Ketamine may be an alternative to shock treatment for people with treatment-resistant major depression, a new study suggests. Currently, patients with major depressive disorder who don’t find a medication or therapy that works may undergo electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as shock therapy. But researchers have also been studying intravenous ketamine — a powerful anesthetic…  read on >  read on >

Researchers have found another clue as to why some infants die suddenly in their sleep, and it’s related to a faulty chemical receptor in the brainstem. Experts said the findings provide another puzzle piece in understanding the root causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). By examining autopsied brain tissue, researchers found that a particular…  read on >  read on >

One potential solution to reducing chronic pain: Get moving. A new Norwegian study finds that physically active folks have greater pain tolerance compared to sedentary types. Those with higher levels of activity also had higher pain tolerance, according to the report published online May 24 in PLOS ONE. “Becoming or staying physically active over time…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay News) – People with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease may have an increased risk of epilepsy, a new study says. And folks with a certain type of epilepsy may have higher odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Having Alzheimer’s was linked to a 5.3% increased risk of generalized epilepsy, researchers report in the journal…  read on >  read on >

Seizures of illicit ketamine by drug enforcement agents have surged throughout the United States, growing 349% from 2017 through 2022, a new study finds. Rising use of ketamine could increase the likelihood that people who use the drug recreationally may instead get a potentially harmful version of the substance, researchers say. “This dramatic rise in…  read on >  read on >