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New Guidance Says Doctors Should Discuss Vaping as One Option to Help Adults Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health—but it's also one of the hardest habits to break. Many smokers make several attempts before they successfully quit, even when using medications or nicotine replacement products. Now, a panel of tobacco treatment experts is encouraging healthcare providers to expand the conversation about smoking cessation by discussing nicotine e-cigarettes as one possible option for adults who smoke cigarettes. The recommendations, published in JAMA , were developed by the Harm Reduction Work Group of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco’s Treatment Research Network. Rather than promoting vaping, the group says clinicians should focus on helping patients choose the quit-smoking method that best fits their individual circumstances. A Personalized Approach to Quitting Smoking cessation isn't the same for everyone. What works well for one person may not work for another, which is why the authors recommend mo...
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Video games improve upper extremity motor skills for stroke patients

Video game study shows stroke
patients regain motor skills
and strength from playing



Stroke patients develop upper extremity motor skills from video games


Researchers say compared to standard therapy, stroke patients who play video games are five times more likely to regain upper body motor skills after a stoke.

According to Dr. Gustavo Saposnik, the lead author of the study and the director of the Stroke Outcomes Research Unit at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, virtual reality gaming shows promise as a therapy for stroke patients that is affordable and fun.
Saposnik says, "Recovery of motor skill depends on neurological recovery, adaptation, and learning new strategies. Virtual reality systems drive neuroplasticity and lead to benefits in motor function improvement after stroke."
The original study from Saposnik was published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, July 2010.


A new analysis from Saposnik looked 12 existing studies on the effect of electronic games on upper extremity strength and mobility, finding the repetitiveness and challenge of video games could surpass conventional therapy after a stroke that provides only "modest" recovery and delayed effects.


The study was conducted on patients with mild to moderate stroke. Further studies are needed to see if video games can improve motor function in other groups of patients. 


According to the authors, 55 to 75 percent of stroke survivors have impaired motor function in their arms. Virtual gaming could provide a fun, inexpensive and effective way to help stroke patients function better, improving quality of life.


Source: St. Michael's Hospital 
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