Smell loss (anosmia) is a common symptom of COVID-19 and occurs in a large proportion of infected patients even in the absence of any other symptoms such as fever or cough. Image Credit: Nenad Cavoski/Shutterstock.com Smell loss and COVID-19 Smell loss (anosmia), reduced smell (hyposmia) or altered smell are common features of colds and flu, in addition to sinusitis and […]
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More than 20 years after the launch of a landmark clinical trial, follow-up examinations and analyses found that not all patients with elevated eye pressure need pressure-lowering treatment to prevent vision loss from glaucoma. When the study was launched, it was universally accepted that all patients with elevated eye pressure should be given medication to lower that pressure. The Ocular […]
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Clinical scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and University College London are collaborating with pharmaceutical companies AbbVie, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb and Roche to investigate the role of neurofilament light (NfL) chain in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. NfL is a protein that provides structural support to […]
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High cholesterol is the most commonly understood cause of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. But now, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a gene that likely plays a causal role in coronary artery disease independent of cholesterol levels. The gene also likely has roles […]
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The Zika virus that ravaged the Americas, leaving many babies with permanent brain damage, may have a silver lining. The virus can activate immune cells to destroy an aggressive brain cancer in mice, giving a powerful boost to an immunotherapy drug and sparking long-lasting immunological memory that can ward off tumor recurrence for at least 18 months, according to a […]
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Opioids are drugs that interact with opioid receptors mainly located in the brain and central nervous system, usually medically administered as pain relief or anesthesia. Morphine is perhaps the most widely used and well-known opioid in a medical setting, while the very similarly structured sister chemical heroin is well known as an illicit substance with few medical uses, though is […]
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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes musculoskeletal pain, tenderness and stiffness in different parts of the body, as well as sleep disturbances and fatigue. People often report that fatigue is the most bothersome aspect of fibromyalgia, since it can affect mood, concentration, memory and the ability to think clearly. Other symptoms include the following: Headaches, Joint disorders Irritable bowel […]
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Patients with schizophrenia usually need medical treatment for their lifetime, even after the symptoms have resolved, to help manage the condition. In most cases, medications are administered in conjunction with psychosocial therapy and a psychiatrist experienced in schizophrenia management is usually involved in the process. Antipsychotics are the most common treatment for schizophrenia, which work by altering the action of […]
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The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not clearly understood, but patients with the condition have been found to have abnormal protein deposits (amyloid plaques) in their brains, along with fibres called tau tangles and a chemical called acetylcholine. These disrupt neuronal messaging in the brain, which eventually becomes permanently damaged, affecting memory and cognitive processing. Although the exact triggers […]
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Symptoms of West Nile Virus While 80% of West Nile virus infections produce no symptoms in people, or symptoms which are mild or moderate, about 20% of cases produce mild symptoms including fever, headache, and body aches, often with skin rash on the chest, stomach and back, vomiting, and sometimes and swollen lymph glands – these symptoms generally last a […]
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