Guest guest Posted December 15, 2001 Report Share Posted December 15, 2001 NON-TEXT REMOVED > ------------------------------------------------------------ > AOL users: look for your links at the bottom of the page. > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > CAUTION URGED WITH NOISY TOYS > > If there's a sound-making toy scheduled for your child's > Christmas stocking, the American Speech-Language-Hearing > Association reminds you that it could be hazardous to > small ears. Toys that include horns or sirens can produce > noises of 90 decibels or higher, the equivalent to the > sound of a lawnmower. Cap guns, squeaky rubber toys, > walkie talkies, musical instruments, and toys with cranks > can be even worse, especially if children hold them > directly to their ears, which they often do. This action > can expose the ear to as much as 120 dB of sound--the > same as a jet airplane taking off. Noise at this level > is painful and may cause permanent hearing loss. The > ASHA urges parents or anyone else buying a noisy toy to > inspect it for noise dangers just as they would for > small pieces that can be easily swallowed, and not to > buy a toy that's too loud. > > ANTIDEPRESSANT MAY AID STROKE RECOVERY > > A single dose of the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac) > improved scores on tests of movement and activated brain > areas responsible for movement in patients who had > recently suffered strokes, say the authors of a study in > current issue of ls of Neurology. These results sug- > gest that the drug can directly speed functional recovery > in stroke patients. The investigators looked at 8 > patients who had experienced a stroke 2 to 3 weeks > earlier. Half the patients received the drug during the > tests, while the others received a sugar pill; one week > later, the tests were repeated with the groups reversed, > so those who originally got the drug now got the placebo, > and vice-versa. A single dose of fluoxetine improved per- > formance on finger tapping and grip tests, and correlated > with imaging studies showing increased activation of the > brain areas known to be involved in directing movement. > Future studies will examine the effects of long-term > administration of fluoxetine, and its exact mechanism of > action. > > SUPPLEMENTS MAY RELIEVE ARTHRITIS SYMPTOMS > > Glucosamine and chondroitin appear to ease the symptoms > of osteoarthritis and could be worth a try, especially > by people who experience side effects from conventional > medication. In its January issue, which goes on sale > December 18, Consumer Reports evaluates the scientific > research on the safety and efficacy of these products > and concludes that they may not only relieve the pain > and stiffness of arthritis; glucosamine may actually > slow progression of the disease. These remedies do not > produce the side effects associated with prescription > drugs, but they do take longer to work. Although most > of the 19 products tested delivered at least 90 per- > cent of the amount of chondroitin or glucosamine prom- > ised on the label, 4 failed to meet that standard. Two > products recommended doses that were too low, while > others suggested dose ranges that might be inadequate > for some people. The report offers a detailed chart of > product test results and the recommended dosages. > > DOWN SYNDROME LINKED TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE > > In a study of people with Down syndrome who died of > Alzheimer's disease, scientists at the University of > California, Irvine have found that the earliest brain > changes characteristic of Alzheimer's can be seen in > childhood and indicates that anti-oxidants may help > prevent or slow the development of the disease. Dr. > Ira Lott, professor of pediatrics and neurology, and > his associates discovered the oxidized form of a pro- > tein in the brains of people with Down syndrome who > died young. That form of the protein is associated > with the development of dementia -- a cardinal fea- > ture of Alzheimer's disease -- in these individuals. > The findings suggest that some of the earliest stages > of Alzheimer's disease involve oxidative damage in > the brain, which means that treatment with antioxi- > dants may slow or even prevent the disease, in the > normal as well as Down syndrome population. Oxida- > tion may lead to inflammation of brain tissue and > subsequent dementia, Dr. Lott suggests. He and his > colleagues are now studying the effects of anti-oxi- > dant therapy on the development and progression of > Alzheimer's disease. > > ************************************************************ AOL Links ************************************************************ > > <a href= " http://www.shagmail.com/sub/sub-health.html " >Subscribe</a> > <a href= " http://www.shagmail.com/unsub/health.html " >Unsubscribe</a> > <a href= " http://www.shagmail.com " >FREE Newsletters</a> > ____________________________________________________________ > > END OF HEALTH TIPS > Copyright 2001 by Pulse Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. > Feel free to forward this, in its entirety, to others. > > Copyright 2001 by United Press International. > All rights reserved. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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