Researchers at Duke University found that small amounts of alcohol can inhibit learning and memory in young rats, while having little effect on adult brains. The study suggests that as little as two drinks could cause significant damage to a young person's brain, reinforcing the need for legal bans on under-age drinking.
A year-long study led by Oregon Health Sciences University found that a drug prevention program called ATLAS reduced anabolic steroid use among high school football players. The program included educational sessions on risks and benefits of steroids, proper sports nutrition, and resistance to peer pressure.
Researchers have developed a new method to examine mitochondria in the living brain using PET scanning, linking mitochondrial energy deficits to Parkinson's disease. They found that mild mitochondrial damage converts glutamate from a transmitter to a toxin, leading to nerve cell death.
The discovery provides evidence of a thriving agricultural practice before the village was buried by volcanic ash 1,400 years ago. The remains of the first chili bushes ever discovered at a Mesoamerican archaeological site reveal the villagers used sophisticated techniques and had a high biodiversity of crops.