Myths and Facts About Depression

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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Depression is widely misunderstood by many.  For some reason, various misconceptions about its causes and its symptoms, have lodged themselves in the public psyche.

WebMD has posted an excellent slide show that sorts the facts from the myths, and provides an excellent overview of depression.  Through a series of short simple snippets, the slide show debunks 9 myths and reinforces 9 facts that everyone should understand.

I recommend you click through to view the presentation, but I will share a sampling of their message here:

• Myth: Depressed People Cry a lot
• Fact: Exercise is Good Medicine
• Myth: Depression is a Part of Aging
• Fact: Depression Imitates Dementia

In the full slide show, each of these Facts/Myths is supported with a short summary of the scientific truth behind statement.  It is an enlightening overview, well worth the 3 minutes it will take you to view it.

You should follow Brain Today on twitter here

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A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

How Helpful is Online Medical Advice?

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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If you have a medical symptom, should you go online and educate yourself before seeing your physician?  A recent article at the Huffington Post makes the case that patients who do, often pose a great burden on their physician.

I am sure that may be true sometimes.  In fact, this blog is dedicated to clarifying the online news about brain health because we recognize how much misleading information is available on the internet.  But there is another side to this story.

Because medical knowledge leaps forward more broadly and more quickly than physicians can absorb it, there is a long lag between the "state of medical knowledge" and the "state of medical practice".  Any conscientious physician will recognize this, and will welcome good sources of updated information.  Importantly, patients are becoming increasingly viable sources of such information.

Overall, I agree that there is lots of misleading medical information online, and I agree that dispelling online myths is a new burden for physicians.  But in a great many instances, a well informed patient can help a physician give much better care.

You should follow Brain Today on twitter here

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A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

Is Your Cell Phone Hurting Your Brain?

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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Is your cell phone hurting your brain?

Recent headlines probably overstate the case that it might be.  Studies on how cell phones affect the brain have been conducted since cell phones were adopted by the masses, in the decade of the 90's.  Some of the studies have been placating and others have been alarmist, but none have been meaningfully conclusive.

The latest study, published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, has been amplified in the general press, in ways that imply dangerous side-effects associated with cell phone usage.  The study itself makes no such claims.

The key finding was that cell phones appear to stimulate metabolic activity in those brain cells nearest to the ear where the cell phone is held.  Certainly, metabolic activity in and of itself, is not a bad thing; cells must metabolize energy to function.  The pertinent question is whether or not such activity, in response to cell phone radiation, has any meaning.

The authors did not speculate on whether the observed metabolic activity was good, bad, or otherwise.  From a scientific point of view, a case could be made for any of those three possibilities.

The best summary and reasoned perspective that I have read on this research, was posted by Dr. David Katz on the Huffington post.  I strongly encourage you to click through, and read his cogent overview of what this latest study means, and what it does not mean.

You should follow Brain Today on twitter here

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A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.