Health news: What’s making headlines in June

In case you missed it, check out this round up of some of the stories making headlines in June…

 

Parkinson’s disease:
  • Apple Watch will now be able to monitor PD: Tech developers announced this month that the Apple Watch will now be able to track two common PD symptoms — tremors and dyskinesia — and map them out in graphs to help doctors (and patients) with PD monitoring. Fill me in.
  • Study points to an “overlooked driver” of PD — Bacteriophages: What are bacteriophages or “phages”? Viruses that infect bacteria. New research shows that people with PD may have an overabundance of phages that kill “good” bacteria in the microbiome or gut, which could mean a new target for treating PD. More on the study.
Lupus:
  • How common are cognitive issues with lupus? Very. A doctor specializing in lupus research says nearly 40% of people with SLE have some level of cognitive impairment, such as trouble with attention, recall and concentration — so doctors should monitor it early and often. Read his Q&A.
Lung cancer:
  • Drug may replace chemo as initial treatment for many with NSCLC: New clinical trial results of the immunotherapy drug Keytruda show that it can be a more effective first treatment than chemotherapy for many patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) — even those with low levels of the PD-L1 gene mutation. Tell me more.

 

MS:
  • VETS Act expands access to telehealth: Late last month, Congress passed the VETS Act, expanding access to telehealth for more than 20 million veterans, including 30,000 living with MS. Get the full story.
  • Now enrolling: Nationwide clinical trial: Researchers at John’s Hopkins University are seeking newly diagnosed or untreated patients living with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) to participate in a study to help inform treatment decisions. Learn more.

 

 

Mental Health:
  • Practices for overcoming trauma: Results from a new study found that women who combined meditation with aerobic exercise had far fewer trauma-related thoughts, and saw an uptick in feelings of self worth. Get the full story
  • When antidepressants won’t work: “I knew it wasn’t going to be a magical Cinderella transformation, but I definitely feel like a newer person.” Read one man’s experience with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) after first-line treatments didn’t work. More info.

 

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