Medical Journal, Health Articles

LONDON (Reuters) – The common genetic variation linked to dyslexia may also help explain why some people without the learning difficulty are not good readers, researchers said on Wednesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Original post by Reuters: Health

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Association of the KIAA0319 Dyslexia Susceptibility Gene With Reading Skills in the General Population.

Am J Psychiatry. 2008 Oct 1;

Authors: Paracchini S, Steer CD, Buckingham LL, Morris AP, Ring S, Scerri T, Stein J, Pembrey ME, Ragoussis J, Golding J, Monaco AP

Objective The authors previously identified a haplotype on chromosome 6p22 defined by three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that was associated with dyslexia (reading disability) in two independent samples of families that included at least one sibling with severe reading impairment. The authors also showed that this haplotype is associated with a reduction in expression of the KIAA0319 gene. In addition, a completely independent study detected an association between KIAA0319 markers and reading disability. In the current study, the authors tested whether the KIAA0319 gene influences reading skills in the general population, rather than having an effect restricted to reading disability. Method The authors genotyped four SNPs that previously showed association with reading disability in the population of 7-9-year-old children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a large longitudinal cohort for which reading-related phenotypes were available for more than 6,000 individuals. The authors conducted quantitative analysis for both single markers and haplotypes. Results The rs2143340 SNP, which effectively tags the three-SNP risk haplotype, was significantly associated with a test for reading ability. The risk haplotype itself also showed association with poor reading performance, and as in previous research, the association was stronger when the analysis was controlled for IQ. Conclusions These results both support a role of the KIAA0319 gene in the development of dyslexia and suggest that this gene influences reading ability in the general population. Moreover, the data implicate the three-SNP haplotype and its tagging SNP rs2143340 as genetic risk factors for poor reading performance.

PMID: 18829873 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

(Source: The American Journal of Psychiatry)

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Original post by The American Journal of Psychiatry

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Background:
Anomalies of cortical neuronal migration (e.g., microgyria (MG) and/or ectopias) are associated with a variety of language and cognitive deficits in human populations. In rodents, postnatal focal freezing lesions lead to the formation of cortical microgyria similar to those seen in human dyslexic brains, and also cause subsequent deficits in rapid auditory processing similar to those reported in human language impaired populations. Thus convergent findings support the ongoing study of disruptions in neuronal migration in rats as a putative model to provide insight on human language disability. Since deficits in working memory using both verbal and non-verbal tasks also characterize dyslexic populations, the present study examined the effects of neonatally induced bilateral cortical microgyria (MG) on working memory in adult male rats.
Methods:
A delayed match-to-sample radial-arm water maze task, in which the goal arm was altered among eight locations on a daily basis, was used to assess working memory performance in MG (n=8) and sham (n=10) littermates.
Results:
Over a period of 60 sessions of testing (each session comprising one pre-delay sample trial, and one post-delay test trial), all rats showed learning as evidenced by a significant decrease in overall test errors. However, MG rats made significantly more errors than shams during initial testing, and this memory deficit was still evident after 60 days (12 weeks) of testing. Analyses performed on daily error patterns showed that over the course of testing, MG rats utilized a strategy similar to shams, but with less effectiveness, as indicated by more errors.
Conclusions:
These results indicate persistent abnormalities in the spatial working memory system in rats with induced disruptions of neocortical neuronal migration. (Source: BioMed Central)

Original post by BioMed Central

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I have now been caffeine an saccharin free for almost 3 weeks. Wow!! The caffeine thing is kicking mt butt. I have been using Splenda to sweeten things and have been really careful with what I am eating. I have only been doing fresh fruits, veggies, chicken, lean pork and yogurt.
I have had to switch to 1% lowfat yogurt- so it would not have the artificial sweetener- and it holds my hunger much better.
My scale is still a few pounds down so that is good. Here is to a great week!
Tags: diabetes, exercise, food, Hearty Diet, journal, nutritionShare This (Source: A Hearty Life)

Original post by A Hearty Life

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Flu season is upon us yet again… Just a little reminder for those that reside in the US, I am not certain about time frames in other countries, that it is time to receive your Influenza and Pneumococcal Immunization/Vaccine.Yes, if you hadn’t already guessed diabetics are in the “persons at risk” category. Make your appointment today and save yourself some troubles down the road. Better safe than sorry! That is what I always say.
And no, I am not advising you to do so because I am a nurse and enjoy inflicting pain on people with needles. But that is always a perk when a patient misbehaves, hahahaha.
Tags: at risk, Diabetes, diabetics, flu shotShare This (Source: Diabetes Notes)

Original post by Diabetes Notes

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READING ability in the general population may be influenced by a gene linked to dyslexia, a study by Bristol University has shown. (Source: Scotsman.com News – Health)

Original post by Scotsman.com News – Health

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I’ve met more and more parents who’ve gotten a tattoo of a puzzle ribbon or of the Autism Speaks pale blue puzzle piece. How about putting a tattoo on your child—ok, a temporary one? Safety Tat offers a full selection of “temporary tats” that can be quickly applied. One says “I have autism” and another “I have non-verbal autism” (which isn’t technically a diagnostic label, of course, but I see the point, I think), while others have medical or allergy alerts; you can have your phone number printed on the tattoo. There’s also quick-stick waterproof write-on tattoos.
According to Cool Mom Picks, even a conservative MIL could love these tattoos.
In Charlie’s case, I suspect he would peel a tattoo right off, or try to— he’s learning to carry an ID card with him and to show it when asked.
Tags: allergy, asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, diabetes, disabilities blog, disability, Health, missing children, nuts, Parenting, pdd-nos, peanuts, Safety, Science, tattooShare This (Source: Autism Vox)

Original post by Autism Vox

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The U.S. needs a “new New Deal: a systematic approach to the financial and economic problems of the U.S.” that includes health care reform, Katrina vanden Huevel, editor of The Nation, and author Eric Schlosser write in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.Among other proposals, the U.S.

Original post by Diabetes Notes

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A Boston program through which city workers can buy low-cost Canadian prescription drugs will receive its last shipment of drugs in December, after the Canadian drug supplier terminated its involvement because of a lack of participants, the Boston Globe reports.

Original post by Diabetes Notes

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The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the World Heart Federation, with the support of the European Commission, came together at the British School of Brussels to launch the children’s cookery book, Eat for Goals! Through the book the message that a healthy lifestyle is als

Original post by Diabetes Notes

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