This is our third year partnering with the BAW campaign here at Highlight HEALTH. This week, we’ve already posted a video describing a radical new way to test for Parkinson’s disease over the phone and a story on new brain mapping research that suggests that the predisposition to hear voices may relate to abnormal functioning of the resting brain. You can read more BAW articles from Highlight HEALTH using the links below:

Every day this week we’re running stories and posting videos on brain research. To further excite and educate people about the brain and brain research, we’re crossing the digital divide and giving away a number of pamphlets about the brain to readers. Simply subscribe to weekly updates from Highlight HEALTH and then email us at baw@highlighthealth.com with your name and mailing address and we will send you the following items in the mail:

Email us at the address above and join in this year’s Brain Awareness Week celebration.

To get a sense of underlying themes for the top ten lists, here’s a tag cloud of terms taken from articles that made the cut:

The Highlight HEALTH Network

Highlight HEALTH is part of the Highlight HEALTH Network, a group of three websites that focus on health and medicine for the general public.

• Here at Highlight HEALTH, we report on biomedical research, provide background and analysis, and explain how the results affect you, the healthcare consumer. We also offer original analysis and editorials focused on healthcare and current health news.

• At Highlight HEALTH 2.0, we focus on new ideas impacting health and medicine. We post on new apps and technologies in health and medicine.

• Lastly, the Highlight HEALTH Web Directory is an online reference guide for reliable health and medical information.

There are a number of ways to connect with Highlight HEALTH, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, email or RSS feed.

Top stories for 2012

According the the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 80% of internet users, or 59% of U.S. adults, look online for health information. Just under one-third of cell phone owners, and more than one-half of smartphone owners, have used their phone to look up health or medical information [1]. To see what readers of Highlight HEALTH were interested in for 2012, we’ve calculated the top stories for the year using two measures, either by the highest absolute number of page views for 2012 or by the average number of page views per day (3 out of 10 overlap both lists). Each story indicates an article number (we published a total of 107 stories in 2012) and number of views.

Top 10 stories by highest absolute page view for the year

1. Pluripotent Stem Cells and the Nobel Prize for Medicine
   (article #97; 18,953 page views)

   The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to two scientists for their work on reprogramming mature cells to become pluripotent.

2. Washington State Pertussis Epidemic Highlights Importance of Vaccination
   (article #60; 15,260 page views)

   In early April, 2012, the Washington State Department of Health declared a pertussis (whooping cough) epidemic, underscoring the importance of vaccination.

3. NIH Director Discusses Accelerating Translation of Biomedical Research to the Clinic
   (article #64; 5,529 page views)

   At TEDMED 2012, Dr. Francis Collins discussed two potential methods for getting disease treatments to market faster.

4. Cognitive Function and Obesity: Does Your BMI Link to Your IQ?
   (article #28; 6,966 page views)

   The so-called obesity epidemic may be causing decline in cognitive function through direct and indirect impacts on brain functioning.

5. Study Reveals How Green Tea Improves Memory
   (article #96; 5,383 page views)

   New research from China suggests that green tea can help prevent neurodegeneration: the loss of structure and/or function of brain cells.

6. Circumcision Linked to Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer
   (article #33; 5,281 page views)

   A new study published in the journal Cancer suggests that circumcision can hinder infection and inflammation that may lead to prostate cancer.

7. Lactose Intolerance: A Diagnostic Fad
   (article #17; 4,174 page views)

   Just as clothing styles come in and out of fashion, diagnoses go through fads as well: one such fad diagnosis is lactose intolerance, which is sometimes blamed for everything from hyperactivity to joint pain.

8. What the Healthcare Law Ruling Means to You
   (article #70; 4,045 page views)

   Politics aside, we review what the healthcare law ruling will and will not do to you.

9. Walmart and Sam’s Club Offer 10 Vital Immunizations Nationwide
   (article #93; 3,839 page views)

   In September, Walmart and Sam’s Club announced the launch of expanded immunization services across the United States, signaling the company’s expansion into healthcare services.

10. Just Because It Isn’t Sweet … Doesn’t Mean It Isn’t Sugar
    (article #11; 3,743 page views)

    We give you the skinny on carbs, both simple and complex.

Top 10 stories by average number of page views per day

1. Pluripotent Stem Cells and the Nobel Prize for Medicine
   (article #97; average: 234 page views/day)

   The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to two scientists for their work on reprogramming mature cells to become pluripotent.

2. Inspiring 15-Year-Old Develops Cancer Sensor
   (article #100; average: 106 page views/day)

   Fifteen-year-old Jack Andraka has invented a test that detects early stage pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancer, and is cheaper and faster than the gold standard test used today.

3. Happy Holidays from Highlight HEALTH
   (article #107; average: 74 page views/day)

   Holiday greetings from all of us here at Highlight HEALTH.

4. Even Healthy People Carry Hundreds of Genetic Flaws
   (article #106; average: 66 page views/day)

   New research finds that, on average, a normal healthy person carries approximately 400 protein-damaging DNA mutations and two mutations directly linked with a high risk of disease.

5. Washington State Pertussis Epidemic Highlights Importance of Vaccination
   (article #60; average: 67 page views/day)

   In early April, 2012, the Washington State Department of Health declared a pertussis (whooping cough) epidemic, underscoring the importance of vaccination.

6. Study Reveals How Green Tea Improves Memory
   (article #96; average: 62 page views/day)

   New research from China suggests that green tea can help prevent neurodegeneration: the loss of structure and/or function of brain cells.

7. Healthy Neuroticism Linked with Lower Levels of an Inflammatory Biomarker
   (article #103; average: 57 page views/day)

   New research suggests that healthy neuroticism may protect your body against inflammation.

8. Gene that Influences When You Wake Also Predicts Time of Death
   (article #104; average: 56 page views/day)

   A common gene variant that’s responsible for a person’s tendency to be an early riser or a night owl also helps determine the time of day a person is most likely to die.

9. The Good News About Cancer: You Can Reduce Your Risk
   (article #105; average: 55 page views/day)

   An infographic from Rock Your Cause covers some important facts about cancer and offers six easy steps to reduce your risk.

10. Unhappy at Work? Genes May Play a Key Role
    (article #102; average: 52 page views/day)

    According to a recent study, stressed-out workers who blame their employer for their anxiety should think again.

Thanks for reading and Best of Health in the coming year!

Curious to see previous Year in Reviews from Highlight HEALTH? Here’s the list:

• The Best of Highlight HEALTH 2011 — The Year in Review
• The Best of Highlight HEALTH 2010 — The Year in Review
• The Best of Highlight HEALTH 2009 — The Year in Review
• The Best of Highlight HEALTH 2008 — The Year in Review
• The Best of Highlight HEALTH 2007 — The Year in Review

References

1. Pew Internet: Health. Pew Internet & American Life Project. 2012 Nov 13.

Thanks to all of our readers for helping make 2012 a great year.

Happy holidays from all of us at Highlight HEALTH!

Walter Jessen, Diana Gitig, Kirstin Hendrickson and Faith Martin.

The international campaign focuses attention on the field of neuroscience and provides opportunities for people to engage in fun educational activities. BAW events are limited only by the organizers’ imaginations. From dynamic classroom presentations and laboratory tours to enlightening museum exhibits and public lectures, BAW activities:

• Contribute to general understanding of basic brain functions
• Improve public health by expanding awareness of neurological disorders
• Inspire the next generation of researchers and physicians
• Make the connection between increased support for biomedical research and benefits to public health

For 2012, Highlight HEALTH has again proudly partnered with the BAW campaign. All this week, we’ll be running stories and posting videos on brain research. To further excite and educate people about the brain and brain research, we’re also giving away a number of free materials to readers. Simply subscribe to weekly updates from Highlight HEALTH and then email us at baw@highlighthealth.com with your name and mailing address and we will send you the following items:

We’ll also send along a Brain Awareness Week pencil and a cool brain-shaped eraser, both in fun colors, so email us at the address above and join in this year’s Brain Awareness Week celebration.

Would you like to win two free books, two magazine subscriptions and a Webicina T-shirt? To enter the giveaway, simply subscribe to the Highlight HEALTH Network email updates.

As the year draws to a close, let’s take a look back at the top stories readers were interested in for 2011. We’ve compiled two top ten lists of the most-viewed stories for the year, one as measured by the absolute number of page views and the other as measured by the average number of page views per day posted.

To get an idea of the underlying theme for the top ten lists, here’s a tag cloud of terms taken from the news stories that made the cut:

Top Biomedical Research News Stories for 2011

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 80% of internet users have searched online for information about health. To see what’s been frequently viewed on Highlight HEALTH, we’ve calculated the top stories for the year using two measures, either by the highest absolute number of page views for 2011 or by the average number of page views per day (7 out of 10 overlap both lists). Each story indicates an article number (we published a total of 115 stories in 2011) and number of views.

Top 10 stories by highest absolute page view for the year

1. Crizotinib: Another Step Towards Personalized Cancer Care
   (article #11; 6,671 page views)

   Three research studies in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine highlight the therapeutic potential of crizotinib, a drug that blocks fusion proteins of anaplastic lymphoma kinase, a signaling molecule that can regulate cell growth.

2. Clarian Health Becomes Indiana University Health
   (article #5; 5,469 page views)

   On Monday, January 24, 2011, Clarian Health, the second largest health organization in Indiana, officially changed its name to Indiana University Health.

3. Grey Weather, Grey Mood: Cortisol Levels May Underlie Seasonal Affective Disorder
   (article #13; 5,449 page views)

   A recent study finds that the cortisol response to awakening is reduced in people with self-assessed seasonal affective disorder.

4. Flu Vaccine for the 2011-2012 Season Approved
   (article #62; 5,302 page views)

   On Monday, July 18th, 2011, the FDA said it had approved the formulation for the 2011-2012 vaccine.

5. Neti Pot Deaths Spark Tap Water Warnings
   (article #113; 5,078 page views)

   There have been two neti pot-associated deaths in Louisiana recently, both of which were caused by infection with the “brain-eating amoeba,” Naegleria fowleri.

6. New Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research Seeks to Curb Epidemic
   (article #35; 5,063 page views)

   To combat the obesity epidemic, the National Institutes of Health is encouraging diverse scientific investigations through a new Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research.

7. President Obama Resists Cuts to Biomedical Research Funding
   (article #16; 4,648 page views)

   While making cuts and freezes in many areas of government, the 2012 budget President Obama recently sent to Congress seeks an increase in funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

8. Daily Aspirin May Reduce Cancer Risk
   (article #9; 4,419 page views)

   A recent report published in The Lancet claims that at least 75mg of aspirin every day can also reduce the risk of developing many different types of cancers.

9. Health Literacy: Key for Managing Personal Health
   (article #2; 4,341 page views)

   Health literacy: what is it, why is it important, and what is being done to increase it and create a health literate society.

10. Easter Seals Living With Disabilities Study
    (article #1; 4,011 page views)

    Most of us take everyday adult life for granted; we have a place to live, access to transportation and the opportunity to live independently. But what happens if you’re one of the millions of adults living with a developmental disability in this country?

Top 10 stories by average number of page views per day

1. Neti Pot Deaths Spark Tap Water Warnings
   (article #113; average: 725 page views/day)

   There have been two neti pot-associated deaths in Louisiana recently, both of which were caused by infection with the “brain-eating amoeba,” Naegleria fowleri.

2. Supplemental Vitamin E and A, Worth The Risk?
   (article #115; average: 118 page views/day)

   A recent research summary published in The Medical Letter On Drugs and Therapeutics may help consumers and practitioners to wade through the conflicting information on supplements, as many supplements have both risks and benefits associated with their use.

3. Flu Vaccine for the 2011-2012 Season Approved
   (article #62; average: 32 page views/day)

   On Monday, July 18th, 2011, the FDA said it had approved the formulation for the 2011-2012 vaccine.

4. Celebrating Five Years of Highlight HEALTH, Prize Pack Giveaways
   (article #108; average: 21 page views/day)

   Some events are special and meant to be observed. Here at Highlight HEALTH, we’re coming up on one of those events: our 5 year anniversary! To celebrate this milestone and to give something back to our subscribers, for the next three months we’re holding a prize giveaway.

5. Crizotinib: Another Step Towards Personalized Cancer Care
   (article #11; average: 20 page views/day)

   Three research studies in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine highlight the therapeutic potential of crizotinib, a drug that blocks fusion proteins of anaplastic lymphoma kinase, a signaling molecule that can regulate cell growth.

6. New Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research Seeks to Curb Epidemic
   (article #35; average: 19 page views/day)

   To combat the obesity epidemic, the National Institutes of Health is encouraging diverse scientific investigations through a new Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research.

7. Grey Weather, Grey Mood: Cortisol Levels May Underlie Seasonal Affective Disorder
   (article #13; average: 17 page views/day)

   A recent study finds that the cortisol response to awakening is reduced in people with self-assessed seasonal affective disorder.

8. Clarian Health Becomes Indiana University Health
   (article #5; average: 16.1 page views/day)

   On Monday, January 24, 2011, Clarian Health, the second largest health organization in Indiana, officially changed its name to Indiana University Health.

9. President Obama Resists Cuts to Biomedical Research Funding
   (article #16; average: 15 page views/day)

   While making cuts and freezes in many areas of government, the 2012 budget President Obama recently sent to Congress seeks an increase in funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

10. Tips for a Healthy Thanksgiving
    (article #104; average: 14 page views/day)

    Some easy science-based tips to ensure not only a delicious turkey but a healthy Thanksgiving.

Thanks for reading and Best of Health in the coming year!

Thanks to all of our readers for helping make 2011 a great year.

Happy holidays from the team at Highlight HEALTH!

Walter Jessen, Diana Gitig, Kirstin Hendrickson and Faith Martin.

To celebrate this milestone and to give something back to our readers, for the next three months we’re holding a prize pack giveaway.

Highlight HEALTH launched back in late December 2006 and from the very beginning focused on the science of health, reporting on research, providing background and analysis, and explaining how research results affect you, the healthcare consumer. To compliment Highlight HEALTH, we launched the Highlight HEALTH Web Directory six months later. By the end of 2007, The Highlight HEALTH Network was born. We’ve been growing and improving ever since (if you’re interested in new ideas impacting health and medicine, check out the recently relaunched Highlight HEALTH 2.0).

To celebrate five years of biomedical research reporting at Highlight HEALTH, from now through the end of February 2012, we will be giving away four prize packs every other Saturday, starting on January 14th.

Five Years of Highlight HEALTH: the Prize Packs

Here at Highlight HEALTH, we promote advances in biomedical research and offer background/analysis on scientific studies so that readers can understand how new treatments and emerging research could affect them. We also encourage health literacy to improve health self-management. We’ve carried these same themes over to our prize packs. In celebration of five years of Highlight HEALTH, each of the four prize packs we’re giving away consists of the following:

A one-year subscription to ResearchSaves Magazine. The Foundation for Biomedical Research’s quarterly biomedical magazine ResearchSaves showcases medical and scientific breakthroughs with foundations in animal research and strong human interest elements. All articles are submitted by universities, nonprofits and companies across the country. Each magazine also includes a full-length DVD, poster or educational program.

A one-year subscription to NIH MedlinePlus magazine. NIH MedlinePlus brings the latest and most authoritative information from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to patients and their families and to other health care consumers. The magazine presents you with the best in reliable, up-to-date health information and the latest breakthroughs from NIH-supported research.

A paperback copy of Don’t Cross Your Eyes … They’ll Get Stuck That Way by Drs. Aaron Carroll and Rachel Vreeman of the Indiana University School of Medicine. The ultimate myth-busting collection of quirky and curious facts about your body and health. With a perfect balance of authoritative research, breezy humor, and snappy, easily-understandable takeaways, Don’t Cross Your Eyes … They’ll Get Stuck That Way is a must-have for physicians, parents, mythbusters, and anyone interested in quirky medical information.

A hardcover copy of Smart Medicine: How the Changing Role of Doctors Will Revolutionize Health Care by Dr. William Hanson, Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care and the Chief Medical Information Officer at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. In Smart Medicine, William Hanson brings to life the fascinating true world of doctors and nurses, examines how the multifaceted medical system has evolved, where it’s going, and reveals the revolutionary changes that will soon be sweeping through the medical community.

A Webicina T-shirt (e-patient style shown; a web-savvy physician style is also available). Webicina.com is the world’s first and only free service that provides curated medical social media resources across 80 medical topics in over 17 languages. Their mission is to let empowered patients and medical professionals access the most relevant social media content in their own languages on a customizable, easy-to-use platform for free.

Five Years of Highlight HEALTH: Enter to Win

To enter the giveaway, simply subscribe to The Highlight HEALTH Network email updates using the form below. Our email updates are one of the easiest ways to stay on top of everything here at Highlight HEALTH. You’ll only get an email when there’s new content. If you’re already a subscriber, send us a note with your email address and we’ll include you in the drawings.

Entries must be in by midnight EST on the Friday preceeding the prize drawing. Four drawings will be held every other Saturday: January 14, January 28, February 11, and February 25. Good luck!

Bonus: Use the buttons below to “Like” on Facebook and/or tweet on Twitter — if you’re one of the prize pack winners, we’ll add a surprise gift!

Don’t forget that we’re giving away several publications for Brain Awareness Week; in particular, the bookmark was created to be paired with the Staying Staying Sharp booklet (link below) and video (below).

Dr. Jordan Grafman, chief of the Cognitive Neuroscience Section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, is your guide as we cover what to expect from the aging brain and what you can do to “stay sharp”.

This 29-minute video uses footage of neuroscience experts from live Staying Sharp forums to address topics such as changes in the aging brain, memory, and the science behind the healthy brain practices that may help us stay sharp.

Throughout this program we draw on insights from top neuroscientists committed to helping more people know about what happens to our brain as we age and the brain-healthy behaviors that we can incorporate into our daily lives.

Brain-healthy lifestyle

Studies that look at “successful aging” consistently identify a few fundamental qualities of a brain-healthy lifestyle. The overall message is to stay active: mentally, physically and socially.

Here’s a checklist of things to do for a brain-healthy lifestyle:

• Exercise your body regularly and get involved in physically active leisure pursuits
• Keep your mind exercised! Engage in active learning throughout life and pursue new experiences
• Stay socially engaged with friends, family and community groups
• Maintain a positive attitude and a sense of control over your life
• Take steps to manage stress
• Eat a brain-healthy, balanced diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids
• Consider taking a multivitamin supplement that includes antioxidants and folate
• Watch your weight: lose any extra pounds
• Watch your cholesterol: lower it if it’s high
• Keep your blood glucose and blood pressure under control
• Get adequate sleep
• Get proper medical attention and treatment for any underlying health problems

You can read more about the steps you can take to improve your brain fitness today in the Dana Foundation’s booklet Staying Sharp: Successful Aging and Your Brain.

The Staying Sharp program is a joint project of NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community and the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. To receive a free DVD of this program, please contact stayingsharp@dana.org.

Cognitive decline as you age appears to be largely due to altered connections among brain cells. Keeping the brain active — reading, writing, working crossword or other puzzles, educational courses, memory exercises — appears to strengthen the brain and may build reserves of brain cells and connections.

Today, it’s common to hear the buzzwords “brain fitness”, “brain training” and/or “neuroplasticity”. There are several products available on the market that can help to maintain and/or rebuild cognitive performance. We reviewed the SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness when it was released in 2009. The guide aims to help people make informed decisions about brain health and cognitive fitness, based on the latest scientific research, and to help navigate new products and confusing myths and claims that are part of the emerging brain fitness market.

SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness book give away

For Brain Awareness Week, SharpBrains has generously provided 5 copies of The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness for us to give away. Here’s how it works:

Simply leave a comment below and tell us in 2-3 sentences how brain research can impact health and/or healthcare. Together with Alvaro Fernandez at SharpBrains, we’ll select the 5 best answers and send the authors a copy of The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness.

If you need ideas to help you get started, check out past stories on the brain here at Highlight HEALTH.

Steps to brain fitness

An unhealthy lifestyle can lead to diseases like obesity, diabetes and brain-related health problems, all of which increase the risk of stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. These conditions can be managed and even prevented by a healthy lifestyle. Research shows that brain health is promoted by a healthy lifestyle that includes [1]:

• Eating a brain-healthy diet
• Staying mentally active
• Exercising and keeping fit
• Staying socially engaged
• Getting plenty of sleep
• Managing stress
• Protecting your head from trauma
• Controlling risk factors
• Avoiding unhealthy habits
• Understanding your genetic risk

The decision to review your current lifestyle and start making changes for brain health is truly an important choice to make. Following the healthy steps listed above will be effective at any age; however, the earlier you start, the better off you will be. Your goal should be to make a brain-healthy lifestyle a normal part of your everyday.

References

1. Steps to Brain Fitness. Alliance for Aging Research. 2006.

The campaign focuses international attention on the field of neuroscience and provides opportunities for people to engage in fun educational activities. From dynamic classroom presentations and laboratory tours to enlightening museum exhibits and public lectures, BAW activities:

• Contribute to the general understanding of basic brain functions
• Improve public health by expanding awareness of neurological disorders
• Make the connection between increased support for biomedical research and benefits to public health
• Inspire the next generation of researchers and physicians

This year, Highlight HEALTH has partnered with the BAW campaign. All this week, we’ll be running stories and posting videos on brain research. To further excite and educate people about the brain and brain research, we’re also giving away some things free to readers. Simply subscribe to weekly updates from Highlight HEALTH and then email us at baw@highlighthealth.com with your name and mailing address and we’ll send you the items below: