Saturday, September 19, 2009

MSU Research: Sleep Helps Reduce Errors In Memory

MSU Research: Sleep Helps Reduce Errors In Memory
Sleep may reduce mistakes in memory, according to a first-of-its-kind study led by a cognitive neuroscientist at Michigan State University. The findings, which appear in the September issue of the journal Learning & Memory, have practical implications for everyone from students flubbing multiple choice tests to senior citizens confusing their medications, said Kimberly Fenn, principal investigator and MSU assistant professor of psychology.

UCLA Scientist Ask 'Why Sleep?' Analysis Shows Snoozing Is A Strategy To Increase Efficiency, Minimize Risk
Bats, birds, box turtles, humans and many other animals share at least one thing in common: They sleep. Humans, in fact, spend roughly one-third of their lives asleep, but sleep researchers still don't know why. According to the journal Science, the function of sleep is one of the 125 greatest unsolved mysteries in science.

2-Way Communication Between Common Biological Pathways And Body's Daily Clock Revealed By Gene Screen
While scientists have known for several years that our body's internal clock helps regulate many biological processes, researchers have found that the reverse is also true: Many common biological processes - including insulin metabolism - regulate the clock, according to a new study by investigators at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, and the University of California at San Diego.

Association Between Chemotherapy For Breast Cancer And Disruption Of Sleep-Wake Rhythm In Women
A study in the Sept.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the sleep-wake activity rhythms of breast cancer patients are impaired during the administration of chemotherapy. Results indicate that the first cycle of chemotherapy is associated with a temporary disruption of these rhythms, while repeated administration of chemotherapy results in progressively worse and more enduring impairments.

Lack of Exercise = Lack of Sleep
Tommy sprawls on the couch, his eyes glued to the TV screen and the latest Spiderman movie. Shelly is curled up in the easy chair, her only movement her fingers on the controls of her Game Boy.   It's a perfect summer day filled with golden sunshine and light breezes. Tommy should be outside playing baseball. On the sidewalk across the street, Shelly's friends are engaged in a game of hopscotch. But hey! Both the kids are quiet and...

WUSTL Research Finds Individual Cells Isolated From The Biological Clock Can Keep Daily Time, But Are Unreliable
Alexis Webb enters a small room at Washington University in St. Louis with walls, floor and ceiling painted dark green, shuts the door, turns off the lights and bends over a microscope in a black box draped with black cloth. Through the microscope, she can see a single nerve cell on a glass cover slip glowing dimly. The glow tells her the isolated nerve cell is busy keeping time. Webb, a graduate fellow in the Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, working with Erik Herzog, Ph.D.

Did Diprivan Lead to Michael Jackson's Death?
It's no surprise to hear that Michael Jackson suffered from insomnia. According to an Associated Press news release, he'd been plague with insomnia as far back as 1989 and the "Bad" tour.   Sleep problems are common among celebrities, and, no matter your personal opinion of Michael Jackson, there's no doubt he was a celebrity - a super nova of the music world. Can you imagine the stress and pressure of most of life? Then add to that his...

Your Diet and Sleep
Sleep disorders of all kinds affect millions of people every day. However, facts concerning sleep and the disorders associated with sleep are not widely known to the public. The sad aspect to this subject, is that many doctors are not versed in sleep disorders as well. Much of the research that one may encounter has been compiled due to personal experiences or through a personal search for knowledge. If you feel that you cannot go through a day...