Shaheen Lakhan

288 posts · 158,883 views

Brain Blogger covers topics from multidimensional biopsychosocial perspectives. It reviews the latest news and stories related to neuroscience, psychiatry, and neurology. It serves as a focal point for attracting new minds beyond the science of the mind-and-brain and into the biopsychosocial model.

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  • February 7, 2010
  • 07:00 AM
  • 41 views

Speaking in Tongues – A Neural Snapshot

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

“Asaria isa asaria ari masheetee sadabada vena amina gotaya menda meshela mosha nami ki toro ma…” Glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, has fascinated thinkers ever since the “tongues of angels” descended upon early believers as a gift from the Holy Ghost in the New Testament of the Bible. This unusual mental state, characterized by utterances that [...]... Read more »

  • February 5, 2010
  • 07:00 AM
  • 26 views

Neuro Case 1 – Using Transcranial Doppler for Basilar Artery Occlusion

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Welcome the first of a series of neurological cases to be featured on Brian Blogger. We will periodically choose the most enlightening cases from the Journal of Medical Case Reports (JMCR) for which I serve as an Associate Editor. I will present the case as published, discuss the implications of the findings or techniques employed, [...]... Read more »

Kassab, M., Majid, A., Farooq, M., Azhary, H., Hershey, L., Bednarczyk, E., Graybeal, D., & Johnson, M. (2007) Transcranial Doppler: An Introduction for Primary Care Physicians. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 20(1), 65-71. DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2007.01.060128  

Rubiera M, & Alexandrov AV. (2010) Sonothrombolysis in the management of acute ischemic stroke. American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions, 10(1), 5-10. PMID: 20104930  

  • February 3, 2010
  • 10:37 AM
  • 29 views

Journal Retracts Autism Research

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

In 1998, a landmark study was published in the medical journal The Lancet. It was the first major research that suggested a link between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Almost immediately following publication, the rates of vaccination plummeted and the incidence of measles escalated among children. Since then, the subject has been the source [...]... Read more »

  • February 1, 2010
  • 07:00 AM
  • 27 views

Crossing the Line from Physician to Journalist

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

The recent coverage of the devastation and destruction after the earthquake in Haiti has had an unintended consequence; the public is now questioning the legitimacy and ethics of the physicians who masquerade as journalists. For decades, there has been an increased interest in and awareness of the need for physicians and the medical community to work [...]... Read more »

  • January 29, 2010
  • 09:24 AM
  • 74 views

Ginkgo Biloba Ineffective… Again

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Many parents have cried “How many times do I have to tell you?” at their young children when trying to get their attention or emphasize specific behaviors. Now, pharmacists and other medical practitioners are beginning to feel like these parents: “How many times do we have to tell you that Ginkgo biloba is not all [...]... Read more »

Leistner, E., & Drewke, C. (2010) and Ginkgotoxin . Journal of Natural Products, 73(1), 86-92. DOI: 10.1021/np9005019  

Snitz, B., O'Meara, E., Carlson, M., Arnold, A., Ives, D., Rapp, S., Saxton, J., Lopez, O., Dunn, L., Sink, K.... (2009) Ginkgo biloba for Preventing Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Randomized Trial. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 302(24), 2663-2670. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2009.1913  

  • January 26, 2010
  • 10:39 AM
  • 61 views

The Smart Ones are Living Longer

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

A child with a high IQ is more likely to get good grades, be accepted to a prestigious college, accrue successes in life and career, and make healthy lifestyle choices compared to lower-IQ peers. Now, a Swedish study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) concludes that children with a high IQ also have a [...]... Read more »

Aberg, M., Pedersen, N., Toren, K., Svartengren, M., Backstrand, B., Johnsson, T., Cooper-Kuhn, C., Aberg, N., Nilsson, M., & Kuhn, H. (2009) Cardiovascular fitness is associated with cognition in young adulthood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(49), 20906-20911. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0905307106  

Batty, G., Wennerstad, K., Smith, G., Gunnell, D., Deary, I., Tynelius, P., & Rasmussen, F. (2009) IQ in Early Adulthood and Mortality By Middle Age. Epidemiology, 20(1), 100-109. DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0b013e31818ba076  

  • January 22, 2010
  • 03:16 PM
  • 98 views

Too Much Information?

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

How things have changed. Once information was a precious commodity, jealously guarded by the elite who deliberately withheld it from the masses in order to keep them in their place. Now information is everywhere, available to everybody, all of the time. While the democratization of information is undoubtedly a force for good, is there such [...]... Read more »

Clauson, K., Polen, H., Boulos, M., & Dzenowagis, J. (2008) Scope, Completeness, and Accuracy of Drug Information in Wikipedia. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 42(12), 1814-1821. DOI: 10.1345/aph.1L474  

  • January 18, 2010
  • 12:17 PM
  • 72 views

Coping with Trauma – Lessons from Resilient Individuals

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Most individuals at some point of their life experience events that are stressful. While some people seem to crumble to the deleterious effects of stress, others sail through adverse situations. Chronic or acute stress is associated with a wide range of psychosocial disorders. So what are the factors and the possible neurobiological mechanisms associated with [...]... Read more »

Feder, A., Nestler, E., & Charney, D. (2009) Psychobiology and molecular genetics of resilience. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 446-457. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2649  

  • January 13, 2010
  • 11:45 AM
  • 72 views

Worried Well on the Web

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Eight out of every ten Americans have searched for medical information online. Three-quarters of these searchers do not scrutinize the quality, validity, or date of the information. With the overabundance of healthcare information available on the World Wide Web, people looking for quality medical information could easily be led astray. The unnecessary escalation of health [...]... Read more »

  • January 7, 2010
  • 11:22 AM
  • 82 views

One Puff Forward, Two Pounds Back

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Considerable improvements have been made in the health of the population of the United States in the last three decades owing to healthy living interventions, specifically a reduction in smoking. However, during the same period, substantial increases in the incidence of overweight and obesity have adversely impacted the health of the same population. A new [...]... Read more »

Stewart, S., Cutler, D., & Rosen, A. (2009) Forecasting the Effects of Obesity and Smoking on U.S. Life Expectancy. New England Journal of Medicine, 361(23), 2252-2260. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsa0900459  

  • January 3, 2010
  • 02:17 PM
  • 121 views

Income Inequality and Health Outcomes

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

During the last several decades, industrialized countries have experienced a growing gap between the rich and the poor. This income inequality is believed to damage health, with even modest associations between inequality and health outcomes having substantial ramifications for society as a whole. While most analyses of income inequality and health have revealed inconsistent results, [...]... Read more »

LYNCH, J., SMITH, G., HARPER, S., HILLEMEIER, M., ROSS, N., KAPLAN, G., & WOLFSON, M. (2004) Is Income Inequality a Determinant of Population Health? Part 1. A Systematic Review. The Milbank Quarterly, 82(1), 5-99. DOI: 10.1111/j.0887-378X.2004.00302.x  

  • December 25, 2009
  • 08:00 AM
  • 155 views

Is a Slim Santa Claus Coming to Town?

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Once upon a time, a lively old man named Santa Claus worked very hard — all by himself, not exploiting animals or short people — to make safe, educational toys to deliver to children all over the world on Christmas Eve. Santa exercised regularly, and ate a balanced diet of whole grains and plenty of [...]... Read more »

Grills, N., & Halyday, B. (2009) Santa Claus: a public health pariah?. BMJ, 339(dec16 1). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.b5261  

  • December 24, 2009
  • 11:11 AM
  • 158 views

Stimulants May Offer Protection in ADHD

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

As many as 10% of children suffer from attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neuropsychiatric behavioral disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD can cause significant functional, social, and psychological impairment in children and adults. ADHD treatment in children has been controversial, since the mainstay of treatment is stimulant medications, including methylphenidate and amphetamines. Parents [...]... Read more »

  • December 21, 2009
  • 11:35 AM
  • 159 views

Sex, Violence and The Male Warrior Hypothesis

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Throughout the history of human civilization, wars have a common feature of being practiced primarily by males. This group aggression by males is a persistent trait of human behavior, seen across different continents among civilizations that have developed independent of each other.
Also, experimental evidence suggests that compared to females, male behavior and psychology is more [...]... Read more »

  • December 18, 2009
  • 11:12 AM
  • 147 views

Is Time on Your Side?

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Physicians are under mounting pressure to increase efficiency in the provision of medical care. That is, see more patients in less time for less money. But, since speed and accuracy do not always go hand-in-hand, does this increased physician efficiency lead to quality medical care? A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine [...]... Read more »

  • December 13, 2009
  • 05:05 PM
  • 139 views

Weight in the Workplace

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

The statistics are everywhere: most of the adults in the United States are overweight or obese. These conditions are, of course, responsible for increased health care costs owing to chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. The patient may pick up some of these excess expenses, but society incurs [...]... Read more »

Anderson, L., Quinn, T., Glanz, K., Ramirez, G., Kahwati, L., Johnson, D., Buchanan, L., Archer, W., Chattopadhyay, S., & Kalra, G. (2009) The Effectiveness of Worksite Nutrition and Physical Activity Interventions for Controlling Employee Overweight and ObesityA Systematic Review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37(4), 340-357. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.07.003  

Han, E., Norton, E., & Stearns, S. (2009) Weight and wages: fat versus lean paychecks. Health Economics, 18(5), 535-548. DOI: 10.1002/hec.1386  

  • December 9, 2009
  • 10:41 PM
  • 164 views

White Bears – The Paradox of Mental Suppression

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Whatever you do, don’t think of a white bear. Go on, close your eyes, relax, but don’t think of a white bear… So, what happened? Most likely, you were overwhelmed by thoughts of a white bear. This mini-experiment highlights the fascinating paradox of thought suppression. That is, once we explicitly try not to think of [...]... Read more »

Wegner, D., Schneider, D., Carter, S., & White, T. (1987) Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(1), 5-13. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5  

  • December 4, 2009
  • 05:33 PM
  • 146 views

Is Your Doctor Happy or Burnt-Out?

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Is your doctor happy? This is something that may have never crossed your mind: the idea that your personal physician may not be pleased with the current state of his or her life. Even if it has, perhaps you were of the opinion that it was not of minor importance if it did not affect [...]... Read more »

Ricci WM, Gallagher B, Brandt A, Schwappach J, Tucker M, & Leighton R. (2009) Is after-hours orthopaedic surgery associated with adverse outcomes? A prospective comparative study. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, 91(9), 2067-72. PMID: 19723981  

  • November 30, 2009
  • 10:19 AM
  • 161 views

One Size Does Not Fit All

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

Up to half of drug therapy is ineffective, according to recent statistics. This leaves patients’ diseases untreated, but also places them at risk for side effects and drug interactions. The reason for the unpredictability in the effectiveness of medication comes from a variety of factors: individual differences in enzymes that metabolize drugs, variations in drug [...]... Read more »

Abrahams, E., Ginsburg, G., & Silver, M. (2005) The Personalized Medicine Coalition. American Journal of PharmacoGenomics, 5(6), 345-355. DOI: 10.2165/00129785-200505060-00002  

Dean, C. (2009) Personalized Medicine: Boon or Budget-Buster?. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 43(5), 958-962. DOI: 10.1345/aph.1L563  

Leeder, J., & Spielberg, S. (2009) Personalized Medicine: Reality and Reality Checks. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 43(5), 963-966. DOI: 10.1345/aph.1M065  

Rovin, B., McKinley, A., & Birmingham, D. (2009) Can We Personalize Treatment for Kidney Diseases?. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 4(10), 1670-1676. DOI: 10.2215/CJN.04140609  

Campbell, D., & Levitt, P. (2008) Future of individualized psychiatric treatment. Pharmacogenomics, 9(5), 493-495. DOI: 10.2217/14622416.9.5.493  

  • November 27, 2009
  • 10:17 AM
  • 188 views

The Secret to Good Health – Listen to the Data

by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger

A recent study proved what we all already know… that healthy living really does improve long-term health. A lot. The US-based study found that not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight (BMI <30), exercising regularly (3.5 hours/week) and eating a balanced diet (high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, low in meat) reduced the risk of [...]... Read more »

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