Doctors&#039; Notes / en U of T expert on how to avoid heat stroke when the temperature climbs /news/u-t-expert-how-avoid-heat-stroke-when-temperature-climbs <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T expert on how to avoid heat stroke when the temperature climbs</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-07-03-hotweatherGettyImages-%28web-lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZoKCuX9H 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2018-07-03-hotweatherGettyImages-%28web-lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=NDHyu3LQ 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2018-07-03-hotweatherGettyImages-%28web-lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=l11eWola 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-07-03-hotweatherGettyImages-%28web-lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZoKCuX9H" alt="children playing in water fountain"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-07-03T12:41:05-04:00" title="Tuesday, July 3, 2018 - 12:41" class="datetime">Tue, 07/03/2018 - 12:41</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Children play in the water at Lakefront Promenade Park Splash Pad in Mississauga, Ont. (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-kinesiology-physical-education" hreflang="en">Faculty of Kinesiology &amp; Physical Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>With soaring temperatures and muggy conditions expected to linger in southern Ontario for the remainder of the week, residents should be on the lookout for signs of heat stroke and take precautions to keep themselves safe, a şüŔęĘÓƵ medical expert says.</p> <p>“In my work as a sports medicine doctor, I would most commonly see heat illness in endurance sports, like marathons, and intensive outdoor training sessions, like in football,” says Dr. <strong>Mark Leung&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/07/02/doctors-notes-increased-heat-stroke-risk-requires-a-strategy.html">in this week’s edition of Doctor’s Notes</a>, the <em>Toronto Star’s </em>weekly column written by U of T medical experts.</p> <p>“But, you don’t have to be a serious athlete to experience these conditions.”</p> <p>Leung writes that heat stroke is a potentially serious condition that can lead to damage to internal organs, including the brain. However, if the signs are recognized and treated early – through rapid cooling and by calling 911 – most people will survive the heat attack.</p> <p>He further writes that there are two different types of heat stroke: classic heat stroke, which is related to being in an excessively hot environment and tends to affect the very young and very old; and exertional heat stroke, which tends to affect young, healthy adults who exercise in hot, humid environments. The former tends to have non specific symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and headache that present over days, while the onset of the latter can be much quicker, causing&nbsp;a person to collapse.</p> <p>Leung suggests the following precautions to stay safe when the mercury climbs:</p> <p><strong>• Limit exertion during peak heat.</strong> Try to schedule it during the cooler times of day like first thing in the morning or later in the evening. If peak heat exertion is unavoidable, try to reduce your&nbsp;intensity accordingly.</p> <p><strong>• Dress for the weather.</strong> If you can, choose breathable, lightweight fabrics that will help you keep your cool.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/07/02/doctors-notes-increased-heat-stroke-risk-requires-a-strategy.html">Read the full Doctors' Notes column in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 03 Jul 2018 16:41:05 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 138223 at U of T expert on the importance of getting shingles vaccine if you're 50 and older /news/u-t-expert-importance-getting-shingles-vaccine-if-you-re-50-and-older <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T expert on the importance of getting shingles vaccine if you're 50 and older</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-01-30-vaccinate-resize.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1RPXdGJw 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2018-01-30-vaccinate-resize.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=SZgNH4uM 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2018-01-30-vaccinate-resize.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=g8rFBph5 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-01-30-vaccinate-resize.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1RPXdGJw" alt="Photo of vaccination"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-01-30T11:19:59-05:00" title="Tuesday, January 30, 2018 - 11:19" class="datetime">Tue, 01/30/2018 - 11:19</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Media for Medical/UIG via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vaccines" hreflang="en">Vaccines</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ontario and some other provinces pay for people between the age of 65 and 70 to get the shingles vaccine, but everyone over the age of 50 should consider getting the vaccine even if means paying for it yourself, a University&nbsp;of Toronto&nbsp;medical expert says.</p> <p>“I think it’s worth considering paying out of pocket for early protection from this painful rash and its potential long-term complications,” writes Dr. <strong>Marla Shapiro&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/01/29/consider-getting-the-shingles-vaccine-before-65-doctors-notes.html">in this week's edition of Doctors' Notes</a>, the <em>Toronto Star</em>'s weekly column created by U of T medical experts.</p> <h3><a href="/news/find-a-story?query=doctors%20notes&amp;field_topic_tid=All&amp;date_filter%5Bmin%5D%5Bdate%5D=&amp;date_filter%5Bmax%5D%5Bdate%5D=">Read previous Doctors' Notes columns from U of T medical experts</a></h3> <p>Shingles occur when the chickenpox virus, which can remain latent for decades, is reactivated – usually when people are over the age of 50, writes&nbsp;Shapiro, an associate professor in U of T's Faculty of Medicine and a family physician.&nbsp;Shingles are a rash, often on the chest or neck, that is made up of painful red blisters. The rash usually breaks out along the distribution of a nerve root called a dermatome, on one side of the body, writes Shapiro.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>About 13 per cent of people with shingles develop a chronic pain syndrome called postherpetic neuralgia, with significant pain that can be difficult to control. The pain&nbsp;is often described as burning or stabbing pain, sometimes with&nbsp;an altered sensation response to stimuli. "For example, lukewarm water might feel like it’s scalding hot or a cool breeze could feel agonizing," Shapiro writes.&nbsp;</p> <p>Getting a vaccine helps.&nbsp;Not only does the vaccine reduce the incidence of illness, but for those who do develop shingles, having had the vaccine can make it less likely thay you will develop postherpetic neuralgia, Shapiro writes.</p> <p>This month, a new, adjuvanted vaccine called Shingrix became available. Shapiro writes that&nbsp;in studies, all people who got the vaccine, regardless of their ages, received the same level of protection – 90 per cent and greater.</p> <p>“I believe immunization is one of the most important strategies we offer patients in primary care," wirtes Shapiro. "If you get vaccinated, we can’t always guarantee you won’t get shingles, but if you do, we know it will be milder and your risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia will be lower.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/01/29/consider-getting-the-shingles-vaccine-before-65-doctors-notes.html">Read the full Doctors' Note column in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:19:59 +0000 noreen.rasbach 128304 at When caring for relatives with dementia, develop a good relationship: U of T expert /news/when-caring-relatives-dementia-develop-good-relationship-u-t-expert <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">When caring for relatives with dementia, develop a good relationship: U of T expert</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-01-23-dementia-caregiving-getty.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=kGMgt4a9 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2018-01-23-dementia-caregiving-getty.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sl8NoETi 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2018-01-23-dementia-caregiving-getty.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=H9kA1M9A 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-01-23-dementia-caregiving-getty.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=kGMgt4a9" alt="caregiver and loved one"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ullahnor</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-01-23T12:56:49-05:00" title="Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - 12:56" class="datetime">Tue, 01/23/2018 - 12:56</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Dr. Michael Gordon talks about caring for loved ones who develop dementia (photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dementia" hreflang="en">dementia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>With more Canadian families becoming&nbsp;caregivers for people living with dementia, it's important to establish positive relationships with loved ones who will be receiving the care, says Dr. <strong>Michael Gordon</strong>,&nbsp;a professor of medicine at the şüŔęĘÓƵ and a geriatric specialist at Baycrest Health Sciences.</p> <p>Over the next 15 years the number of Canadians living with dementia will almost double, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/01/22/a-strong-relationship-can-make-caring-for-a-loved-one-with-dementia-easier-doctors-notes.html">Gordon writes in this week's edition of Doctors' Notes</a>,<em> the Toronto Star</em>'s weekly column created by U of T Medical experts.&nbsp;He writes that&nbsp;having the perfect relationship should not be a prerequisite for being a caregiver,&nbsp;but he found with his&nbsp;late parents, his&nbsp;positive relationship with them, as well as his&nbsp;sister’s, helped them navigate difficult next steps.</p> <h3><a href="/news/find-a-story?query=doctors%20notes&amp;field_topic_tid=All&amp;date_filter%5Bmin%5D%5Bdate%5D=&amp;date_filter%5Bmax%5D%5Bdate%5D=">Read previous Doctors' Notes columns from U of T medical experts</a></h3> <p>As people with dementia experience a progressive decline in their ability to remember, understand, communicate and complete day-to-day tasks, being overprotective can be a common source of conflict, he writes.</p> <p>“Though dementia hampers a person’s capacities, their independence still matters a great deal," Gordon writes. “Caregivers can overstep boundaries when they take over ordering at a restaurant, criticize clothing choices and arrange activities the person being cared for doesn’t enjoy.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/01/22/a-strong-relationship-can-make-caring-for-a-loved-one-with-dementia-easier-doctors-notes.html">Read the full Doctors' Notes column in <em>the&nbsp;Toronto Star</em></a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 23 Jan 2018 17:56:49 +0000 ullahnor 127892 at There’s no one solution for treating depression in seniors: U of T expert /news/there-s-no-one-solution-treating-depression-seniors-u-t-expert <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">There’s no one solution for treating depression in seniors: U of T expert</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-12-19-depression-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=-cg4GiIi 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-12-19-depression-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=8hfKCwU- 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-12-19-depression-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=r6PkDY6D 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-12-19-depression-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=-cg4GiIi" alt="Photo of depressed man"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-12-19T11:42:23-05:00" title="Tuesday, December 19, 2017 - 11:42" class="datetime">Tue, 12/19/2017 - 11:42</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Almost one in 10 seniors suffers from clinical depression, a rate that doubles in long-term care homes (photo by BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/depression" hreflang="en">Depression</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/seniors" hreflang="en">Seniors</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Depression is prevalent in older people and&nbsp;is often a greater challenge to treat, says Dr. <strong>Alastair Flint</strong>, a professor in the şüŔęĘÓƵ’s Faculty of Medicine.</p> <p>Almost one in 10 seniors suffers from clinical depression, a rate that doubles in long-term care homes, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/12/18/theres-no-one-solution-for-treating-depression-in-seniors-doctors-notes.html">Flint writes&nbsp;in this week's edition of Doctors'&nbsp;Notes</a>, the&nbsp;<em>Toronto Star's</em>&nbsp;weekly column created by U of T medical experts.</p> <h3><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0">Read previous Doctors' Notes columns from U of T medical experts</a></h3> <p>“And a growing body of research suggests if you suffer from depression, you’re at a higher risk of developing memory loss or dementia,” writes Flint, who is also a geriatric psychiatrist at the University Health Network and a senior scientist in the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute.</p> <p>But treating depression in older people can be tough: They often find it hard to tolerate medications, and side-effects can be severe, he writes. Seniors often take a lot of medications that can interact badly, and older people often are&nbsp;more forgetful, skipping some medications or taking them improperly.</p> <p>Flint writes that he and his colleagues have launched a five-year study named OPTIMUM to study two strategies commonly used for treating older adults with difficult-to-treat depression – switching to a new medication, or continuing with the first medication and adding a second one.</p> <p>Flint’s team is working with scientists&nbsp;in Canada and the U.S., with the hopes of recruiting 1,500 seniors with treatment-resistant depression.</p> <p>“Right now, we don’t really have any evidence to show which is the best approach to help older adults, so my colleagues and I want to fix that,” Flint&nbsp;writes.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/12/18/theres-no-one-solution-for-treating-depression-in-seniors-doctors-notes.html">Read the full Doctors' Notes column in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 19 Dec 2017 16:42:23 +0000 noreen.rasbach 125228 at U of T expert on knowing the signs of a stroke – and acting quickly /news/u-t-expert-knowing-signs-stroke-and-acting-quickly <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T expert on knowing the signs of a stroke – and acting quickly</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-12-11-stroke-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Y7YpgBwc 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-12-11-stroke-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=YmXzeN9D 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-12-11-stroke-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ctxiLbKC 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-12-11-stroke-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Y7YpgBwc" alt="Photo of stroke imaging"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rasbachn</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-12-11T13:10:44-05:00" title="Monday, December 11, 2017 - 13:10" class="datetime">Mon, 12/11/2017 - 13:10</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The sooner you get help, the better your outcomes will be, writes U of T's Dr. Gurpreet Jaswal (photo by BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/stroke" hreflang="en">Stroke</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>&nbsp;It is crucial to know the signs of a stroke and get help right away when symptoms suddenly strike, says şüŔęĘÓƵ’s Dr. <strong>Gurpreet Jaswa</strong>l.</p> <p>That means calling 911 immediately.</p> <p>The sooner you get help, the better your outcomes will be, Jaswal writes&nbsp;in this week's edition of Doctors'&nbsp;Notes, the&nbsp;<em>Toronto Star's</em>&nbsp;weekly column created by U of T medical experts.</p> <p>“As a general internal medicine physician, I see how the passage of time can affect patient outcomes after a stroke," Jaswal writes.&nbsp;"More often than we’d like, my colleagues and I see people who have waited to get help, or gone to an urgent care or walk-in clinic before coming in to the hospital. They might not have realized they were having a stroke or how serious their symptoms were. The problem is, this delays our ability to help tremendously.”</p> <h3><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0">Read more <em>Toronto Star</em> Doctors' Notes columns by U of T experts</a></h3> <p>Jaswal, who is completing her fellowship in the division of general internal medicine at the&nbsp;Faculty of Medicine, writes that the two treatments used for stroke patients&nbsp;need to be administered within specific time frames. The first is tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, a drug for clots that must be administered within 4½ hours of the onset of the stroke.</p> <p>The other is endovascular treatment, or EVT, which must be done within six hours. That treatment involves using specialized imaging to locate a clot and sending a wire all the way up the arteries through a person’s groin to remove it.</p> <p>What are the symptoms to look out for? The acronym FAST refers to symptoms&nbsp;in 75 per cent of all strokes – face drooping, arm weakness and speech difficulty (the T is for time to call 911).</p> <p>But there could be other symptoms, Jaswal&nbsp;writes. “It could be the entire side of your body, or it might only be in one arm, leg or portion of the face. Other symptoms include double vision, numbness or tingling.</p> <p>“A striking feature of a stroke is that the onset is usually sudden.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/opinion/2017/12/11/its-critical-to-act-fast-when-stroke-symptoms-strike-doctors-notes.html">Read the full Doctors' Notes column</a></h3> <p><br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 11 Dec 2017 18:10:44 +0000 rasbachn 124521 at How trauma affects the brain: U of T expert /news/how-trauma-affects-brain-u-t-expert <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How trauma affects the brain: U of T expert</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-12-04-brain-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=A7EmMBm1 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-12-04-brain-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=6m-99l9m 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-12-04-brain-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=mfkAspDr 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-12-04-brain-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=A7EmMBm1" alt="Photo of brain"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rasbachn</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-12-05T00:00:00-05:00" title="Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - 00:00" class="datetime">Tue, 12/05/2017 - 00:00</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Trauma has a huge effect on the brain, but the brain responds well to treatment, writes U of T's Dr. Dana Ross (photo by Penn State via Flickr)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/brain" hreflang="en">Brain</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine-0" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>We’re living through an important moment where people who have been through traumatic experiences feel&nbsp;more comfortable coming forward with their stories, says Dr. <strong>Dana Ross</strong>.</p> <p>A&nbsp;lecturer in the şüŔęĘÓƵ's department of psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine, Ross says trauma can have a profound impact on every area of person’s life. And “it is important for people to be familiar with the different ways that trauma can cause distress,” because studies have shown that traumatic experiences&nbsp;such as physical and sexual abuse are common, she says.</p> <p>“We still have a lot to learn about the effects of trauma but we do know that a number of changes occur in the brain and body that can make it difficult for people to live the life they would like to lead,” Ross writes <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/analysis/2017/12/04/how-trauma-affects-the-brain-doctors-notes.html">in this week's edition of Doctors'&nbsp;Notes</a>, the <em>Toronto Star's </em>weekly column created by U of T medical experts.</p> <h3><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0">Read more Toronto Star Doctors' Notes by U of T experts</a></h3> <p>Ross, who also practises as a psychiatrist in the trauma therapy program at Women's College Hospital, says she is often asked about how trauma affects the brain. People can feel trapped and helpless during the trauma, and overwhelmed and unable to cope for a long time afterwards, she writes. Also, their&nbsp;symptoms can emerge or re-emerge later in life.</p> <p>Ross outlines&nbsp;four main areas of the brain affected by trauma: the hippocampus, which is responsible for laying down and integrating memory;&nbsp;the amygdala, which lays down emotional memory and is important in detecting emotions such as fear; the prefrontal cortex, used when thinking, planning and solving problems;&nbsp;and the brain stem, which reacts to acute trauma by activating the fight, flight, freeze and collapse responses.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The experience of trauma can have far reaching consequences and can contribute to developing additional mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,” Ross writes. “Studies show that traumatic experiences are also linked to an increased likelihood of developing a multitude of health issues including chronic inflammation and heart disease.”</p> <p>However, Ross says there is help available: Research shows the brain has a "tremendous” ability&nbsp;to heal itself with proper treatment, including psychotherapy and/or medication.</p> <p>She writes: “At Women’s College Hospital, when we work with traumatized patients in our trauma program, we often draw a big circle to represent the trauma, and a small circle within it to represent the self. In the beginning, trauma is overwhelming, but with treatment we hope to reverse those circles.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/analysis/2017/12/04/how-trauma-affects-the-brain-doctors-notes.html">&nbsp;Read the full column in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 05 Dec 2017 05:00:00 +0000 rasbachn 123864 at New research findings on breast cancer could dismantle the one-size-fits-all approach for prevention and screening: U of T expert /news/new-research-findings-breast-cancer-could-dismantle-one-size-fits-all-approach-prevention-and <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">New research findings on breast cancer could dismantle the one-size-fits-all approach for prevention and screening: U of T expert</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-11-07-blood-test.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZOuRaXfN 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-11-07-blood-test.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=A3PqadbO 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-11-07-blood-test.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=60hKbBgC 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-11-07-blood-test.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZOuRaXfN" alt="Photo of vials of blood"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rasbachn</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-11-07T14:47:15-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 7, 2017 - 14:47" class="datetime">Tue, 11/07/2017 - 14:47</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The 72 new genes, which were discovered after scientists studied blood samples of 275,000 women, aren’t as risky as BRCA, but they are more common. (photo by Pearl Pirie via Flickr)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/donnelly-centre" hreflang="en">Donnelly Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The news that 72 new genes associated with breast cancer <a href="/news/u-t-researchers-part-international-group-discovered-72-genetic-variants-predispose-breast">were identified by scientists</a> around the world, including five teams from the şüŔęĘÓƵ, is considered a major step forward in how we understand the disease.</p> <p><strong>Gary Bader</strong>, a professor at U of T’s Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and the departments of molecular genetics and computer science, says there are important short- and long-term implications of the findings.</p> <p>The long-term hope, Dr. Bader writes in this week’s edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/11/06/personalized-cancer-plans-the-future-of-fighting-disease.html">Doctors’ Notes</a>, the&nbsp;<em>Toronto Star</em>’s weekly column created by U of T medical experts, is that “the more we know about the biology of breast cancer, the faster we will be able to stop it from starting and spreading.” &nbsp;</p> <p>The discoveries, he adds, could ultimately help develop drugs that prevent breast cancer altogether.</p> <p>In the meantime, he writes, the findings&nbsp;provide an important step forward in the development of “precision medicine,” instead of the one-size-fits-all approach doctors currently use.</p> <p>The discoveries can help predict who is most at risk for breast cancer, he writes. Right now, women with a family history of certain cancers can get the BRCA genetic test to see if they’re at high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. But, he writes, the BRCA mutations “are very rare – the vast majority of women who develop breast cancer are not BRCA-positive.”</p> <p>The 72 new genes, which were discovered after scientists studied blood samples of 275,000 women,&nbsp;&nbsp;aren’t as risky as BRCA, Bader writes,&nbsp;but are more common.</p> <p>"Some of these mutations may only raise your chance of getting breast cancer by a few percentage points – not 80 per cent as in the BRCA mutations – but you may carry enough of them to add up to a high risk. Alternatively, you may have one that is more sensitive to environmental risk factors such as smoking and obesity."</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/11/06/personalized-cancer-plans-the-future-of-fighting-disease.html">Read the full Doctors' Notes column in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 07 Nov 2017 19:47:15 +0000 rasbachn 121254 at De-escalation of agitated people is a trained skill and a team effort: U of T expert /news/de-escalation-agitated-people-trained-skill-and-team-effort-u-t-expert <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">De-escalation of agitated people is a trained skill and a team effort: U of T expert</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-10-24-doctors-notes.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RcYmjq1g 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-10-24-doctors-notes.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ky9mFG_W 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-10-24-doctors-notes.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4MB0sXDe 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-10-24-doctors-notes.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RcYmjq1g" alt="Image of agitated patient and doctor"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rasbachn</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-10-24T13:20:00-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 24, 2017 - 13:20" class="datetime">Tue, 10/24/2017 - 13:20</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">When someone’s behaving in an aggressive or threatening way during a mental health or emotional crisis, “they’re probably scared," writes Dr. Brittany Poynter (photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250);"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; color:#485667"></span></p> <p>It’s normal to want to run the other way when you come across somebody who is agitated, aggressive and yelling.&nbsp; But Dr. <strong>Brittany Poynter</strong>, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the şüŔęĘÓƵ’s Faculty of Medicine, says there are strategies to deal with an agitated person.</p> <p>Poynter, an emergency department psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), says de-escalation is a skill that requires training and experience. It takes a team of people working together to make sure everyone is safe, she writes in <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/10/23/de-escalation-is-a-trained-skill-and-a-team-effort.html">this week’s edition of Doctors’ Notes,</a> the <em>Toronto Star</em>’s weekly column created by medical experts from the şüŔęĘÓƵ.</p> <p>“I don’t recommend anyone try it alone.”</p> <p>When someone’s behaving in an aggressive or threatening way during a mental health or emotional crisis, “they’re probably scared," she writes. "Their actions are driven by fear, rather than a desire to harm anyone.”</p> <p>She also advises family members who face an escalating situation with a loved one experiencing psychosis to call 911 sooner rather than later.&nbsp;</p> <p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; color:#485667"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <h3 style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/10/23/de-escalation-is-a-trained-skill-and-a-team-effort.html"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; color:#485667">Read the full Doctors’ Notes column</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; color:#485667"><o:p></o:p></span></h3> <p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; color:#485667">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 15pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 86, 103); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:#485667"><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 24 Oct 2017 17:20:00 +0000 rasbachn 119924 at Getting tested for BRCA genetic mutation saves lives: U of T expert /news/getting-tested-bcra-genetic-mutation-saves-lives-u-t-expert <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Getting tested for BRCA genetic mutation saves lives: U of T expert</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-10-10-jolie-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=uAAZp5SQ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-10-10-jolie-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GDXmGikl 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-10-10-jolie-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=psaG8yiA 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-10-10-jolie-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=uAAZp5SQ" alt="Photo of Angelina Jolie"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rasbachn</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-10-10T10:35:36-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 10, 2017 - 10:35" class="datetime">Tue, 10/10/2017 - 10:35</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Angelina Jolie in New York last month: The actress made headlines when she announced that she had a double mastectomy as a preventative measure (photo by Gotham/Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>We all remember when the actress Angelina Jolie announced she had a double mastectomy, a preventative measure after learning she had the BRCA-1 genetic mutation (she later had her ovaries removed as well). Jolie got herself tested after her mother died of ovarian cancer.&nbsp;</p> <p>Taking preventative measures could very well have saved Jolie’s life, says&nbsp;<strong>Dr. Mohammad R. Akbari</strong>, an assistant professor at şüŔęĘÓƵ’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health and the Institute of Medical Sciences in U of T’s Faculty of Medicine.</p> <p>Anyone with a family member who has been diagnosed with four major cancers – breast, ovarian, prostate or pancreatic – should consider getting a simple saliva test to determine if you have the genetic mutations BRCA-1 or BRCA-2, writes Akbari in this week’s edition of <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/10/09/saliva-test-for-gene-mutation-saves-lives.html">Doctors’ Notes</a>, the <em>Toronto Star</em>’s weekly column created by medical experts from the şüŔęĘÓƵ.</p> <p>Akbari, who is also a scientist at the Women’s College Research Institute, cites the dangers of being BRCA positive – a lifetime risk of developing breast cancer of 80 per cent; 40 per cent for ovarian cancer, 35 to 40 per cent for prostate cancer,&nbsp; and about 7 per cent for pancreatic cancer.</p> <p>There is an advantage to knowing you have the mutation, he writes: With all four cancers, there are preventative measures you can take, and knowing you’re at risk can help you catch it as early as possible. A BRCA diagnosis also helps to customize cancer treatments.</p> <p>Women’s College Hospital has developed&nbsp;<a href="http://thescreenproject.ca/">The Screen Project</a>, where participants pay US$165 to receive a simple saliva collection kit by mail. If you are found to have the&nbsp; BRCA mutation, a genetic counsellor will meet with you to discuss next steps.</p> <p>“As a genetic researcher, I know how scary it can be to undergo this kind of testing. Many people don’t want to live their lives in fear; if they’re at higher risk of cancer, they’d rather not know,”&nbsp; Akbari writes. “But if there’s breast, ovarian, prostate or pancreatic cancer in your family, you likely already live with the fear of getting these diseases.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/10/09/saliva-test-for-gene-mutation-saves-lives.html">Read this week's Doctors' Notes in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 10 Oct 2017 14:35:36 +0000 rasbachn 118609 at U of T expert on how to help women with postpartum depression /news/u-t-expert-how-help-women-postpartum-depression <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T expert on how to help women with postpartum depression</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-10-02-ppd.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Msjcq4Hq 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-10-02-ppd.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qboG5hcv 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-10-02-ppd.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=W5gfoi1F 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-10-02-ppd.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Msjcq4Hq" alt="Photo of woman and baby"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rasbachn</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-10-02T16:57:46-04:00" title="Monday, October 2, 2017 - 16:57" class="datetime">Mon, 10/02/2017 - 16:57</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Research shows that interventions such as peer support and home visits from public health nurses can help women even before PPD symptoms develop (photo by Philip Dean via Flickr)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/doctors-notes-0" hreflang="en">Doctors' Notes</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Most new mothers experience baby blues – a few weeks of emotional upheaval that may include being irritable or crying easily. But some mothers have&nbsp;postpartum depression (PPD), with symptoms that are significantly more severe and prolonged.</p> <p>Women with PPD may feel sad, anxious, irritable, unmotivated or overwhelmed, says&nbsp;<strong>Dr.&nbsp;</strong><strong>Simone Vigod</strong>, an associate professor in University&nbsp;of Toronto’s department of psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine, and a staff psychiatrist at Women’s College Hospital. These woman usually&nbsp;experience some symptoms within three months of giving birth, but Vigod says:&nbsp;"As a psychiatrist, I see the first year postpartum as a high-risk period."</p> <p>Help is available, Vigod writes<a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/10/02/beware-baby-blues-that-lasts-too-long.html"> </a><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/08/14/breathing-issues-are-often-under-tested-over-treated.html">in the current edition of Doctors' Notes</a>, a weekly column in the&nbsp;<em>Toronto Star</em>&nbsp;written&nbsp;by members of U of T's Faculty of Medicine. &nbsp;Research shows that interventions such as peer support and home visits from public health nurses can help women even before PPD symptoms develop, she writes. And for women with PPD, “effective treatments include talk therapy, and in more serious cases, medication.”</p> <p>Vigod writes about her involvement&nbsp;in an international study called PACT for the Cure that will help scientists learn why some women develop PPD while others don’t. Participants download an app and answer questions as to whether they have experienced PPD. If they have, they are asked to provide a DNA sample to help in research to find genetic determinants.</p> <p>Vigod is also involved in developing online health groups and virtual psychotherapy, to help women who live in more remote areas or those who struggle to get to appointments.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/10/02/beware-baby-blues-that-lasts-too-long.html">Read the entire Doctors' Notes column in the <em>Toronto Star</em></a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 02 Oct 2017 20:57:46 +0000 rasbachn 117992 at