The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
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A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that delinquent, non-Hispanic whites are more likely to abuse “hard drugs,” such as cocaine or opiates, than their black counterparts, which might be news for some Americans. But for many blacks across the nation, the study confirms what was already known. “Those findings are striking considering the widely accepted stereotype of African-Americans as the most prevalent abusers of ‘hard drugs,’” Linda A. Teplin, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University and author of the study, said in a statement. “Our findings add to the growing debate on how the war on drugs has affected African-Americans.”
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Northwestern University scientists announced at the Endocrine Society’s national meeting early this month they had 3D-printed prosthetic ovaries that enabled mice — whose natural ovaries had been surgically removed — to ovulate, give birth and nurse. Researchers hope the advancement will help women who lost fertility or hormone function after cancer treatments or who were born with reduced ovarian function.
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Ann Lurie, president of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation, announced that Northwestern Medicine had donated $100,000 to kick off the night’s Raising Hope Challenge. She introduced Dr. Leonidas Platanias, director of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. “Cancer is a disease that goes back 5,000 years, with the discovery of breast cancer,” he said. “Approximately 8 million people die every year from cancer. We need to end this disease once and for all, and with the great advances in technology, we may be able to do it now,” he added.
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Jonathan Silverberg, assistant professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said adults and children with moderate to severe forms of atopic dermatitis suffer constant itching that disrupts their ability to sleep as well as function in school or at work.
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Even when their seizures are well-controlled, children with epilepsy can still have learning and behavioral disorders that lead to social and educational problems when they’re young adults, a new study finds. “Frequency and intensity of seizures remain important predictors of how well a child does into adulthood. But, somewhat to our surprise we also found seizures are by no means the sole influencers of social and educational outcomes among adults with childhood epilepsy,” said study lead author Anne Berg. Berg is a scientist with the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and professor of pediatrics and neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
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The study, published Tuesday in the Translational Psychiatry journal, set out to determine whether a fun environment would decrease depression or a stressful environment would increase depression, said lead study investigator Eva Redei, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
The study found that rats genetically bred to be depressed saw a “dramatic” reduction in depression-like behavior after undergoing rat psychotherapy: spending one month in a “playground” — large cages where they could play with toys, climb and hide, Redei said.
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But Dr. Deborah Clements, chair of family and community medicine for Northwestern Medicine, was critical of the National Safety Council’s methodology, saying the relatively small number of doctors surveyed was not necessarily representative of the nation’s more than 200,000 primary care physicians.
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“With the glasses on, it’s as though we’re right there working inside the brain,” Chandler says.
In brain surgery, where a millimeter can mean the difference between full recovery and significant handicap, the improved visibility matters a lot. “Any advancement in terms of imaging certainly leads to more complete tumor resections and improved patient outcomes,” says Dr. Maciej Lesniak, who joined Northwestern as its chair of neurosurgery last fall.
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Higher levels of the mother-child bonding hormone oxytocin during pregnancy may be associated with increased risk of postpartum depression in some women, researchers say. The findings suggest it may eventually be possible to develop a test to predict postpartum depression and provide preventive treatment during pregnancy. The study results are “not ready to become a new blood test yet,” said lead investigator Dr. Suena Massey, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago. “But it tells us that we are on the track to identifying biomarkers to help predict postpartum depression,” she said.
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An Op-ed written by Dr. Puneet Opal is a neurologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he is also a director of the Physician-Scientist Training Program.