Scientists have for the first time selectively blocked a conditioned fear memory in humans with a behavioral manipulation. Participants remained free of the fear memory for at least a year. The research builds on emerging evidence from animal studies that reactivating an emotional memory opens a 6-hour window of opportunity in which a training procedure can alter it.
Archives for December 2009
Behavioral Training Improves Connectivity and Function in the Brain
December 9, 2009 | by
Children with poor reading skills who underwent an intensive, six-month training program to improve their reading ability showed increased connectivity in a particular brain region, in addition to making significant gains in reading, according to a study funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study was published in the Dec. 10, 2009, issue of Neuron.
Medpedia Now Includes News & Analysis, Alerts, Q&A
December 7, 2009 | by
The Medpedia Project is a long-term, worldwide initiative to develop an online collaborative source of health and medical information for medical professionals and the general public. Launched in February 2009, the website currently has 34,100 pages of health and medical content (based on a Google domain search), an increase of over 2-fold since July 2009.
The Medpedia Project recently announced the addition of three new tools for sharing and advancing medical knowledge [2]. The services complement Medpedia’s reliable crowdsourcing of health and medical information.
You Can Help Improve the Health of America: Healthy People 2020
December 3, 2009 | by
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is inviting people to submit comments and suggestions as part of the collaborative process for Healthy People 2020. Healthy People is consortium of diverse, motivated and dedicated agencies and organizations committed to working together to help achieve health goals and objectives for the nation. As a national initiative, Healthy People 2020’s success depends on public input.
Every 10 years, the HHS leverages scientific insights and lessons learned from the past decade, along with knowledge of new and emerging issues, data, trends and innovations to set the nation’s health priorities. In 2007 and 2008, the Healthy People 2020 framework was established, consisting of the vision, mission and overarching goals. In 2009, specific objectives and strategies to achieve them were developed. This month, the HHS is requesting public comments on the draft set of proposed objectives for Healthy People 2020. You are invited to comment on the proposed objectives and topic areas and suggest additional objectives and/or topic areas that you feel are missing.
