Astronaut Matthias Maurer returns to Earth after 177 days in space. Credit: NASA (Aubrey Gemignani) via Flickr NASA has a goal to send the first woman and first person of color to the moon. From there, a launch point will be established for the first human mission to our galactic neighbor, Mars. This is no … Continue reading To Infinity and Beyond: Our Ability to Control Blood Pressure
Author: American Physiological Society
Spotlight On: Blood Clotting and Hemophilia
Credit: iStock When you play sports outside, you may accidently fall and scratch your knee or elbow, shedding a few drops of blood. Usually this is not a reason to be concerned. You wash your cut with some water, apply an anesthetic spray or ointment and stick on a bandage. The reason most of us … Continue reading Spotlight On: Blood Clotting and Hemophilia
Cutting Back On Added Sugar: Your Brain Will Thank You
Credit: iStock I spy too much sugar in the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. Unlike naturally occurring sugars in foods such as fruit, added sugars and syrups are included during the preparation or processing of our food and drink. While sugar does provide our body with energy, the problem is that too … Continue reading Cutting Back On Added Sugar: Your Brain Will Thank You
May The Best Immune System Breathe!
Credit: iStock Our immune system’s job is to protect our body and work as a self-defense tool against viruses and other harmful substances. Our immune system works as a cohesive unit spread across our body in different organs, cells and even the blood. Without it, our bodies would be more prone to infection and we … Continue reading May The Best Immune System Breathe!
How Drugs Change the Way Your Brain Works
Credit: iStock Drug addiction, also known as substance abuse disorder, is a very serious disease that affects people of all ages around the world. When a person is addicted to a drug, they have an uncontrollable craving for the drug because it becomes the only thing that makes them feel good. Without it, they feel … Continue reading How Drugs Change the Way Your Brain Works
Spotlight On: Alzheimer’s Disease
Credit: iStock As we age, the risk of developing dementia increases. Dementia is basically losing the ability to think and remember clearly, though it is a general term, not a specific disease. There are many diseases that fall under the umbrella term of “dementia.” One of the most common is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease was … Continue reading Spotlight On: Alzheimer’s Disease
How Technology and Physiology Are Making Sick Livers Transplantable
Credit: iStock Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of liver disease that begins with excess fat accumulation in liver cells. Left unchecked, this can progress to a more advanced disease stage, called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), that involves scarring and inflammation of the liver. There aren’t any approved therapies for NASH yet, which means … Continue reading How Technology and Physiology Are Making Sick Livers Transplantable
Space Travel Helps Us Learn about Our Gut
Credit: iStock During space travel, astronauts are exposed to a lack of gravity. This affects their physiology in different ways, including cardiovascular and musculoskeletal deconditioning, eye changes and immune dysfunction. However, less is known about the effects on the digestive system from spaceflight exposure. It’s important that we understand more about these effects because the … Continue reading Space Travel Helps Us Learn about Our Gut
Photoblog: Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease Conference 2022
Kidney Camp attendees, 2022. Credit: Michael Hultström Earlier this summer, the American Physiological Society, in conjunction with the American Society for Nephrology, hosted the Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease Conference in Charlottesville, Virginia. APS member Michael Hultström, MD, PhD, traveled from Sweden to attend “Kidney Camp,” as the meeting is affectionately nicknamed. … Continue reading Photoblog: Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease Conference 2022
Could Anti-Inflammatory Medications Reduce Heart Disease Risk in People With Depression?
Credit: iStock Major depressive disorder, which occurs in about 15% of adults worldwide at some point in their life, is a staggering public health challenge. It’s projected to be the leading cause of global disease and disability burden by 2030, with an associated annual economic burden of more than $210 billion. Alarmingly, the number of … Continue reading Could Anti-Inflammatory Medications Reduce Heart Disease Risk in People With Depression?