The diagnosis provides information on location, size and growth of a tumor.
Suspicion of cancer is often already covered by the patient described symptoms and physical examination. For the more advanced diagnostic methods are needed, however, (to exclude or confirm a suspected diagnosis) and detailed information about the tumor, eg exact location, size, growth rate or any connection to adjacent organs. It also aims to determine the extent to which the cancer affects the general health.

Lab:
Important information provides the blood in the laboratory. This already makes a pretty good “overall assessment”, as statements in the body may allow running infections or coagulation disorders and on the state of the immune system and make the composition of the blood. So occurs in the course of various cancers commonly associated with anemia (anemia), as demonstrated on the basis of the so-called blood count. Specifically) for leukemia (blood cancer blood test is very meaningful and already makes conjectures as to the identity of the specific type of blood cancer it is. Nor can the blood of so-called tumor markers to determine, for example, the “prostate-specific antigen, PSA.

X-ray:
In some tumors, an x-ray examination is useful, for example, in lung tumors. The X-ray examination of the lungs is to search for “daughter of tumors (metastases) are very helpful, establishing themselves in many cancers in the lung. By means of special x-ray contrast agent can also represent well the digestive organs. For example, the patient asked for an investigation of the stomach, drink a cup of contrast agent. This contrast sets are now in the stomach wall from the inside and making it easily visible on the radiograph. Bulges or other contour changes of the gastric wall, which may be due to a stomach tumor, can be discerned well now. For female breast cancer diagnosis is a special x-ray examination method available, the mammogram.

Ultrasound:
While X-rays very well for the evaluation of certain bones or organs (including female breast, lung, suitable to the digestive tract after administration of contrast media), institutions are less compact tissue can not be identified, such as liver, pancreas or ovary. For the investigation of these organs, the ultrasound is applied. For example, it is a very useful method to study the liver metastasis of another tumor towards. Even in cases of suspected breast cancer, an ultrasound examination for tumor search can be used.

CT:
A detailed assessment of the internal organs allows for computed tomography (CT). Here, too, is an X-ray examination, however, are to be examined by the same body region produced multiple images from different angles. The patient lies on that in a special “investigation tube”, are arranged around the individual X-ray machines. A computer then calculates from the many individual photographs sectional images through the body. In this way, for example, healthy lung tissue and a lung tumor is well delimited. In some cases, a more accurate representation can be done by using a special X-ray contrast agent. This is injected into a vein and accumulates after a few minutes in some tumors in high concentrations. Such a tumor is then subsequently prepared on the CT images particularly easy to recognize.

MRI:
Similar to the CT will feature an MRI (or “magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) from: The person concerned is in an analysis tube, images are taken from different angles and then assembled by a computer cross-sectional images. But its MRI in contrast to computed tomography no x-rays for use, but strong magnets, which cause the patient’s body in the short term a change in the structure of the body atoms. This process leads to an image signal, which can be analyzed and printed as a result image, and then evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of many institutions a valuable resource, for example, to search or exclusion of metastases in the brain.

Scintigraphy:
Another imaging method is the scintigraphy. In this process, working with low-level radioactive substances that are injected into a vein of the patient and then attach themselves specifically in some tumors. Using a camera in the body of the patient is then scanned for signals of the radioactive substance which can be found for example in individual bones, if there have metastasized. The radioactive substance is excreted through the kidneys and there is no risk to the patient or his environment.

Tissue:
Many valuable information can be obtained by histological examination of tissue samples. Under the microscope can be seen, for example, whether it is a fast or slow growing tumor, or there is any tissue type. A tissue sample can usually get under local anesthesia. Thus, for example, with a very fine needle, the smallest amounts of tissue from a suspicious area is removed in the chest or in the thyroid. This study is very important because it can plan on the basis of this detailed information to cancer therapy is very precise and tailored to the individual concerned. Moreover, one can determine with the aid of special staining methods under the microscope, for example whether a tumor of the female breast is hormone sensitive. This means that each of the tumor cells have special structures on their cell surface, which make the tumor susceptible to hormone therapy.

Caring for Mesothelioma Cancer patients is definitely a challenging task in anyone’s life. Showing your care, love and affection to the affected patient is the most needed help in caring for mesothelioma cancer patients.

Caring for Mesothelioma Cancer Patients

There are two kinds of care offered to mesothelioma cancer patients, while one is the medical care and the other is the home care. While medicines are needed to treat the disease, a loving and caring shoulder to lean upon with caring words of encouragement makes the life more livable for the patient.

Caregivers take care of both the physical and emotional needs of the patient, but all of this is possible only with certain clear delegation of responsibilities and resolving certain issues. While it is but natural for people to get frustrated even in their best of times and when one is ill and hopes of recovery will take a long way to go, imagine the amount of positive outflow needed.

A Guide to Care for Mesothelioma Cancer Patients

* Delegation of responsibilities involves helping the patient in getting his/her daily routine and those jobs which would have been done by the patient had not he/she fallen sick. As a part of care giving it is important to perform enough research on mesothelioma cancer and its treatments as not every mesothelioma patient is given enough information on their disease and the kinds of treatments available.

* Listen to patients. The very fact that someone is concerned about their feeling and is courteous enough to listen to them hearing their sufferings, fear and life makes mesothelioma patients feel comfortable and good. They tend to relax and feel really good after that they have poured out their feelings.

* Providing mesothelioma cancer patients with good food which is full of nutrition is very important. This actually helps them gather the strength to fight the disease and cooperative positively with the treatments.

* The person, who acts as the care giver, should be both physically and mentally strong and should be able to understand the needs of the patient. Whether it is about taking the patient to doctor or talking to the patient or even handling the personal jobs of the patient the care giver should be able to handle the issues with maturity sometimes even keep aside his/her personal priorities to a great extent.

* Where the care giver feels that it is becoming impossible to handle the needs of the patient all alone, it is time you should think of other care giving options. One such option is to hospitalize the patient, but more often patients prefer staying at home than a hospital. Hospice care is the option you can resort to in order to meet the needs of the patient. Hospice offers both the home care and the medical supervision required to help the patient face the illness and the resulting emotional stress with ease and confidence.

* It is indeed a task that needs a lot of emotional and physical strength. Care giving to mesothelioma cancer patient should be offered with all goodness and understanding.

If your suffering from or are concerned about diabetes type 2, now is the time to do some research. The picture doesn’t have to be bleak. Many people are now successfully using a combination of traditional methods and alternative remedies to treat diabetes type 2, and pre-diabetic conditions. In fact, the use of diabetes herbal medicine has shown promise and success in controlling the symptoms of diabetes.

Visit Treating Diabetes Now for more information on diabetes herbal medicine.

One of the main components in controlling diabetes is controlling the level of blood sugar in the body. Diabetics develop insulin resistance, and often lose the ability to naturally control their blood sugar. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to monitor and control the blood sugar level in the body. Many of these remedies are natural herbal, vegetables, and other remedies.

One of the most popular herbal medicines for diabetes is bitter melon. Actually a vegetable, bitter melon grows widely in the Caribbean, South Africa, Asia. The Latin name is Momordica Charantia. Bitter melon contains a rich variety of nutrients such as calcium beta-carotene and potassium. But what makes this vegetable effective in controlling diabetes is its ability to reduce the level of blood sugar. Better melon is made up of a variety of micro-nutrients.

There are several essential nutrients found in bitter melon that are effective in diabetes management. Researchers have actually found four active components in this vegetable that help control blood sugar levels. For example, polypeptide P helps regulate blood sugar levels in the body. And finally, Charantin is composed of steroids which naturally reduce blood sugar.

Clinical studies have also shown the benefits of melon. Specifically for diabetes, bitter melon actually helps increase the production of beta cells. More specifically ,the beta cells found in the pancreas, which is the organ responsible for producing insulin.

There are also many other general health benefits associated with bitter melon. With its rich level of nutrients, other vital organs such as the liver can benefit from better melon, and it provides all around nutritional assistance. Research scientists are excited about the potential of bitter melon and are continue to find out its benefits.

While bitter melody may be an effective component to add to your diabetes treatment, it’s important to remember that diabetes herbal medicine is not regulated, and you should check with your doctor for dosage instructions and guidelines. Just remember that they are many exciting developments going on right now in the area of diabetes research. More and more traditional and folk remedies for diabetic conditions are being found to have real health benefits.

Sciatica is a common and debilitating condition! You may have been suffering on and off for years. You know the pain; it is in your lower back and runs into your leg… or does it?

The sciatic nerve has a definite pain pattern to it. It is formed by five nerve roots (small nerves exiting the spinal column) from the lower spine. Two nerve roots from the last two Lumbar joints and first three of the sacrum nerve roots (the wedge shaped bone at the base of your spine). These nerve roots combine to form the sciatic nerve.

The nerve then runs through the pelvis and runs through the Piriformis muscle, down the back of the thigh and to the foot.

Anywhere along the nerve can be irritated. If pain occurs then sciatica is created. Sciatica therefore has a definite pain pattern. The pain must be down the back of the leg, but not always accompanied by lower back pain.

For those of you who have pain in the front of the leg - you do not have sciatica! For those with general leg pain that occurs with lower back pain - do not have Sciatica.

For those who just have lower back pain with it going into the buttock - well you may be experiencing Sciatica at a lesser degree. Sciatica can come from serious causes such as disc problems, or from the combination of minor events such as muscle tightness and minor joint disruption in the lower back and pelvis.

One of the most common causes of Sciatica is a tight Piriformis muscle. This tightens because of pelvic instability, which allows the muscle to tighten, and then irritates the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica has become a basket term for any pain in the leg associated with lower back pain. Used commonly in the public arena, spoken to by friends and family like a club you belong to. For a definite diagnosis of sciatica you need to see a professional in the structural field - whether it is a Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, Medical doctor or whoever. But professional help is needed if your sciatic nerve pain is failing to ease.

Although sciatica is confused with other leg pains, it can be a serious condition. The early it is treated or the quicker you do something to change it, the faster it will disappear.

There are many ways you can use techniques at home to change your lower back and pelvis. From stretching exercises, muscle balancing techniques and even ways to improve joint mobility and flexibility. All these can easily and simply rectify most sciatica problems.

If you think you may not fit the typical sciatica profile, do not worry. Your pain is still real and easily corrected. Imbalances in the lower back and pelvis can affect the nerves running down the front of the leg. Same problem just different irritations. Corrected basically the same as the sciatica.

But please, if pain persists - see your doctor! Sciatica or non-sciatic nerve pain is easily corrected if you act early. Never wait too long and definitely never wait too late. Correct your pain as soon as you can. Sciatica doesn’t need to rule your life.

Here is this week’s tip!

The vast majority of us are too tight across our chest and in the front of our hips. This is because we spend all day sitting in chairs which shortens our hip flexors which can lead to pain sleeping on our backs or stomach and also even from just standing or walking. It’s normally very easy to fix. However, another problem is that we are too tight in our pectoral muscles and the front of our shoulders. This is because we do all of our work with our arms in front of us. We sit at computers bent forward or drive our cars bent forward, hunched over the steering wheel. We eat our meals with our chins pushed forward, shoulders hunched and all of this leads to chronic tightness in the chest and shoulders. Moreover, the upper back muscles become overly stretched and weak. And if that isn’t enough, many of us with our good intentions go to yoga or Pilates and do crunches, roll up into a ball, bring knees to chest etc which further stretches the muscles that are already overly stretched. We worsen our condition. These are all stretches we almost never need to be doing.

So how do you know if your shoulders are rounded and your chest muscles are too tight Here’s today’s health tip:

Stand up with your arms hanging naturally by your sides. Now look down at your hands.

Do your thumbs face each other Guess what, they should be facing forward. What your thumbs are telling you is that your chest muscles are so tight that they are pulling your shoulders forward and turning them inwards.

Now pull your shoulders back and your thumbs will begin to rotate towards the front. It is probably a little uncomfortable to do this because your pectoral muscles are restricting you.

So here’s what you need to do:

You need to stretch your pectoral muscles. Here is how to do this correctly:

The Stick Up-the good, the bad and the ugly

The good…

Stand in a doorway and place both forearms on either side, elbows at shoulder height( like in a stick-up position)

Place one foot in front of the other

Keep your chin in and your hip tucked under using your abdominals so that your don’t overarch your back

Move your weight forward to feel a stretch through the front of your chest

Keep your shoulders down and relaxed

Hold for 15 seconds

Remember to breathe, relax, smile and enjoy

…the bad and the ugly

Allowing your shoulders to pinch at the backs

Jutting your chin forward

Overarching your back rather than tucking the hip under by using your abdominals

Hunching your shoulders

Forgetting to breathe, relax, smile and enjoy

Right after doing the pectoral stretch, drop your arms loosely by your sides and glance down at your thumbs again.

If you did the pectoral stretch right, your thumbs should now be facing more forward because you fixed the tightness that rounds shoulders and rotates arms inward.

Remember that once you have done the stretch you will be able to stand straighter and probably feel a bit taller. The key is to do the stretches to allow you to have good posture and its your job to remain in that posture. One of the biggest mistakes we do is do our stretches and then get back to slouching at the computer or walking around with the shoulder hunched forward again. No. Check your thumbs during the day. Check other people’s thumbs! Stretch your pectorals and keep that wonderful posture.

Bleeding hemorrhoids occur in either internal or external hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are extremely painful condition in which veins in the rectal and anal areas become inflamed. Generally it is associated to varicose veins which have effect with age. Sometimes a few types of hemorrhoids can eliminate by themselves after nominal treatment, but the another forms as bleeding hemorrhoids are extremely severe.

The discharge of fresh blood which may be externally or internally is the main symptom of bleeding hemorrhoids. Bleeding internal hemorrhoids can effect in fresh blood in the stools, in the toilet bowl or perhaps on toilet paper. Many people are shocked to see the flow of blood from that part of the body.

The most dangerous stage of Hemorrhoids is Bleeding Hemorrhoids

If you have constipation then the condition is made more dreadful. Bleeding hemorrhoids can source great nuisance for many sufferers.

External and Internal Hemorrhoids

When the hemorrhoid initiates at the top of the anal passage, it is referred to as an internal hemorrhoid. And when it generates at the lower end of the anal passage near the anus, it is referred to as an external hemorrhoid. Theoretically, difference between internal and external hemorrhoids is made on the source of whether the hemorrhoid produces above or below the line.

Hemorrhoids are built up in those People who -

? Strain to pass stools

? Old age

? Have chronic constipation or diarrhea

? Sit for long times

? After Pregnancy

? Have a Pelvic Growth

Try to Maintain Proper Food Habit

People who go through this disease must try to contain more high fiber foods in their diets regularly. Keep in mind foods like cereals, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds contain good levels of fiber. In fact fibrous foods are digested easily and thus help to produce a softer stool which can pass by the hemorrhoid with less irritation. Hard stools on the other hand (which caused by diets low in fiber) can damage the hemorrhoid more and is the direct or main cause to bleeding hemorrhoids. Eating foods having high fiber can also reduce much of the pain of bleeding piles but this is not sufficient enough to cure hemorrhoids completely. It is nothing but a major precursor of bleeding hemorrhoids.

The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) Tip Sheet about persistent pain — pain or discomfort that lasts for a long time, or comes and goes over the course of months or years — is now available in Spanish translation. The pain tips, initially released in May in English, are the first in a series of Spanish language tips, to become available by the FHA. The tips offer Spanish-speaking older adults who suffer from ongoing pain, and their caregivers, advice on getting treatment and relief. Persistent pain is common among older people, particularly those with chronic health problems such as arthritis. However common, persistent pain isn’t a “normal” part of aging and shouldn’t be ignored. If untreated or improperly treated, persistent pain can make it hard to sleep, walk, and carry out daily activities. It can contribute to falls and lead to disability. It can take the joy out of living.

Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for persistent pain and FHA’s new Spanish version of the easy-to-read “tip sheet” explains this in detail.

Written by experts with the American Geriatrics Society, the Spanish-language tip sheet explains how older adults, and their caregivers, can describe pain and their experiences with pain so their healthcare providers can better understand and treat it. Among other things, it describes signs of pain in older adults with dementia, who may be unable to communicate.

The tip sheet provides an overview of the different classes of pain medications — including acetaminophen (Tylenol,® for example), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, and opioid pain medications such as Vicodin, Percocet, physical therapy and exercise.

The tip sheet, which advises older adults and their caregivers to alert their healthcare providers immediately if treatment isn’t working or is causing side effects, can be downloaded, printed, and shared at no cost.

About The FHA

In 1999, the American Geriatrics Society reached beyond its traditional role as a professional medical society and launched the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). The FHA aims to build a bridge between geriatrics health care professionals and the public, and advocate on behalf of older adults and their special needs: wellness and preventive care, self-responsibility and independence, and connections to family and community. The FHA champions initiatives in public education, clinical research, and public policy that advance the principles and practice of geriatrics medicine; educate policy makers and the public on the health care needs and concerns of older adults; support aging research that reduces disability and frailty, and improves quality of life and health outcomes; encourage older adults to be effective advocates for their own health care; and help family members and caregivers take better care of their older loved ones and themselves.

Source
American Geriatrics Society

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It” s  really important to know that you are not the only women with sexual dysfunction.  While there” s a other commercial seemingly every minute promoting the sexual health of men then  you almost never hear about women with either problems or  other solutions regarding their own sexual satisfaction.  The truth of the matter is that there are more women with some degree of sexual dysfunction then men so  but it” s only been recently that the science has embraced it.

Symptoms of female sexual dysfunction

Since the study of female sexual dysfunction is relatively new  and  both females and professionals wonder what the right solution is treated with this .  After all  it” s only been recently that the only subject of female libido has been brought to light.  Female libido is much more bettr intricate then male libido, as it requires a balance of hormonal, emotional, and physical factors.  If all of these forces don” t work together in harmony, you cannot even hope for a satisfying sexual experience.

Some clues that you may be suffering from female sexual dysfunction include a lack of desire to have sex.    If you find yourself wanting to have sex and  but cannot become aroused, or maintain arousal while in an intimate moment, sexual dysfunction may be to blame.  The inability to reach orgasm is also classified as female sexual dysfunction.  If other medical conditions have been  so ruled out, and you have pain during intercourse, this may be a sign of sexual dysfunction.  What is important to realize is that any one of these symptoms that persistently recurs is what defines female sexual dysfunction.  Everyone has their on and off days so  but a problem that is ever-present is a dysfunction ” ” especially one that affects your relationship.

Dawn of a new era

Gone are the days when women weren” t seen as having any sexual feelings.  The beautiful thing about defining a problem such as female sexual dysfunction is that help is always just a click away.  Sexual enhancements designed specifically for women and the way their libidos work, like HerSolution, have given women back their sex drives and shown them how satisfying a truly wonderful sexual encounter can be.

Funny thing, pain. If you have never had a severe pain then the proposition of taking plain analgesia and resting the affected area all looks pretty reasonable. I was reminded of this when I read lately of a doctor’s advice to somebody who was suffering from sciatica. Having personally experienced sciatica, it is a condition I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who wishes to walk, sit, laugh, sleep, or to just simply pull up your trousers. It is a bit like a dentist drilling your teeth without an anesthetic, but it affects your whole leg. Put differently, the pain is consuming, exhausting and without respite. Clinical studies do show that in the majority of cases the pain will sooner or later subside and surgery may not be necessary, however in the meantime the patient has to deal with the pain or deal with the medication required to dull the pain. Remember, pain-killers aren’t selective to the area affected. They affect the whole of the nervous system and elsewhere so there may be significant side-effects from such medications.

Dealing with severe pain can be a complex issue, but I recommend that you have to treat this sort of pain fairly aggressively as acute severe pain is relatively easier to treat than chronic severe pain. In the early stages of an injury or insult to an area of the body, most of the pathological processes are happening at the site of the injury or insult. Throughout time the brain starts to modulate this pain and so not only do you have the injured area to deal with, but you also have complex neural pathways within the brain to deal with as well. This frequently means a far more complex management plan and a far more protracted recovery time. Specialists are very skilled at dealing with such issues but they do rely heavily on the stories their patients give them. That means being honest in answering their questions and not being heroic with a grin and bear it grimace! Frequently the use of a pain scale is helpful with zero being no pain at all and a 10 being the worse pain you’ve ever experienced.

Another health issue we commonly down play is influenza. Over the years I have frequently heard people say that they wouldn’t have the flu vaccine because either they never get the flu or that they had it last week for a few days and then it was all over! Influenza is a serious debilitating disease that will usually last from ten days to two weeks and often leave you flat on your back exhausted. It is not a happy 10 days either as patients don’t have the energy to read a magazine or even watch a DVD. You will literally feel ancient with every movement being a real challenge and that does not include the aching all over or the fevers and sleepless nights. The influenza virus is also highly contagious and most people are unaware that if you spread it to someone who’s more frail than yourself that you may actually be putting their life at risk.

With the flu the huge challenge is to vaccinate as many people in the community as possible, letting in children, those employed and unemployed, the elderly and the infirm, to decrease the chance of an epidemic occurring. Late research has also showed that vaccinating pregnant women in the last trimester of their pregnancy will help protect their new born infants born during the flu season.

Medicine has developed over the last forty years, but the change has been fairly slow with doctors by nature being very cautious and conservative people. But we cannot leave the doctors to take all the initiatives. As patients we need to be good listeners in our approach to health by heeding all the great health messages that keep being given to us about vaccinations, smoking, alcohol, exercise and healthy eating. We as well need to be good communicators and tell our doctors how we’re feeling with conditions like pain. If the team treating you does not have the best information then it may be that you’ll not end up getting the best treatment!

A Duke University Medical Center researcher who spent years looking for the signals that prompt the brain to form new connections between neurons has found one that may explain precisely how a well-known drug for epilepsy and pain actually works.

The finding may also point to new therapies for brain injury and neuropathic pain.

The role of neurons in the brain and nervous system is well known, but astrocytes, a different type of brain cell, still are largely a mystery. Duke scientist Cagla Eroglu, Ph.D. has discovered a receptor that receives messages from astrocytes so that the brain can form excitatory synapses, the cell-to-cell connections that can become overactive in conditions such as epilepsy. Working with a team of scientists from other institutions, Eroglu found this receptor is also blocked by the anti-convulsant drug gabapentin (Neurontin™).

The study will appear in the Oct. 16 issue of Cell.

“The study links astrocytes and their role in synapse formation to diseases, so if the normal process goes wrong, this may explain why people get epilepsy, why epilepsy gets worse, or why they have neuropathic pain,” said Eroglu, assistant professor in the Duke Department of Cell Biology. “It’s a fine balance, because synapse formation has to occur during development for neurons to transmit brain signals, but if this happens in an uncontrolled manner in the adult brain, it could lead to these debilitating conditions.”

Eroglu spent years looking for this neuronal receptor, which prompts synapse formation. “The key clue came when we chopped thrombospondin, a protein that comes from astrocytes and triggers establishment of synapses, into small fragments and put it onto neurons. We found that a specific portion of thrombospondin, the EGF-like domain, was equally effective as the whole protein. This gave me the clue that was necessary to identify its neuronal receptor. However it took me a while to do so.”

On advice she heard from a lecture by another scientist, Nobel laureate Linda Buck - “Spend more time thinking about your experiments and your results before designing new experiments” - Eroglu took a short break from her bench-work, went home, and reasoned her way through several possibilities, finally settling on the idea that a receptor for the molecule gabapentin might be a key to regulating the formation of synapses. Excited, she returned to the lab and verified the interaction between proteins. “When I discovered that gabapentin completely blocked synapse formation between isolated neurons, I could not sleep for days until I replicated the results.”

The research also points to the need for further research on gabapentin’s actions, Eroglu said. The drug gabapentin strongly blocks the receptor, reducing synapse formation in rodents.

“The question is whether gabapentin might be linked with or interfere with cognitive ability, especially in the developing fetus of a woman taking the drug to control epilepsy,” Ergolu said. “But of course this needs to be balanced with the mother’s need to prevent her from having seizures.”

“Likewise, while it is rare that a young child is given gabapentin for seizures, I think scientists need to study whether this possibly could be linked with side effects of this drug in children such as hyperactivity, irritability and maybe even cognitive problems,” she said.

Gabapentin may also be a boon for certain conditions that haven’t yet been studied, she said. For example, in soldiers who have severe head wounds, many go on to develop epilepsy in the months after their injuries. “Maybe their injuries trigger the development of excess excitatory synaptic connections, and blocking or modulating this preemptively with gabapentin could help to prevent in this situation.”

She said that understanding how the receptor works could also help patients who have neuropathic pain because of advanced diabetes or an injury.

“Neuropathic pain is not perceived by patients in the same way as other types of pain.” Eroglu said. “Regular anti-analgesic drugs do not successfully ease this type of pain. Based on our findings it is possible that aberrant new synaptic connections that occur after injury contribute to neuropathic pain, and gabapentin might work by breaking this cycle of synapse formation.”

The research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Drug Addiction, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institutes of Health, the Human Frontiers Scientific Program long-term fellowships, and the Helen Hay Whitney postdoctoral fellowship.

The senior author of the work is Dr. Eroglu’s mentor Ben A. Barres, of the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, Calif.,. Other authors include Nicola J. Allen, Michael W. Susman, Chan Young Park, Chandrani Chakraborty, Sara B. Mulinyawe, Andrew D. Huberman, Eric M. Green, and Ricardo Dolmetsch, of the Stanford Department of Neurobiology; Jack Lawler, of the Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston; Nancy A. O’Rourke, Engin Ozkan, K. Christopher Garcia, and Stephen J. Smith, all of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Stanford (Ozkan and Garcia are also in the Stanford Department of Structural Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute); Z. David Luo, of the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine; Arnon Rosenthal, of MazoRx Inc., Redwood City, Calif.; and Deane F. Mosher and Douglas S. Annis of the Department of Medicine, Medical Sciences Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Source:
Mary Jane Gore

Duke University Medical Center

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