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brain chemicals

Ginseng may improve memory in stroke dementia patients

A small study showed that a ginseng compound improved memory scores of people suffering from stroke-induced dementia, Chinese researchers reported today at the American Stroke Association’s 28th International Stroke Conference. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. Researchers caution that larger clinical trials are needed to establish the efficacy and safety of the compound. Memory loss, or dementia, may occur after stroke and is a growing problem in China, says lead researcher Jinzhou Tian, M.D., a professor in the Department of Care of the Elderly at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Dongzhimen Hospital in Beijing, China.

FDA approves new treatment for social anxiety disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Effexor XR for the treatment of patients with social anxiety disorder, a condition which may affect up to 13 percent of Americans at some point in their lives. EFFEXOR XR, already approved for the treatment of depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), is the first available serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), and is believed to increase the levels of two key brain chemicals thought to be deficient in individuals suffering from depression and anxiety disorders.