Read article – Quotes David Bzik, professor of microbiology and immunology, in an article about new research that suggests living with a cat during childhood does not cause mental illness later in life, disputing earlier studies that caused alarm by linking cats to human mental illness.
Archive for 2017
Mercury in Fish, Seafood May Be Linked to Increased ALS Risk
There is an important association between eating fish and seafood with higher levels of mercury and being at a higher risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a preliminary study released this week.
Association of University Radiologists Honors Three Geisel Faculty
Three Geisel School of Medicine faculty—Jocelyn Chertoff, MD, Petra Lewis, MBBS, and Nancy McNulty, MD (MED’95)—collectively received four awards from the Association of University Radiologists (AUR) for their contributions to the field of radiology.
Q&A with Geisel Professor Lisa Marsch – The Dartmouth
Read article – An interview with Lisa Marsch, director of the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, about her research into substance abuse and her recent testimony the U.S. House Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic.
Does Mercury in Fish Play a Role in ALS? – U.S. News & World Report via HealthDay News
Read article – Quotes Elijah Stommel, professor of neurology, who was the lead author of a recent study that found eating mercury-laden seafood may raise the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “For most people, eating fish is part of a healthy diet,” says Stommel. “But questions remain about the possible impact of mercury in fish.” (Additional coverage: Tuscon.com, The Post Star, Philly.com, Daily Mail, and Medical News Today.)
Program to Train Doctors to Spot Patients Abusing Drugs – U.S. News & World Report via Associated Press
Read article – A feature story about a new initiative run by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and the New Hampshire Area Health Education Center that will train health care professionals at five colleges to screen patients who are at risk of, or may already be, abusing drugs or alcohol. The goal of the initiative is to reduce substance abuse rates that are among the highest in the nation. (Additional coverage: NH1, San Luis Obispo, Charlotte Observer, and the Valley News.)
The Right Way to Take Every Type of Sleeping Pill – Health
Read article – Quotes Michael J. Sateia, active emeritus professor of psychiatry, who led the writing of new guidelines for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to help doctors prescribe—or not prescribe—14 different medications and supplements for the treatment of chronic insomnia in adults. “It’s a reminder to clinicians that it’s important to choose an agent that has an appropriate duration of action for the particular type of insomnia you’re treating,” says Sateia.
Ledyard Charter School and Two Medical Students Team Up to Investigate Nutrition and Science – Valley News
Read article – A feature story about medical students Emily Dollar DC ’14, MED ’19, and Emily Georges, MED ’19, who crafted a curriculum for the Ledyard Charter School in Lebanon, N.H., as part of Geisel’s Rural Health Scholars. The curriculum includes providing students with case studies on different health and nutrition issues. “When I was volunteering here with a group for girls, two of whom had just become young mothers, the subject of food kept coming up as something we felt needed to be covered,” says Dollar. “So when (head of school) John (Higgins) mentioned that he was hoping to be able to provide lunch and breakfast to all the students, I immediately knew I wanted to help him out.”
Dartmouth Student’s Yoga Program Helps Injured Brains Heal – U.S. News & World Report via Associated Press
Read article – A feature story about Kyla Donnelly Pearce, Geisel ’17, who started a program to study how practicing gentle yoga regularly might help patients with brain injuries cope. Pearce found that patients who took the yoga classes reported feeling “less bothered by negative emotions, including feeling lonely, bored, anxious, sad or depressed and/or angry or aggressive.” (Picked up by Washington Times, Boston.com, SF Gate, Portland Press Herald and many more. This story was originally published earlier this month by the Valley News.)
Use This Cooking Hack to Reduce Arsenic Levels in Your Rice – Health
Read article – Margaret Karagas, chair and professor of epidemiology, is quoted about how soaking rice and cooking it with extra water is a smart strategy for consumers to reduce the amount of arsenic, but says that finding ways to keep arsenic out of rice and other food products in the first place is still an important concern.