An Unnecessary Death In 1967, Tom Simpson died on the 13th stage of the Tour de France. The superb British cyclist had won considerable fame in his short life, and was expected to join the greats of the sport. The autopsy showed small amounts of amphetamine and metamphetamine, a combination that killed him climbing stony […]
How your brain processes pain (2/25/11)
Does What You Expect Change What You Get? Pain is information, how the brain interprets certain stimuli to form sensations almost all humans fear and detest. As Oxford researchers reported last week in Science Translation Medicine, how we individually interpret pain is markedly changed by context: The Study Subjects – 22 healthy people Method – […]
Lazy Cakes – waiting for a new non-prescription drug disaster (2/18/11)
Relaxation Brownies? Lazy Cakes is two ounces of sleeping medication masquerading as a chocolate brownie – an attempt at a “natural pot” brownie, as it’s advertising implies. It contains a warning on the back, four separate lines within a bracket of one quarter of an inch, lines small enough that children will not see them […]
Booze disrupts sleep – and you’re surprised? (2/16/11)
A Different Kind of Nightcap A study on alcohol and sleep from the University of Michigan has gained much press attention – though much of the news is not new. Yes, alcohol powerfully disrupts sleep. It disrupts lots of healthy processes necessary for body regeneration. The real news may be that media people find the […]
Snorting the cremated remains of Great Danes (+ doggie xanax and other tales – 2/10/11)
Stealing Doggie Xanax Sometimes the dog did not do it. One of my patients has a son who struggles with mood swings and addictions. After a recent hospitalization he returned home. He appeared to do quite well in his classes and social relations. His use of illicit drugs seemed over. Or so his parents thought. […]