Medi watchby
Depression treatment in doubt
Popular antidepressants such as Prozac are little better than placebos in treating most people with depression, say British researchers who gained access to drug company data under US freedom of information laws. 'There seems little reason to prescribe antidepressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients,' says team leader Irving Kirsch of Hull University. The findings are based on analysis of 47 clinical tests, AFP reports. Researchers say the study is one of the most thorough into so-called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac. A spokesman for Eli Lilly, which makes Prozac, says the drug is effective, based on 'extensive scientific and medical experience'.
Kids lose kilos with less salt
Keeping children slim could be as simple as cutting down the amount of salt in their diets, say British researchers who analysed data from a 1997 national survey of more than 2,000 people aged four to 18. Those who ate less salt drank fewer sugary soft drinks, reducing their risk of high blood pressure and obesity, says Feng He of St George's University of London. Halving average salt intake typically means about two fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child: the equivalent of about 250 kilocalories, Reuters reports. Most people can't detect a 10-20 per cent reduction in the amount of salt they consume.
Bullfrogs have anti-ageing properties
South Korean researchers have discovered an anti-ageing substance in the skin of bullfrogs that is more efficient than an expensive, widely used antioxidant and has the added benefit of being water-soluble. Team leader Kim Se-kwon of Pukyong University says the peptide with antioxidant properties may 'provide an economic alternative to tocopherol', which is considered to be the most active antioxidant in humans and is used in medicines and health supplements. Kim says the substance is 10 per cent more effective and could be added to drinks, AFP reports.
Men lag in the memory stakes
Women have better memories than men overall - but not for everything, say Swedish researchers, based on a review of studies from around the world dating back to 1974. Women's memories tend to be more reliable for words and faces, say the Karolinska Institutet researchers. However, men are better at remembering spatial information such as routes, WebMD reports.
Chinese gene mapping targets cancer
Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) scientists are trying to isolate the genes responsible for certain cancers to which Chinese are particularly susceptible, as well as those behind diabetes, which is on the rise on the mainland. Affluence, diet and lifestyle have triggered a significant rise in diabetes cases, while cancers of the lungs, oesophagus, breast, stomach and colon have long been common among Chinese, Reuters reports. 'We're doing disease gene mapping to find ... variants,' says Gao Yang, of the BGI, which completed the mapping of the first Chinese human genome last year. Different genetic makeups may require different drugs or doses to treat the same diseases. Gao says.
Hearty news for cat lovers
Cat owners are less likely to die from a heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases than people who have never had a cat, according to an analysis of data from a US study of almost 4,500 men and women, aged 30 to 75. The University of Minnesota researchers found no such link for dog-owners and they're not sure why. Team leader Farhan Siddiq says cat owners probably have relatively low stress and anxiety levels, WebMD reports.