Girls more prone to addiction?
Women’s hormonal cycles may not only make them more prone to drug addiction but also more affected by triggers that lead to relapse, a study has found. The research is significant since there are virtually no addiction studies in women that account for these cycles, according to researchers from Vanderbilt University in the US. They point out that women represent a particularly vulnerable population, with higher rates of addiction following exposure to drugs, but addiction studies have primarily focused on the mechanisms underlying these effects in men. The study showed that when fertility-related hormone levels are high, females learn faster, make stronger associations to cues in their environment and are more prone to seek rewards. “Women becoming addicted to drugs may be a fundamentally different process than men,” said Erin Calipari, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University. “It’s important to understand this, because it’s the first step in developing treatments that are actually effective,” she added.
Does Fasting aid your metabolism?
Apart from losing weight, occasional fasting may also help to boost metabolic activities, generate antioxidants, and help reverse ageing, says a study. Scientists have identified 30 previously unrecorded metabolites whose quantity increases during fasting. We have been researching ageing and metabolism for many years and decided to search for unknown health effects in human feelings, said Takayuki Teruya, lead author. Fasting induces metabolic activation rather actively. Scientists analysed human blood, plasma and red blood cells drawn from four fasting individuals. Results revealed 30 previously-recognised metabolites and 44 new metabolites that had been increasing universally among the subjects between 1.5 to 60-fold within just 58 hours of fasting.
Pill trumps insulin Injections?
Researchers have developed a drug capsule that could be used to deliver oral doses of insulin, potentially replacing injections for patients with Type-2 diabetes, says a new study. About the size of a blueberry, the capsule contains a single and small needle made of compressed insulin, which is injected after the capsule reaches the stomach. The study showed that the capsule could deliver enough insulin to lower blood sugar to levels comparable to those produced by injections given through skin. They also demonstrated that the device can be adapted to deliver other protein drugs. “We are really hopeful that this new type of capsule could someday help diabetic patients and perhaps anyone who requires therapies that can now only be given by injection or infusion,” said Robert Langer. The tip of the needle is made of nearly 100 per cent compressed, freeze-dried insulin. When the capsule is swallowed, water in the stomach dissolves the sugar disk, releasing the spring and injecting the needle into the stomach wall.
