(July 22, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Viagra may also be helpful for women suffering from sexual dysfunction related to use of antidepressants, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Here are some facts about female sexual dysfunction and antidepressants:

•    As many as 30 to 70% of women taking the serotonin reuptake inhibitor class of antidepressants suffer from sexual dysfunction.

•    Sexual dysfunction associated with SRI use includes symptoms such as orgasm delay, inability to achieve orgasm, or lack of arousal.

•    Sexual dysfunction is a major reason why people stop taking their antidepressants, which can lead to a relapse in symptoms of depression.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine randomly assigned nearly 100 women taking SRIs whose depression was in remission but who were suffering from sexual dysfunction to treatment with Viagra or a placebo. The women took the medication one to two hours before anticipated sexual interaction, for eight weeks.

While 73% of the women taking a placebo reported that their treatment was not effective, only 28% of those taking Viagra did so. Clinicians’ reports revealed that the women taking Viagra had a greater improvement in their symptoms of sexual dysfunction than did those on placebo.

We had a chance to speak with Dr. George Nurnberg from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine who offered some further insight.

Today’s research demonstrates that Viagra is effective not only in men but also in women who are experiencing sexual dysfunction as a result of use of SRI antidepressants.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

(July 22, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Sildenafil, popularly known as Viagra, is an effective therapy for female sexual dysfunction associated with the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Here are some facts about antidepressants and sexual dysfunction:

•    Antidepressants, with the exception of bupropion, trazodone, and nefazodone can cause impaired sexual functioning.

•    Sexual dysfunction has been reported to affect as many as 30 to 70% of patients taking SRI medication.

•    When sexual dysfunction arises, one potential management strategy is to lower the dose of the medication while maintaining antidepressive efficacy.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine randomized 98 women with major depression in remission who were experiencing sexual dysfunction to treatment with 50 to 100 mg of sildenafil or a placebo. The women took the medication one to two hours before anticipated sexual activity for eight weeks.

While 73% of the women taking a placebo found no improvement with therapy, only 28% of those on active therapy reported this. A clinician-rated severity improvement scale revealed that women taking sildenafil had a greater improvement in sexual function.

We had a chance to speak with Dr. George Nurnberg from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine who offered some further insight.

Today’s research demonstrates that women suffering from sexual dysfunction associated with SRI use might benefit from use of sildenafil.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

(July 22, 2008 - Insidermedicine) On a recent trip to Hong Kong, we met up with Professor Chung-mau Lo, who is a Chin Lan-Hong Professor and Chair of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at the University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine.

If you believe there is someone conducting world class medical research in your area, and would like them to be featured on Insidermedicine's In the Spotlight, please contact us at nominate@insidermedicine.com

(July 22, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Chicago - According to research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, tobacco plants, typically known as a cause of cancer, may also help to fight the disease. Researchers infected tobacco plants with a virus that included a specific antibody from patients' cancer cells which, when extracted from the plant a week later, resulted in a personalized cancer vaccine. In a study of 16 patients with follicular B-cell lymphoma, 70% developed an immune response with no side effects.

From Belfast - According to research published in Neurology, taking the epilepsy drug Topamax in early pregnancy may increase the risk for birth defects. In a study of 178 live births, 31 pregnancies resulted in an abnormality of some kind, with 16 of these being a major congenital malformation. Despite these concerns, the researchers state that maintaining epilepsy treatment during pregnancy is important as seizures may harm the fetus.

And finally, from Toronto - According to research in Biological Psychiatry, deep brain stimulation is showing promise for the treatment of depression. Deep brain stimulation involves sending electrical impulses through implanted electrodes in the brain, and in a study of 20 patients the treatment was shown to provide relief in 60% of those suffering from depression after one year of study.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Allison Chow.

(July 21, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Washington - According to a study published in Circulation Research, human cells have been coaxed into becoming functioning blood vessels in mice. Researchers from Harvard Medical School used immature human cells and implanted them in mice. Once implanted, the cells grew into a ball of healthy blood vessels. This research could lead to a way to replace blocked or damaged blood vessels following a heart attack or stroke.

From Chapel Hill - According to research in the journal Stroke, postmenopausal women who get too much or too little sleep may be at increased risk for stroke. Researchers from the University of North Carolina studied over 93,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79 and found that those who slept fewer than 7 or more than 9 hours per night had a higher risk for stroke than those that slept 7 to 8 hours.

And finally, from Montreal - According to a study published in Genes and Development, Canadian and European researchers have isolated the gene that regulates ovulation. The gene, referred to as Lrh1, can both regulate and block ovulation which, according to the researchers, may offer new possibilities for fertility and contraceptive treatments. The research team has received a five-year grant to pursue this discovery.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Allison Chow from Queen's University.

(July 21, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Welcome to Insidermedicine In the Clinic, where we bring you advice on clinical skills from some of the world's best doctors, giving you the inside track on knowledge gleaned from years of medical experience.

On a recent trip to Washington, we caught up with Dr. Mark Batshaw, MD, who is the Chief Academic Officer at Children's National Medical Center, and Chairman of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at George Washington University School of Medicine.

If there is something that you'd like to see featured on In the Clinic, please contact us.

(July 21, 2008 - Insidermedicine) On a recent trip to Palo Alto, we met up with Dr. John Morton, MD, who is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Stanford University Hospital and Clinics. Dr. Morton is also the Director of Bariatric Surgery at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

If you believe there is someone conducting world class medical research in your area, and would like them to be featured on Insidermedicine's In the Spotlight, please contact us at nominate@insidermedicine.com

(July 21, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Those with even mild memory impairment may also be suffering from impairments in central auditory processing, according to research published in the Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.

Here are some facts about central auditory processing:

•    It refers to the ability to make out sounds when competing sounds are present, such as hearing a single conversation in a noisy restaurant.

•    It is possible to hear normally in a quiet environment but still have problems with central auditory processing.

•    Amplifying sound, through such means as a hearing aid, is not typically useful.

Researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle tested the central auditory processing of 17 elderly people with dementia, 64 with mild memory impairment, and 232 without any memory problems. They tested central auditory processing by having participants listen to nonsense sentences read over the background of an interesting narrative and by having separate sentences or numbers read into each ear simultaneously.

Scores on central auditory processing were significantly lower for those with dementia and with mild memory impairment, compared with those without any memory problems. These findings were significant even after taking into account the participants' age and hearing ability.

We had a chance to speak with Dr. George Gates from the University of Washington who offered some further insight.

Today's research highlights the need to test the central auditory processing ability of elderly patients who complain of hearing trouble as well as those with even mild memory problems.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

(July 21, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Impairment in central auditory processing is found with even very mild memory impairment, according to research published in the Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.

Here are some facts about central auditory processing:

•    It refers to the ability to make out relevant sounds in the presence of competing auditory stressors.

•    Difficulty with central auditory processing can often occur in those with normal or near normal hearing in quiet settings.

•    Impaired central auditory processing is not helped with traditional amplification, such as hearing aids.

Researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle tested the central auditory processing of 17 elderly people with dementia, 64 with mild memory impairment, and 232 controls. Central auditory processing was tested by having nonsense sentences read over the background of an interesting narrative and by having separate sentences or numbers read into each ear simultaneously.

Average scores on central auditory processing were significantly lower among those with dementia and mild memory impairment, compared with controls. This finding remained significant even after controlling for age and hearing impairment.

We had a chance to speak with Dr. George Gates from the University of Washington who offered some further insight.

Today's research highlights the need to screen older patients with mild memory impairment or hearing complaints for problems with central auditory processing, in order to develop an ideal rehabilitative strategy.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.