Scoliosis is a condition in which a person’s spine curves sideways, sometimes resembling an ‘S’ or ‘C’. It is the most common childhood musculoskeletal disorder affecting around 0.3% of all children. While mild cases can often be treated or corrected with a back brace, severe cases require surgical correction and affect 1 in every 10,000…
Extreme morning sickness, also known as Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), is a complication of pregnancy affecting between 0.3-2% of pregnancies. It is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration. HG is more than just feeling sick, it can cause serious health problems for mother and child and in extreme cases can lead to maternal…
Numerous studies have tried to understand the genetic component of autism in an effort to understand the origins of the disorder. A few key genes have come up as important including a gene known as CHD8 or Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 8. This gene has been shown to be mutated in some individuals with autism and be…
Insomnia is currently the second more common mental disorder affecting 10% of adults and 22% of elderly people. Insomnia is characterized by a difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep and is followed by sleepiness and low energy during the day time. Insomnia can be caused by stress, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, heart problems, and…
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is required for the body to absorb minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron) from your diet. While some foods contain vitamin D humans get most of their vitamin D from exposure to the sun and UVB. Without enough vitamin D a person can develop Rickett’s, a disease that causes…
Waist to hip ratio (WHR) is an indicator of health that is used to estimate fat deposition in the abdominal region. An increase in the WHR, known as the apple shaped body, is associated with decreased fertility and increased risk of heart disease. Research has shown that the tendency for someone to have an apple…
What is life? Can you define it? You can probably point out things that are living and things that are not but there are grey areas. Is a virus alive? What about the prions that cause mad cow disease? Trying to describe what life is can be difficult and in fact there is no perfect…
You send a sample of your saliva in to a company who promises to look up your risk for over 200 different diseases. You have been curious about your genetic health for a while now and want to know what things you may expect from your future years. The results are returned to you and…
Huntington’s disease is an inherited brain disorder that affects every 5 in 100,000 people and causes cells in the brain to die. This often leads to difficulty controlling movements, loss of memory, inability to make decisions, a change in mood or emotions and eventually death. People with Huntington’s disease often undergo drastic changes in personality…
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