In the News

A User’s Guide To Midlife – The New York Times

Read article – Susan Roberts, the senior associate dean of foundational research at the Geisel School of Medicine, is quoted in an article about the aches and pains associated with aging. Roberts notes that biological changes start to occur in midlife that can affect the body’s composition and metabolism. “I don’t think the brain is the only piece of this, but I think it’s an important piece that is not really recognized,” Roberts said.

FDA Advisors Voted Against MDM Therapy—Researchers Are Still Fighting for It – BBC

Read article – Paul Holtzheimer, a professor of psychiatry and surgery, is quoted in an article about MDMA therapy. “The difference between the active and the placebo group is statistically significant by (the authors’) analyses, but relatively small enough that I think the role of expectation bias cannot at all be discounted as potentially accounting for a lot of that difference,” Holtzheimer said.

Mental Health Crisis? There’s an App for That – Plugged In

Read article – Nicholas Jacobson, an assistant professor of biomedical data science and psychiatry, is featured in an article about Therabot, a text-based AI app in development at Dartmouth designed to improve access to mental health care. “We’ve heard ‘I love you, Therabot’ multiple times already,” Jacobson said. “People are engaging with it at times that I would never respond if I were engaging with clients. They’re engaging with it at 3 a.m. when they can’t sleep, and it responds immediately.”

Pentagon Ran Secret Anti-Vax Campaign to Incite Fear of China Vaccines – Reuters

Read article – Daniel Lucey ’77, Geisel ’82, a clinical professor of medicine, is quoted in an article about a Reuters investigation that found that the U.S. military launched a secret campaign to counter what it perceived as China’s growing influence in the Philippines. It aimed to sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and other life-saving aid that was being supplied by China. “I don’t think it’s defensible,” Lucey said. “I’m extremely dismayed, disappointed and disillusioned to hear that the U.S. government would do that.”

Ralphs Owner Kroger Said Its Bread Had 30 Calories a Slice. Now, California Prosecutors Are Suing – Los Angeles Times

Read article – Susan B. Roberts, senior associate dean of foundational research, is quoted in an article about a lawsuit over the caloric value of a slice of Kroger brand bread. “It’s almost impossible to actually police all of these,” Roberts said. “To a large extent, we’re dependent on the honesty of the food companies.” (Picked up by Yahoo! Finance.)