Monday, October 15, 2007

Good news; Bad news day

Good news
Simple blood test could predict Alzheimer's risk
Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:39am EDT

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Researchers have developed a simple blood test that may be able to predict whether mild lapses of memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's disease.

In a study published on Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine, an international team of researchers describe 18 cell-signaling, or communication, proteins found in blood that predicted with 90 percent accuracy whether a person would develop Alzheimer's disease.

Bad news
Depressed at work? Get a new career
Sun Oct 14, 2007 5:26pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Child care workers, home health care aides and other people who provide personal services have the highest rates of depression among U.S. workers, according to a new survey to be published on Monday.

It found that 10.8 percent of personal care and service workers and 10.3 percent of food preparation and serving workers -- both usually low-paying jobs -- experienced one or more major depressive episodes in the past year.

It's good that we may be able to predict Alzheimer's early - but unless we also figure out better how to treat it or avoid it - I am not sure I'd like to know if my memory lapses are an early signal - what if they aren't?

I found out last year that I have some odd white spots in my brain - they are usually related to MS and other conditions but I was told by the neurologist not to worry as it turns out that more people have these than they used to think...and since I bike and ski I certainly have no balance problems...

But now that I know they are there? I have a nagging something in my head about them.

And the depression? It seems to be more prevalent in those professions where we find more women - care giver careers.
Are women more depressed or do these profession tend to appeal to those who get depressed?

Lots of questions that need answering.

In the meanwhile if you are depressed - see someone to find out why - it may be situational..

or as the news said - get a new career...

If you have read other of my posts - that's a great idea for many reasons -


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