Mood chemical linked to heart valve damage
Columbia University researchers have discovered a surprising link between serotonin and heart valve disease. The study, published Monday, found that serotonin — a neurotransmitter best known for regulating mood, sleep, and appetite — may also speed the progression of mitral valve regurgitation, one of the most common heart valve conditions.
'We found that serotonin signaling is actively involved in driving the disease process,' the researchers reported. The discovery raises questions about whether medications that affect serotonin levels, including commonly prescribed antidepressants, could influence heart valve health in susceptible patients.
Ultrasound offers non-invasive joint repair
In a separate development, scientists reported that a simple, non-invasive ultrasound treatment could help injured joints heal instead of remaining trapped in a cycle of damaging inflammation. The technique, tested in animal models, uses targeted sound waves to stimulate cellular repair mechanisms in damaged joint tissue.
The treatment represents a potential alternative to arthroscopic surgery, which a recent 10-year Finnish study showed may do more harm than good for certain knee conditions. That study found that patients who underwent arthroscopic meniscus repair experienced continued or worsened pain a decade after the procedure, calling into question the widespread use of the surgery.
Parkinson's spread mechanism identified
Yale scientists also announced they had identified two neuron surface proteins that appear to help spread the toxic protein linked to Parkinson's disease through the brain. The discovery offers a potential target for drugs that could stop the disease's progression by blocking the spread mechanism. Parkinson's affects nearly 1 million Americans and currently has no cure.