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Week of November 20th


The diagnosis for Parkinson’s disease may change in light of new research that shows the illness affects nerves in the heart as well as the brain. Parkinson’s results from a loss of nerve endings in part of the brain, but a new study in the U.S. noted a decreased number of nerve endings in the heart as well. This suggests the illness may affect the entire nervous system. Neurologists are cautious about how the research might be used to help diagnose Parkinson’s. They say the specialized equipment needed to see nerves around the heart would be too expensive to have in every hospital.

 

Chocolate to fight tooth decay? Researchers in Japan say that parts of the cocoa bean fight mouth bacteria. Tooth cavities are caused when bacteria in plaque converts sugar into acids that eat away at the tooth’s surface. But when scientists added cocoa bean husks to water and fed it to rats, they noticed the rodents had better dental check ups. The husk isn’t usually included when turning cocoa into chocolate —but the authors of the study say it might be time to put it back in there.

 
And it turns out men who want to be more potent in bed should get out of it and exercise before they turn to Viagara. Boston scientists have determined that middle-aged men who burn at least 200 calories a day greatly reduce their chance of impotence. It turns out, the same things that are good for the heart, are good for erections, and vice versa. Roughly half of men aged 40 to 70 report at least modest trouble achieving an erection, and evidence suggests it’s more common in men with poor circulation.

 

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© TVOntario, 2003

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This website contains general information on the stories featured on Your Health. Although it’s our goal to provide comprehensive information on health and medical issues, please be advised that we cannot provide individual medical advice on specific health problems.
  


© TVOntario, 2000