April 13th, 2009 by Medgadget in Better Health Network
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Although scratching has been everyone’s favorite method of removing an itch for thousands if not millions of years, scientists have not been able to uncover the neurological mechanism of this action. Now a team of University of Minnesota researchers used the long-tailed macaques as subjects in an experiment that showed that the nerves being scratched send different signals to the spinal cord and then to the brain depending on whether there’s an itch in the area. In addition to being a peculiar finding, this may lead to the development of stimulation devices that address acute itching, pain, or other nociceptive phenomena.
From the abstract in Nature Neuroscience:
Spinothalamic tract (STT) neurons respond to itch-producing agents and transmit pruritic information to the brain. We observed that scratching the cutaneous receptive field of primate STT neurons produced inhibition during histamine-evoked activity but not during spontaneous activity or activity evoked by a painful stimulus, suggesting that scratching inhibits the transmission of itch in the spinal cord in a state-dependent manner.
Abstract in Nature Neuroscience: Relief of itch by scratching: state-dependent inhibition of primate spinothalamic tract neurons
Image: joyrex
(hat tip: AP)
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget.com*
April 12th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in Medblogger Shout Outs
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Some fascinating posts from our blogging colleagues this week…
1. First up, Better Health’s favorite South African surgeon, Bongi, describes how his government is planning to credential traditional healers as physicians. He offers a sample of their history and physical forms:
Check out the comments section of this blog post for more commentary. Apparently “evidence-based medicine” is not honored in the US or in South Africa.
2. Happy, the cantankerous hospitalist, discusses the cold, hard facts about the costs of healthcare, and suggests that we should ration care based on personal lifestyle decisions. In other words, smokers who get lung cancer should not be eligible for Medicare. Check out the comments section for one very spicy conversation.
3. Anesthesiologist Joe, from the Book of Joe, always has interesting tidbits on his blog. My favorite three of the week: 1) A Silicon Valley baby onesie, 2) A Chanel bag made of beef jerky, and 3) a black bear sleeping bag. Check them out! (Here’s a sneak preview of the bear:)
April 11th, 2009 by GruntDoc in Better Health Network
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Other night, two dudes were rather unceremoniously dumped on our ambulance ramp. They were, reportedly, not breathing very effectively, thought to be due to ingestion of some substance or another.
Dude who ‘dropped off’ his fellows walked into the ER waiting room, went to the vending machines, got a snack, and left. Didn’t talk to anyone.
With friends like these…
April 10th, 2009 by RamonaBatesMD in Announcements, Better Health Network
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I was reminded that April is National Donor Month by a post over at Donorcycle. I am a strong organ donation advocate. My driver’s license is signed. My family has been informed of my wishes.
It is a point of a contention in my family, hopefully a small one that will be resolved (or never come up for real). My niece, K, who is in nursing school has signed her driver’s license to be an organ donor. Her mother, my sister, J, will not give her permission if asked – not readily anyway. “I don’t want my baby cut up.” That is her reason.
My niece, K, is a giving soul. Her wishes should be honored. She should be allowed to make that last gift if the time ever arises.
I need to find a way to reassure my sister that we don’t “butcher” the body when donor organs are harvested. I need to get her to read Dr Cris’ blog post “Organ Donation from the Inside”
Transplant surgeons care about donors. Staff respect them, and the decision they have made. Their job in this case is to implement the wishes of the donor and not waste their sacrifice. …… I have assisted at an organ retrieval for transplant, and that is why I am on the Organ Donor Register
Another of my sisters recently was widowed when her husband died of heart failure. He had had many heart attacks over the last several years. In the end, he was told he needed a heart transplant. He didn’t live long enough, but I use this to show that the need it there. The need is great. If we would be receivers of the organs, then we need to be givers when able.
**This blog post was originally published at Suture For A Living.**
