” under the Fourteenth Amendment, the apologists for a man who tried to overthrow the constitutional order by fraud and then force have become pious apostles of democracy.Republicans and conservative media figures have criticized the decision as “an attack on democracy” and “pro-tyranny.” The latter sentiment was also shared on the center-right, where more sober voices such as The New York Times’ Ross Douthat wrote, “Removing an opposition candidate from the…
Corn can be good for your digestive system due to its high fiber content. It is rich in insoluble fiber, which bulks up stool and prevents constipation. The fiber in corn also acts as a prebiotic, feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut and helping your digestive system break down and absorb nutrients from corn.One study found that Anthocyanins in colored corn may have a positive effect on digestive healthHowever, it’s important to consume corn in moderation, as too much of it can lead to significant gastrointestinal symptoms for some people due to the body’s inability to break down cellulose,…
Contending with higher education in AmericaAdam Glanzman / The New York Times / ReduxJanuary 10, 2024, 3:29 PM ETWelcome to Up for Debate. Each week, Conor Friedersdorf rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Later, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.Last week, I asked: If you could question leaders of academic institutions like a member of Congress, forcing them to contend with any aspect of higher education, what would you ask them?Replies have been edited for length and clarity.Kay kept it short:Given your massive endowments, why do you continue to…