ICE CREAM HIGH: Some summertime research brings the welcome finding that ice cream makes us happy.
The study was conducted at the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, London where participants had MRI scans to see which areas of the brain "lit-up" when they consumed ice cream. The results showed that eating ice cream had an immediate effect on parts of the brain that are activated when someone is really enjoying themselves.
RARE DISEASE RESEARCH: The Health Research Board (HRB) and the Medical Research Charities Group (MRCG) have announced joint funding of €600,000 to support research fellowships in rare disease. Two fellowships worth €300,000 will be awarded on a full-time basis over three years, beginning in 2006. The fellowships will aim to build capacity in research into rare diseases by enabling those working in the area develop research careers. An application form and detailed guidance notes are available on the HRB website (www.hrb.ie/rfrd). Interested parties should contact Margaret Devitt on 01 6761176 or e-mail mdevitt@hrb.ie.
RIB TICKLERS: It is well known that a chronic cough can cause rib fractures. A Mayo Clinic study of this phenomenon has found that 78 per cent of cough-induced rib fractures occur in women. Most fractures are found in the sixth rib. Some 65 per cent of those affected had evidence of osteoporosis when bone density studies were carried out.
WORK SATISFACTION: Finnish researchers report a link between work stress and a person's body mass index (a measure of obesity). They analysed data from over 45,000 employees and found an association between lower job control, higher job strain and a higher body mass index. The link is not a particularly strong one but may indicate that where there is a poor balance between work effort and reward obesity levels rise.
(Lifelines compiled by Marion Kerr)