A study in mice has pinpointed a pivotal new player in triggering the rapid antidepressant response produced by ketamine. By deactivating a little-known enzyme, the drug takes the brakes off rapid synthesis of a key growth factor thought to lift depression, say researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health.

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  1. Little-known growth factor enhances memory, prevents forgetting in rats A naturally occurring growth factor significantly boosted retention and prevented forgetting of a fear memory when injected into rats’ memory circuitry during time-limited windows when memories become fragile and changeable. In the study funded by the National Institutes of Health, animals treated with insulin-like growth factor (IGF-II) excelled at remembering to avoid a location where […]...
  2. MedicareCard.com – Magnetic Stimulation Scores Modest Success as Antidepressant Some depressed patients who don’t respond to or tolerate antidepressant medications may benefit from a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the brain with a pulsing electromagnet, a study suggests. This first industry-independent, multi-site, randomized, tightly controlled trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) found that it produced significant antidepressant effects in a subgroup of patients, with […]...
  3. Medicare Medical Care, Rapid Development of Drug-Resistant, 2009 H1N1 Influenza Reported in Two Cases Two people with compromised immune systems who became ill with 2009 H1N1 influenza developed drug-resistant strains of virus after less than two weeks on therapy, report doctors from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Doctors who treat prolonged influenza infection should be aware that even a short course of antiviral treatment may lead to drug-resistant virus, say the authors, and clinicians should consider this possibility as they develop initial treatment strategies for their patients who have impaired immune function....
  4. Researchers show how anti-HIV drug acts to block herpes virus An anti-HIV drug also discovered to stop the spread of the genital herpes virus does so by disabling a key DNA enzyme of the herpes virus, according to findings by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions....
  5. Medicare, Medicare Card, Receptor Variant Influences, Dopamine Response to Alcohol A genetic variant of a receptor in the brain’s reward circuitry plays an important role in determining whether the neurotransmitter dopamine is released in the brain following alcohol intake, according to a study led by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. Dopamine is […]...
  6. Drug naming standard for electronic health records enhanced The RxNorm standard clinical drug vocabulary produced by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) now contains more accurate and complete connections between National Drug Codes (NDCs) and standard nonproprietary names of medications recommended for use in electronic health records (EHRs)....
  7. Apply Online for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs Apply Online for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs...
  8. Second Annual National Drug Facts Week Begins Oct. 31st Teens and drug experts will connect for the second annual National Drug Facts Week, held Oct. 31 through Nov. 6. This week-long observance will bring together teens and scientific experts in community events across the country to discuss scientific facts about drug abuse. It is sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a […]...
  9. Teen musicians in drug treatment win 2012 Grammy experience Two teens with powerful stories about their experience in drug treatment have been awarded the top distinction in the MusiCares and Grammy Foundation’s Teen Substance Abuse Awareness through Music Contest. The annual contest was created to celebrate National Drug Facts Week and is coordinated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the […]...
  10. Medicare, Common Mechanisms of Drug Abuse and Obesity Some of the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans accompany the emergence of compulsive eating behaviors and the development of obesity in animals, according to research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health....
  11. Investigational antiviral drug peramivir intravenous The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that, in response to a request from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational antiviral drug peramivir intravenous (IV) in certain adult and pediatric patients with confirmed or suspected 2009 H1N1 influenza infection who are […]...
  12. HIV/AIDS Treatment Curbs Spread of HIV Among Drug Users, According to NIH Supported Study Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), currently known for its therapeutic benefits against HIV, also reduced the spread of the virus among people with a history of injection drug use, according to a population-based study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health. The study was published […]...
  13. Prescription Drug Resources Visit USA.gov’s Prescription Drugs page for a variety of resources to help you learn more about the medications you’re taking; verify how your pills should look; check drug interactions; see if you qualify for assistance with drug plan costs; and more....
  14. MedicareCard.com, Experimental Immune, Boosting Drug Worsens TB in Mice An experimental drug that boosts production of the immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential implications for the care of people infected with TB, the authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online....
  15. NIH-Funded Study Finds Early HAART during TB Treatment Boosts Survival Rate in People Co-Infected with HIV and TB A clinical trial in Cambodia has found it possible to prolong the survival of untreated HIV-infected adults with very weak immune systems and newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) by starting anti-HIV therapy two weeks after beginning TB treatment, rather than waiting eight weeks, as has been standard. This finding by scientists co-funded by the National Institute […]...