Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Imaging Technique May Give Heart Attack Early Warning
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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDayNews) -- Plaque deposits that slowly build up on artery walls can break apart, triggering heart attack or stroke. But a new imaging technology developed by Harvard University researchers uses an enzyme linked to arterial plaque to spot these cardiac 'trouble spots' early on. If proven successful, the imaging technique would be the first to allow surgeons to pinpoint potentially dangerous plaque deposits in the arteries of patients without having to use invasive procedures such as surgery or biopsy. Early warning that a particular plaque is unstable may enable doctors to target or prioritize treatment to the affected artery in order to prevent or minimize damage. Using a cell-culture model and MRI, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, focused on a particular blood-borne enzyme, myeloperoxidase (MPO). While not directly connected to plaque rupture, "a breakdown product of MPO triggers the release of an enzyme that degrades the fibrous cap surrounding a plaque," lead researcher and biochemist Alexie A. Bogdanov, Jr., explained in a statement. When that cap wears too thin, plaque can rupture. The new technology tracks MPO levels to highlight areas of greatest risk for this type of plaque activity. However, much more work is required before this imaging technique may be ready for clinical use, the researchers said. The research was presented at this week's national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia. More information The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about plaque and coronary artery disease.
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