Humanities & Society

PET scans: normal (top 2 rows) and Alzheimer’s.After decades of searching, scientists finally may have identified a way to study Alzheimer’s disease changes in living human brains. Researchers at Washington University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) have begun studies of an imaging agent developed at the University of Pittsburgh that could potentially detect amyloid plaques with a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, enabling earlier detection of the disease and improved testing of new treatments.

Is this a “cup” or a “mug?”No matter how hard we try to change our behaviors, it’s the old ways that tend to win out over time, especially in situations where we’re rushed, stressed or overworked, suggests a new study of human memory from Washington University in St. Louis. The findings are bad news for people struggling to change harmful behaviors, such as smoking or overeating, and good news for people who establish healthy lifestyles at an early age. Even when we consciously try to put new good intentions into place, those previously learned habits remain stronger in more automatic, unconscious forms of memory.

At issue in the Kelo v. City of New London case before the Supreme Court is a redevelopment project in the downtown and waterfront areas of this economically distressed Connecticut city. Private property must be taken by condemnation in eminent domain and turned over to the developer to carry out the project. “In Kelo v. City of New London, the Supreme Court has taken a major case that will test the ability of municipalities to carry out redevelopment projects to improve their downtowns and city neighborhoods,” says Daniel Mandelker, the Howard A. Stamper Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis and one of the country’s leading scholars and teachers in land use law. Mandelker believes the Connecticut court properly upheld the use of eminent domain in this case, but that abuses can occur in other cases where there is no clear redevelopment objective.

Tips for kicking the butts.The Great American Smokeout — the day each November the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to say “no thanks” to cigarettes for 24 hours — helps many people recognize how dangerous smoking is and how much they really want to quit, says a psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on helping people gain control of personal habits.

Abdominal fat reduction with DHEA useIn a six-month study of elderly people, researchers at the School of Medicine found that the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) significantly reduced abdominal fat and improved insulin action. This finding suggests that DHEA may be able to counter the increase in abdominal fat and accompanying increased risk for diabetes that very often occurs as we grow older.

In the midst of the growing epidemic of obesity, a group of researchers at the School of Medicine has dived into the human gene pool to look for solutions. The group recently identified genetic variations unique to obese men and are now embarking on a wider search to find additional genes linked to obesity.

Aging and Alzheimer’s disease research at the School of Medicine recently received a $9.6 million boost. The five-year grant from the National Institute on Aging launches the University’s Healthy Aging and Senile Dementia program into its 21st year.

Keith Boykin, president of the National Black Justice Coalition, will present a lecture on race, sexuality and politics 1 p.m. Nov. 13 in Brown Hall, Room 100. Boykin, a prominent author and speaker, was a special assistant to the President and director of specialty media during President Bill Clinton’s administration.

John M. Ferren, senior judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, will discuss his new book, “Salt of the Earth, Conscience of the Court: The Story of Justice Wiley Rutledge,” 11 a.m. November 10 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom of Anheuser-Busch Hall. Ferren’s book, published by University of North Carolina Press, examines the life of Supreme Court Justice Wiley B. Rutledge, former faculty member and dean of the Washington University School of law.

In a finding that may one day help researchers better understand age-related memory and hearing loss, scientists have shown that two key nervous system proteins interact in a manner that helps regulate the transmission of signals in the nervous system.