HEALTH BRIEFS: 27 May 2013

BREAKTHROUGH OF THE WEEK

IN A breakthrough in research to find the cause of Alzheimer's disease, scientists have pinpointed a molecule that seems to trigger a chain reaction of protein malfunction that eventually clogs up and kills brain cells. Teams of researchers from the UK and Sweden have looked into molecular behaviour to produce a detailed map of the pathway that produces these malformed proteins. The researchers have brought together tools to react to these misfolding proteins.

IF YOU DO ONE THING

Get to a clinic. Health MEC Hope Papo said last week: ''We call on our people to make use of clinics for minor ailments and to collect chronic medication to ease pressure on our hospitals." Gauteng has more than 300 clinics and 32 community health centres that offer primary health care.

NUTRITION BITE

Get your daily dose of iodine from dairy products and seafood, especially if you're pregnant. Iodine is crucial for obtaining the hormones secreted by the thyroid gland, which have a direct effect on fetal brain development. In a recent study, the offspring of iodine-deficient women were more likely to have low scores for verbal IQ, reading comprehension and reading accuracy.

BIZARRE OF THE WEEK

Researchers in Alabama have found that melatonin and vasotocin might cure love-sickness. Researchers believe the brain chemical dopamine is heavily involved in feelings of euphoria, obsessiveness and a craving for closeness associated with being in love. The key is thought to be the pineal gland, which produces melatonin and the hormone arginine-vasotocin.