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Swallowing is one of the most complex processes in the human body, and many health disorders can produce dysphagia. To garner data and federal funding to study effective treatments for those suffering from dysphagia, Bonnie Martin-Harris, Ph.D., founder and director of the Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing, and professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), led a team of researchers to create the first standardized tool to measure swallowing impairment.

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Millions of patients with treatment-resistant clinical depression, who have struggled for years with disability and how to cope with their condition, now have an option that could help them lead more productive and successful lives.

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Individuals with history of nonmelanoma skin cancer at greater risk for future cancers. Study led by Hollings Cancer Center researcher finds risk greatest in ages 25-44.

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Individuals who experience the physical, mental and social symptoms associated with alcohol dependence are offered hope through the results of two recent studies by researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). In separate investigations, researchers found favorable results for a medication to help heavy drinkers who are trying to modify their consumption, as well as a medication to reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse.

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Loss of memory with advanced age is a significant problem within most societies, and appears particularly severe in advanced industrialized nations. In a seemingly unrelated issue, high obesity rates, particularly in the United States, are often due to a food supply high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Through a new study, researchers have been able to link memory loss to a poor diet.

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Researchers within the Darby Children's Research Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have discovered a gene mutation directly involved in the metabolism of the most common and perhaps most known medication used to treat ADHD, methylphenidate (MPH), or Ritalin. The discovery may open the door to pre-testing of patients for the appropriate ADHD medication, instead of having to undergo trial and error.

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Jeff Korte, Ph.D., principal investigator of a National Cancer Institute funded study and assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), tracked HPV infections in women with existing STDs to analyze the impact of genital infections over a two-year period. Korte found that HPV infections lasted longer if Chlamydia also was present. "HPV persistence is one of the most important risk factors for cervical cancer", said Korte.

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A Medical University of South Carolina's (MUSC) Department of Family Medicine study concluded that people who began moderately consuming alcohol in middle-age experience a quick benefit of lower rates of cardiovascular disease morbidity with no change in mortality after four years. In addition, the study found that those who consumed alcohol for the heart health benefits rarely drank more than recommended amounts.

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First-String Research, Inc. (FSR), a spin-off biotechnology company from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), has begun the human clinical trial process for its unique, wound-healing peptide gel. Initial preclinical studies have suggested the gel's efficacy and safety in regenerating new tissue, instead of scar tissue, in order to heal wounds better and faster than any product currently on the market.

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A Medical University of South Carolina study found that total health care cost estimates attributable to delirium ranged from $16,303 to $64,421 per elderly patient. These estimates represent a national burden of delirium on the health care system ranging from $38 to $152 billion each year, much more than previously thought. Interventions exist that have been shown to reduce rates of delirium, so at least some of these costs may be preventable.