GenderBiology.net

How Accurate Are Sex-related Differences In Gene Disease Associations?

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE:  August 22, 2007

EXCERPT:  "It seems that assertions of sex differences of gene disease associations are frequently poorly documented and validated, according to a review of previous research reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)."

RELATED PUBMED LINK:
 
Patsopoulos NA, Tatsioni A, Ioannidis JP. Claims of sex differences: an empirical assessment in genetic associations. JAMA. 2007 Aug 22;298(8):880-93.

Estrogen may alter Parkinson's disease in women

SOURCE:  MedlinePlus (Reuters Health)

DATE:  August 21, 2007

EXCERPT:  "Parkinson's disease is diagnosed about 2 years later in women than in men and this difference may be associated with the female hormone estrogen, according to results of a study conducted in the Netherlands."

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Haaxma CA, Bloem BR, Borm GF, Oyen WJ, Leenders KL, Eshuis S, Booij J, Dluzen DE, Horstink MW. Gender differences in Parkinson's disease.  J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2007 Aug;78(8):819-24. Epub 2006 Nov 10.

Antioxidant Supplements May Raise Women's Skin Cancer Risk

SOURCE:  MedicineNet.com (HealthDay)

DATE:  August 20, 2007

EXCERPT:  "Taking antioxidant supplements won't protect against skin cancer and may actually boost the risk, at least in women, according to a new French study."  more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Hercberg S, Ezzedine K, Guinot C, Preziosi P, Galan P, Bertrais S, Estaquio C, Briancon S, Favier A, Latreille J, Malvy D. Antioxidant Supplementation Increases the Risk of Skin Cancers in Women but Not in Men. J Nutr. 2007 Sep;137(9):2098-2105.

Think Pink--or at Least a Reddish Blue

SOURCE:  Science Magazine Online (ScienceNOW)

DATE: August 20, 2007

EXCERPT:  "We take for granted gender differences in color preference, but for more than 100 years, studies have failed to find a biological basis for the disparity. New research confirms that girls go for red whereas guys do not and links the mechanism to the biology of vision. Our color likes and dislikes may be a remnant of the different roles that men and women played in our distant hunter-gatherer past. "  more 

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Hurlbert AC, Ling Y. Biological components of sex differences in color preference. Curr Biol. 2007 Aug 21;17(16):R623-5. 

Antioxidants No Magic Bullet for Heart Disease in Women

SOURCE:  MedlinePlus (HealthDay News)

DATE:  August 13, 2007

EXCERPT:  "A large study has found that popular antioxidant supplements such as vitamins C, E and beta-carotene don't prevent heart disease in high-risk women."  more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Cook NR, Albert CM, Gaziano JM, Zaharris E, MacFadyen J, Danielson E, Buring JE, Manson JE. A randomized factorial trial of vitamins C and E and beta carotene in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in women: results from the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Aug 13-27;167(15):1610-8.

Heart drug may lead to pacemaker use in women

SOURCE: MedlinePlus (HealthDay)

DATE:  August 13, 2007

EXCERPT:  "A serious side effect of the heart drug amiodarone, sold under the trade name Cordarone, appears affect women, but not men. Amiodarone, which is used to treat a common heartbeat abnormality, increases the odds that a pacemaker will be needed in women, but not in men, new research suggests."  moreEdit HTML

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Essebag V, Reynolds MR, Hadjis T, Lemery R, Olshansky B, Buxton AE, Josephson ME, Zimetbaum P. Sex differences in the relationship between amiodarone use and the need for permanent pacing in patients with atrial fibrillation. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Aug 13-27;167(15):1648-53.

CT heart scans: Risk climbs as age at screening falls

SOURCE: Science News, 172(6):93

DATE:  August 11, 2007

EXCERPT:  "CT scans are increasingly used to investigate heart blockages, but their X rays can increase cancer risk" especially for younger women.  more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Einstein AJ, Henzlova MJ, Rajagopalan S.  Estimating risk of cancer associated with radiation exposure from 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography. JAMA. 2007 Jul 18;298(3):317-23. 

Why women get more migraines than men

SOURCE: Biology News Net

DATE: August 9, 2007

EXCERPT:  "every man with a migraine, three women are struck by the severe headaches that often come with nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and aura. That means a staggering 18 to 25 percent of women suffer from migraines, making it one of the most common disabling conditions faced by women around the globe."  more

PUBMED RELATED LINK:  Brennan KC, Romero-Reyes M, Lopez Valdes HE, Arnold AP, Charles AC.  Reduced threshold for cortical spreading depression in female mice. Ann Neurol. 2007 Jun;61(6):603-6. PMID: 17474110