CHECKUP AFRICAN-AMERICANS PRONE TO DIABETES, STUDY SHOWS.

Byline: - Mariko Thompson

A study by the USC Keck School of Medicine and the University of Alabama at Birmingham has found that American children with specific genetic markers of African ancestry are more insulin-resistant than those of European ancestry. The medical field has known that diabetes disproportionately affects African-Americans. The study provides a better understanding of how genetics influence the development of Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers looked for 20 specific sequences of genetic code found more frequently in people of African descent than in those of European descent. The more African-origin markers found in the child, the less sensitive that child was to insulin. Insulin resistance is an important factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes. When cells become insulin resistant, they don't absorb glucose as well, and sugar remains in the blood.

SCAN FOR OCD, DEPRESSION TREATMENT: Using positron emission tomography brain imaging scans may speed the process of finding the best treatment for people suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and major depression.

Scientists at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute's OCD Research Program discovered distinct patterns of brain activity that allowed them to predict the effectiveness of Paxil, a first-line treatment for both disorders. Paxil, a type of serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SRI, fails to work in half of all patients with OCD and one-third of patients suffering from major depression. Taking brain scans before treatment could help determine the most effective form of therapy.

UCLA researchers used PET scans to measure brain activity and analyzed the images before and after treatment began. OCD affects an estimated 8 million Americans. Symptoms include severe anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Major depression afflicts up to 35 million Americans at some point in their lives.