Autistic Mice

Chicago Tribune article entitled "Autism Study: Scientists Engineer Mice with Chromosomal Syndrome Associated with Autism." Researchers have developed a strain of mice that show anxiety and poor social skills, traits typically associated with autism. Abnormal chromosomes have been shown to be a cause in between 10-20% of autism cases, including one that is associated with chromosome 15. What are the implications of this study? How might research on chromosomes and genes impact treatment for autism in the future?

Home Burials

NY Times article entitled "Home Burials Offer an Intimate Alternative." This article explores a small but growing trend towards simple burials without the involvement of a funeral home. In a way, this is a return to the trends of burials a century ago. How would you feel about caring for a loved one's body at home and burying your loved one close by, rather than at a cemetery? What are the cultural differences in burial rituals that home burials might impact?

Benefits of Eating Fish

NY Times article entitled "Large Study Points to the Brain Benefits of Eating Fish." This article reviews a large study (15,000 participants) and reveals that those who eat fish have better brain health and lower risk of dementia than those who do not eat fish. This article also mentions research that indicates that higher levels of red meat in diets corresponds with higher rates of dementia. Do you eat fish on a weekly basis? What changes in your diet would you be willing to make now in order to maintain your brain health after age 65?

Surrogacy and Parenting

NY Times article entitled "No Stork Involved, but Mom and Dad Had Help." This article is about the challenges of answering the question "Where did I come from?" when the parents have used a surrogate mother to get pregnant. What would be the best way to talk to a child about surrogacy (given their developmental level)? Should parents entering into surrogacy think about how to tell their child before even entering into these contracts?

Live Longer on a Low-Cal Diet

AP article entitled "Monkeys Live Longer on a Low-Cal Diet; Would Humans?" This article discusses the restricted-calorie diets and reports the result of a 20-year study in primates. The monkeys on a restricted diet slows the diseases of aging and contributes to a longer life-span. Would you restrict your calories to live a longer, healthier life? How might that impact your emotional well-being?

Is Being Overweight Relative?

CNN.com article entitled "As nation gains, 'overweight' is relative." This article discusses the changes in clothes sizing as Americans become more and more overweight (also called vanity sizing). The new "normal" for Americans is a heavier size that it previously was, yet people are more comfortable with their larger body sizes. What are the implications of these changes in size and the comfort level with being overweight? What are the pros and cons of increasing body acceptance, but continued health problems in severely overweight individuals?

A Hormonal Cause of Infertility

NY Times article entitled "A Culprit in Infertility, Overlooked Yet Treatable." The article discusses a hormonal condition called Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) that is a treatable, yet often undiagnosed condition in infertility for both men and women. Infertility treatments are frequently not covered by insurance companies, yet there are clearly medical causes to infertility that are easily treatable. Should insurance companies cover infertility diagnosis and treatment? Is it essential that physicians, especially those in women's health, discuss fertility and test for fertility in young women even when they are not trying to have children?

Months to Live

NY Times article entitled "Sisters Face Death with Dignity and Reverence." This article talks about end-of-life care in a retirement community and the choices the nuns living there make about their EOL choices. Have you thought about what you want the end of your life to be like? What kinds of influences would there be in your decisions about dying in a home environment versus going to the hospital?