August 31, 2007 (Insidermedicine)

From London - Health authories are warning about the rise of Measles in the UK. The rising number of cases is related to many parents opting out of having their children immunized with the MMR vaccine- because of the Lancet paper suggested a link between the vaccine and Autism. The research has since been heavily scritinized and refuted- and one of the authors has been charged with unprofessional conduct. Public health authorities are urging kids to get vaccinated.

From Bristol - Starting school for the first time can be stressful- to the point where cortisol levels are raised months in advance of starting school. In a study of over 100 children, researchers noted high cortisol levels months prior to starting and shortly after starting school.  Levels were normal 6 months after starting school.

From Oregon - The breathing condition- COPD- is much more common than thought. In a study of people from 12 countries, over 10% had the condition. Smoking and poor air quality have been linked to COPD.

And finally back to Bristol - Research has linked poor visual memory to Autism. In a study of children with and without Autism, the ability to process information involved in visual recognition of faces was impaired in those with the condition.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.