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SCIENCE NEWS OF THE YEAR |
Against Alzheimer’s Data
link antidepressants to less
of the ominous brain plaque
associated with Alzheimer’s
(SN: 9/10/11, p. 5). Other
studies scrutinize A-beta’s
role in the disease (unhealthy
brain top, healthy at bottom).
HPV for men A study of men
in North and South America
finds that half carry human
papillomavirus, known for
causing cervical cancer in
women (SN: 3/26/11, p. 12).
The U. S. Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices
recommends that preteen
boys receive the HPV vaccine (SN Online: 10/26/11).
Body & Brain
1/2 | Fraction of adult men carrying HPV
that sleep plays a central
role in solidifying memories
and preparing the brain for
new learning (SN Online:
6/23/11).
Ch-ch-ch-changes
By charting the brain’s
genetic activity from
before birth to old age,
two new studies reveal
that all human brains use
pretty much the same genes
in the same way and that the
brain continually remodels
itself in predictable ways
throughout life (SN:
11/19/11, p. 5).
o
Armadillo infector People
infected with leprosy in the
United States often have the
same previously unknown
strain of the microbe
Mycobacterium leprae that
is carried by armadillos,
strengthening a long-held
assumption that armadillos can infect people directly
(SN: 5/21/11, p. 9).
To the brain A single drug
might create a temporary
opening in the blood-brain
barrier, allowing for new
medicines to treat neurological diseases (SN Online:
9/13/11).
Dream deciphered
The contents of a per-
son’s dream are revealed
by a brain scan for the
first time. Monitoring the
brain of a man who has
unusual control over his
dreaming brings researchers
closer to understanding how
the brain spins its nightly
yarns (SN: 12/17/11, p. 10).
in
Heart tracker Studies suggest that a blood compound
called cardiac troponin T
could serve as a risk indicator for heart disease (SN:
1/15/11, p. 14).
XMRV exonerated
A study fails to confirm a link
between chronic fatigue syndrome and a family of viruses
that includes XMRV (above).
Nine labs — including the
two that originally identified
the connection — could not
reliably detect the viruses
in blood cells from patients
with the mysterious and
controversial condition
(SN: 10/22/11, p. 5).
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: DR. GOPAL MURTI/VISUALS UNLIMITED, INC.; © MAGGIE STEBER/NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, CORBIS; CHAD SHAW, BRIAN DAWSON, YASUNARI SAKAI, H. ZOGHBI
New tubes Blood vessels
grown using human cells
as factories pass a test in
baboons and dogs, suggesting
that natural-tissue vessels
Stent risk Brain stents used
in patients at risk of stroke
may do more harm than
good: A study finds rates of
death and stroke are higher
among patients who receive
the device than those who
receive an aggressive course
of medications alone
(SN: 10/8/11, p. 14).
Cell phone vibes
A 50-minute call boosts
activity in brain regions near
the ear where a cell phone
is located, research suggests
(SN: 3/26/11, p. 13).
NSAID risk The popular
anti-inflammatory drugs
ibuprofen and naproxen
could contribute to the risk
of miscarriage when taken
early in pregnancy, researchers find (SN: 11/5/11, p. 14).
Malaria vaccine African
children who received the
first vaccine against malaria
to undergo wide-scale testing are about half as likely to
come down with the disease
over a 14-month period as
those who didn’t receive the
vaccine (SN Online: 10/19/11).
Brain on z’s Electrodes
implanted in the brains of
rats kept up four hours past
their usual bedtime show
that some cells go to sleep
while others remain active
(SN: 5/21/11, p. 9). Two other
studies in fruit flies confirm
Degrees of good A study
suggests that levels of HDL,
the good cholesterol, may
not be the most important
factor in protecting against
clogged arteries and cardio-
vascular disease; HDL’s effi-
ciency at removing fats is a
better predictor of who will
develop heart disease
(SN: 2/12/11, p. 16).
