Break Out the Shovels and Ice-Melt - The Massachusetts Real ...

The first major winter storm in Massachusetts yesterday brought lots of questions on Massachusetts snow and ice removal law.

I am a homeowner and rental property owner. Am I legally required to clear snow and ice after a storm?

The law now in Massachusetts is that?all Massachusetts property owners and landlords are legally responsible for the removal of snow and ice from their property.?In 2010, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overruled 125 years of legal precedent which protected property owners from ?natural accumulations of ice and snow,? and announced this new rule. My prior post on the case can be read here. The rule applies across the board, to homeowners, landlords, commercial business owners, restaurants, everyone.

I am a landlord. How long do I have to shovel snow and ice on my rental property?

There is no clear cut answer to this question, and juries and courts will ultimately decide what is reasonable. The City of Boston?s policy is to give businesses 3 hours to clean snow, and 6 hours to residents. My advice is to shovel and treat snow and ice early and often. Even a thin coating of black ice can cause someone to slip and fall and seriously hurt themselves. (Admit it if you?ve dumped on your rear end like I have!). If you are an out-of-town landlord, you must hire someone to shovel your snow.

My lease states that the tenant is responsible for snow shoveling. Will that protect me from liability?

Probably not. A person who is injured due to untreated snow or ice will likely sue both the property owner and the tenant. The property owner must ultimately ensure that the property is safe for visitors. The landlord may bring a claim for contribution/indemnification against the tenant.

I live in Boston, and I heard I have to shovel the public sidewalk in front of my house after a storm. Is that true?

Yes. On top of their added responsibilities, property owners in several Massachusetts communities, including Boston, Newton, Lynn, and Worcester, are required by local ordinances to clear municipal sidewalks in front of their residences or businesses. The City of Boston mandates clean sidewalks within 6 hours of a storm; Worcester is 12 hours.

Will my homeowner?s or CGL insurance policy cover any injuries from slip and fall on snow/ice?

Yes, usually. The standard Massachusetts homeowners insurance policy and commercial general liability insurance policy (CGL) will have liability coverage for slip and falls on property. Make sure you have ample liability coverage of at least $500,000 to 1 Million. (You can never have enough insurance!). As with any insurance question, it?s best to contact your personal insurance agent.

If you have additional questions, please ask them in the comment forms below!

___________________________________________

Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. is an experienced Massachusetts real estate attorney who advises property owners and landlords as to liability issues. Please contact him at 508-620-5352 or at info@vetsteinlawgroup.com.

Related Posts:

Tagged as: featured, Massachusetts slip and fall law, Massachusetts snow removal law, Massachusetts snow shovel law

Source: http://www.massrealestatelawblog.com/2012/12/30/break-out-the-shovels-and-ice-melt-new-massachusetts-mandatory-snow-and-ice-removal-law/

culkin wooly mammoth no child left behind no child left behind neurofibromatosis steve jobs fbi file suge knight

Obama: Troops aiding African diplomat evacuation

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says 50 U.S. troops have deployed to the African country of Chad to help evacuate U.S. citizens and embassy personnel from the neighboring Central African Republic's capital of Bangui in the face of rebel advances toward the city.

Obama informed congressional leaders of Thursday's deployment in a letter Saturday citing a "deteriorating security situation" in the Central African Republic.

The evacuation of the U.S. diplomats comes in the wake of criticism of the Obama administration's handling of diplomatic security at its consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The ambassador and three other Americans were killed in a Sept. 11 attack.

In the Central African Republic, rebels have seized at least 10 northern towns. On Saturday they continued their advance, seizing the city of Sibut, 114 miles from Bangui.

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CENTRAL_AFRICAN_REPUBLIC_OBAMA?SITE=TXCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

july 4th higgs boson Malware Monday First Row Sports American flag Happy 4th of July 4th Of July Desserts

Anglican leader Rowan Williams steps down

LONDON (AP) ? The head of the Church of England is leaving office after a decade as the spiritual leader of the world's 80 million-strong Anglican Communion.

Rowan Williams, the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, will be replaced by 56-year-old former oil executive Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham.

The ten years in which the 62-year-old Williams held office saw him struggling to maintain unity within the Anglican Communion amid bitter disagreements over female bishops and church teachings on gay relationships.

Williams has been praised for engaging with church critics and atheists including Richard Dawkins, but he has also raised eyebrows with his opinions on controversial issues including the war in Iraq and Sharia law.

Williams will step down Monday to start a new role as Master of Cambridge University's Magdalene College.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/anglican-leader-rowan-williams-steps-down-124335774.html

Barbara Palvin Yahoo Fantasy Football Nick Foles Auguste Rodin Breaking Amish Indianapolis explosion mike brown

Q&A WITH The Mayor, on Year One

?

Malden?s inaugurated its first new mayor in 16 years when former Ward One City Councillor Gary Christenson took the oath of office on Jan. 2, 2012. The Observer recently caught up with Christenson to discuss how things went in year one, and ask about what?s on tap for 2013?

?

Q In January, you'll mark one year since being inaugurated. How would you describe your first year in office?

?

A. It?s been non-stop from day one. Some caution me to slow down, but I live by the adage that what you put in is what you get out.

I am working as hard as I can on a daily basis to help our community achieve success because that?s what our residents expect and deserve. I find that by being out in the community I am able to actually meet our residents and business owners whose ideas and suggestions provide a valuable resource in improving services.

All in all, it?s been a great first year and I am honored to have the opportunity to serve this community.

?

Q What are your favorite accomplishments from the first year?

A Our enhanced means of communicating directly with the community is one of my favorite and proudest accomplishments. From Facebook to Twitter to Online Forums, these outlets encourage community participation and allow residents the ability to interact with us more easily.

I am also proud of the opportunities and resources we have provided our youth. The Mayor?s Summer Jobs for Teens program tripled the number of youth served last summer and I was delighted to be at the recent ribbon cutting of the Malden Teen Enrichment Center. Our teens now have a safe place to do their homework and learn new life skills.

I was also honored to assist with the Macdonald Stadium renovation and the development of our Bike to the Sea path.

Additionally, from a city financial perspective, I found it very rewarding to be able to increase the residential tax exemption from 20 to 30 percent and adopt a policy that will require the city to keep 7.5 percent worth of reserves in place, which will improve the city?s long-term financial standing.

?

Q How about the greatest challenges?

A Without a doubt, crime prevention has been the biggest challenge. I remember each incident like it was yesterday but on a positive note, I remember the response of our police officers. They are working hard and while we continue to rebuild the ranks, I believe some of the short-term strategies-- like meeting with the Middlesex District Attorney?s Office on a monthly basis to track some of our more problematic individuals-- and working to bring in an organization like Roca, Inc. to deliver high-risk intervention services will help in the interim.

Of course, some of these initiatives cost money and that also continues to be a challenge for Malden. Just this month, the state imposed mid-year cuts and with the looming fiscal problems at the federal level, budget concerns will remain a great test moving forward.

?

Q What do you anticipate being your top priorities in 2013?

A Moving City Hall, reconnecting Pleasant Street, and redeveloping the current Government Center site to connect the MBTA with our downtown.

?To address the challenges outlined above, the City will need to generate more revenue and development of this parcel and the enhancement of our downtown economy is the way to accomplish that goal.

?Replacing the current National Grid site with a 6,500 baseball park is another means to support that goal.

Along those lines, another important priority will be to relocate Public Works and consolidate some of our other departments to provide one-stop shopping for our customers.

?I look forward to seeing recommendations from the groups of residents reviewing PAYT and Walkability that can be implemented in the New Year. The adoption of a Capital Improvement Program will be an important item for the City. Street and sidewalk improvements along with technology initiatives will be a featured part of our proposal to the City Council in early 2013.

In regards to technology, we will be introducing a new way for residents and businesses to submit their service requests to the city. In March 2013, modeling the City of Boston?s successful Citizens Connect Smartphone application, Malden will be adopting and expanding the use of this function. As an example, if a resident sees graffiti on the street they can simply take a picture using their Smartphone and with one click the request will be automatically sent to the Department of Public Works. Once the graffiti is removed, the resident will be notified on their Smartphone that the issue has been resolved. Being fiscally prudent to address the ongoing budget issues at the state and federal levels will also be a major priority.

?

Q Anything else you'd like to add?

?

A As I mentioned above, I am truly honored to play an important role in Malden?s future and I look forward to working with the entire community to add to Malden?s Strong Past and Proud Future. In the meantime, I would like to wish everyone a safe and wonderful holiday season.

?

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/malden/news/x1926901629/Q-A-WITH-The-Mayor-on-Year-One

tim howard west virginia rob roy gaslight justin timberlake michael dyer bachmann

Secretary of State Clinton hospitalized with blood clot: spokesman (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273966639?client_source=feed&format=rss

ben flajnik randy moss randy moss hunger games premiere the bachelor good morning america red meat

Oil rises slightly ahead of US fiscal-cliff talks

The price of crude edged up toward $91 a barrel on Friday, ahead of another effort in Washington to strike a budget deal before the year-end deadline.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for February delivery was up 6 cents to $90.93 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The contract fell 11 cents to finish at $90.87 a barrel Thursday, following a reported drop in U.S. consumer confidence and growing pessimism that President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers will reach a compromise on ways to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff ? hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending cuts and tax increases that take effect automatically in 2013 unless lawmakers act.

Hopes that a compromise might be reached were raised after congressional leaders were invited to the White House for talks later Friday, while the House of Representatives will meet Sunday and stay in session until Jan. 2, the day before the new Congress is sworn in.

"We now have to go again into the weekend with the 'fiscal cliff' risk, and if it is not solved then crude oil could start 2013 with a correction," said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland.

On the other hand, a U.S. budget deal is expected to boost oil prices.

Oil prices were also helped by expectations of a drop of around 2 million barrels in U.S. crude supplies last week. The Energy Information Administration releases its weekly report later Friday.

In London, Brent crude, used to price various kinds of foreign oil, was down 16 cents to $110.64 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

In other energy futures trading:

? Wholesale gasoline was down 1.22 cents to $2.7771 a gallon.

? Heating oil fell 0.48 cent to $3.0441 a gallon.

? Natural gas lost 3.5 cents to $3.377 per 1,000 cubic feet.

___

Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oil-rises-slightly-ahead-us-fiscal-cliff-talks-124644482--finance.html

sunoco titanic ii babe ruth new jersey nets nba playoff schedule rondo morris claiborne

Genetic sequencing breakthrough to aid treatment for congenital hyperinsulinism

Dec. 27, 2012 ? Congenital hyperinsulinism is a genetic condition where a baby's pancreas secretes too much insulin. It affects approximately one in 50,000 live births and in severe cases requires the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas.

Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School are the first in the world to utilise new genetic sequencing technology to sequence the entirety of a gene in order to identify mutations that cause hyperinsulinism. Previously, existing technology limited such sequencing to only part of the coding regions of the gene which meant that some mutations were missed.

Using new Illumina genetic sequencing technology, the research team led by Professor Sian Ellard has discovered novel mutations that cause hyperinsulinism. Their findings are published December 27 2012, on-line by The American Journal of Human Genetics.

The outcome will be that some infants born with hyperinsulinism will require fewer investigations, because the new technology means that for many only one genetic test will be required to determine the extent of the condition in each child. It also means that clinicians will have more information at their fingertips to inform them about how much of the pancreas needs to be removed.

Approximately 50 per cent of patients with congenital hyperinsulinism require surgery, and of those half require the entire pancreas to be removed. Removal of the entire pancreas increases the risk of diabetes later in life, but if left undiagnosed and untreated hyperinsulinism can result in irreparable brain damage. Symptoms range from shakiness and tiredness to seizure and coma.

Dr. Sarah Flanagan, Research Fellow in Molecular Genetics at the University of Exeter Medical School said: "The potential provided by this new technology is important and exciting, because it allows us to investigate genetic coding in its entirety. This means that investigators can identify mutations that sit at the heart of any number of conditions where before they might have been missed. This in turn results in better information for clinicians upon which they can base effective treatments and interventions for their patients."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Exeter, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Sarah?E. Flanagan, Weijia Xie, Richard Caswell, Annet Damhuis, Christine Vianey-Saban, Teoman Akcay, Feyza Darendeliler, Firdevs Bas, Ayla Guven, Zeynep Siklar, Gonul Ocal, Merih Berberoglu, Nuala Murphy, Maureen O?Sullivan, Andrew Green, Peter?E. Clayton, Indraneel Banerjee, Peter?T. Clayton, Khalid Hussain, Michael?N. Weedon, Sian Ellard. Next-Generation Sequencing Reveals Deep Intronic Cryptic ABCC8 and HADH Splicing Founder Mutations Causing Hyperinsulinism by Pseudoexon Activation. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.11.017

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/Hvyf7POeyVQ/121227130325.htm

michigan primary results olympia snowe davey jones dead monsanto boston weather dr seuss birthday jennifer garner

New Toshiba camera sensor lets you refocus after the shot, plans 2013 launch in smartphones and tablets

Hoping for some after-the-fact focusing in your next smartphone camera? Well, you'll have to wait around a year, but Toshiba's planning exactly that with a new module that houses an array of 500,000 tiny lenses. Within a 1cm-thick unit, these lenses are layered in front of the camera sensor, which can capture slightly different images from each lens arrangement. Those picture can then be combined in a "complete" picture using Toshiba's own software. Apparently, the camera will also be able to measure the distance between objects in the shot -- similar to how 3D images are captured -- with the user then able to shift focus between close and distant detail, or even create images that are in-focus throughout. Toshiba says the module will also be able to capture video with a similar degree of focus management -- something that Lytro hasn't got around to just yet. The sensor is still a work in progress, but the manufacturer plans to commercialize the module before the end of 2013. Toshiba is looking to ally itself with multiple smartphone (and tablet) makers -- and here's hoping that it finds its way into a device outside of Japan.

[Thanks Franck]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: Asahi Shinbun (Japanese)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/TeS58SHAm68/

spinal stenosis the forgotten man mike jones just friends chronicle george lopez bedtime stories

Forget Stocks? Shilling's Backing Bonds for 2013 ... - Yahoo! Finance

Gary Shilling has been a long-time advocate of bonds, and he's not changing his tune as the market heads into the new year.

Stocks, up four years running, will be trying in 2013 to extend the rally that started all the way back in March 2009. But Shilling, president of economic consulting firm A. Gary Shilling & Co., says the impending recession requires investors to be cautious about equities.

"I think you play it with a 'risk-off' kind of approach," he says in an interview with The Daily Ticker. "And that means you probably look for more appreciation in long-term Treasury bonds, which have been a favorite of mine since 1981."

Shilling has been a believer in bonds for more than three decades and he's not altering that position now.

"Stocks are vulnerable," he notes. Looking ahead, he's expecting the yield on the 30-year Treasury to decline to 2% and for the yield on the 10-year note to drop to 1% from current levels.

Related: Bill Gross: Fed's "Hot Air" Will Keep Bond Bubble Afloat in 2013

Shilling isn't after yield here, so his goal is to make money from higher bond prices (bond yields move in the opposite direction of bond prices), and he's reiterating his view that a downturn is imminent.

"I've only bought Treasuries for appreciation," he says. "I couldn't care less what the yield is, as long as it's going down."

Shilling's concerned about lower corporate earnings next year, which have the potential to drag on stock prices. His worries are three-fold: A global recession will occur, hurting revenue and by extension earnings; profit margins are about as good as they can get with companies having already implemented extensive cost-cutting; a strong dollar will weigh on U.S. corporations' foreign profits and overseas operating expenses.

Shilling continues to remain bearish on the housing market because, as he sees it, the market has at least one major factor working against it.

Related: Housing Recovery Has Legs for Another 2-4 Years: Mark Zandi

"The fundamental problem with housing is still excess inventories," he says. In other words, there are too many vacant homes, whether they're being officially reported in the market or not.

"We think in total there's probably 1.9 million extra houses over and above normal working levels, and excess inventories are the mortal enemy of prices," he adds.

More from The Daily Ticker:

Bill Gross? Tips for ?Beating the Wealth Tax?

Energy Prices Will Fall Next Year as Supplies Outpace Demand: Jefferies

Equities, New Tech, and Emerging Market Debt Is The Way To Go in 2013: Josh Brown

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/forget-stocks-shilling-backing-bonds-2013-121557287.html

jerel worthy alshon jeffery miami heat bulls california earthquake california earthquake tyson chandler

Kate Winslet Secretly Marries Ned Rocknroll!

Kate Winslet Secretly Marries Ned Rocknroll!

“Titanic” star Kate Winslet has married her boyfriend Ned Rocknroll in a secret ceremony in New York. The 37-year-old actress was given away by her “Titanic” co-star Leonardo DiCaprio at an intimate ceremony in New York. Winslet’s rep confirmed the wedding, stating, “I can confirm that Kate Winslet married Ned RocknRoll in NY earlier this ...

Kate Winslet Secretly Marries Ned Rocknroll! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/12/kate-winslet-secretly-marries-ned-rocknroll/

exton kurt warner kurt warner ricky williams missouri primary minnesota caucus knowshon moreno

Gunman who ambushed firefighters left note saying he wanted to 'kill people'

Officials provide the latest details on the ambush that killed two firefighters while responding to a blaze in Webster, New York.

By Andrew Mach and Jason White, NBC News

Updated at 12:30 p.m. ET:?Police in Webster, N.Y., say the man who ambushed firefighters with a blaze of gunfire, killing two, in upstate New York, left a three-page typewritten note saying he wanted to burn down the neighborhood and ?do what I like doing best, killing people.?

William Spengler, 62, opened fire on the volunteers as they responded to a blaze just before 6 a.m. ET Monday in a small cluster of homes along Lake Ontario in Webster, N.Y., police said.

Two firefighters, Police Lieutenant Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka, were shot dead during the incident.

Two firefighters, Police Lieutenant?Michael Chiapperini and?Tomasz Kaczowka, were shot dead during the incident, and Spengler killed himself as seven houses burned around him Monday. Two other firefighters,?Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, were recovering Tuesday at a hospital in Rochester, N.Y.?

An off-duty police officer also was hit by gunfire as he drove past the scene. There was no immediate information on his condition available on Tuesday.?

Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering said at a press briefing Tuesday that Spengler armed himself with three weapons and set his house afire to lure first responders into a death trap.

"It does appear that it was a trap that was set," Pickering said,?his voice breaking at times.??People who get up in the middle of the night to fight fires, they don?t expect to get shot and killed."

Spengler's note did not appear to offer a motive for attacking the firefighters, Pickering said.?

Despite being shot, one of the injured firefighters was able to flee from scene under his own power. But the others remained pinned down on the narrow strip of land between Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay until a SWAT team arrived.

As police closed in, Spengler took his own life with a gunshot wound to the head, Pickering said. He was convicted of manslaughter in 1981 after the death of his grandmother, Rose Spengler, 92, and was paroled in 1998. He remained under parole supervision until 2006, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.

Monroe County Sheriff's office

William Spengler, 62, is seen in this undated booking photo.

Spengler's 67-year-old sister Cheryl Spengler is unaccounted for, Pickering said.

Spengler lived in the house with his sister and mother, Arline, who died in October at the age of 91. Arline Spengler's obituary asked that memorial donations be made to the West Webster Fireman's Association.?

A former neighbor told The Associated Press that Spengler "loved his mama to death" and that he "couldn't stand" his sister. The neighbor said he thinks Spengler "went crazy" after his mother died.

Prior to Monday's shooting, Webster police had not had any run-ins with Spengler since he was paroled, they said.

Although Spengler could not legally own firearms as a convicted felon, investigators told NBC 10 News in Rochester that he was equipped with four whiskey bottles of gasoline, a pistol and an AR-15 type rifle with 30-shot magazine capability. One of the four magazines had been used. ?

After the shooting, the fire grew to engulf at seven homes and one motor vehicle.?

?These firemen are part of our family. You go into a fire with these guys. To see them go down with something like this is totally unexpected. We are in shock,? Billy Gross, fire commissioner for West Webster, told the?Democrat and Chronicle.

Dozens of area residents were evacuated, with police searching them as they left, the newspaper reported.

"Miserable thing to happen this time of year," Mark Johns, a state assemblyman who represents the area, told?local NBC station WHEC. Johns said he knew some of the firefighters who were shot.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a statement after the shooting, offering his "deepest condolences."

?All of our thoughts and prayers go to the families and friends of those who were killed in this senseless act of violence," Cuomo said.??New York's first responders are true heroes as they time and again selflessly rush toward danger in order to keep our families and communities safe."

NBC's Tom Winter and Rosanna Arlia contributed to this report.

More content from NBCNews.com:

Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/25/16125861-gunman-who-ambushed-firefighters-left-note-saying-he-wanted-to-kill-people?lite

north korea missile nerlens noel don t trust the b in apartment 23 world financial center shabazz muhammad angela corey zimmerman charged

Discovery of pathway leading to depression reveals new drug targets

Friday, December 7, 2012

Scientists have identified the key molecular pathway leading to depression, revealing potential new targets for drug discovery, according to research led by King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry. The study, published today in Neuropsychopharmacology, reveals for the first time that the 'Hedgehog pathway' regulates how stress hormones, usually elevated during depression, reduce the number of brain cells.

Depression affects approximately 1 in 5 people in the UK at some point in their lives. The severity of symptoms can range from feelings of sadness and hopelessness to, in the most severe cases, self-harm or suicide. Treatment for depression involves either medication or talking treatment, or usually a combination of the two.

Recent studies have demonstrated that depression is associated with a reduction in a brain process called 'neurogenesis'- the ability of the brain to produce new brain cells. However, the pathway responsible for this process has, until now, remained unknown.

In this study, Dr Christoph Anacker from King's Institute of Psychiatry and his team studied human stem cells, which are the source of new cells in the human brain, to investigate the effect of stress hormones on brain cell development. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London and the Medical Research Council UK.

Stress hormones, such as cortisol, are generally elevated in stress and depression. The team studied stem cells in a laboratory and found that high concentrations of cortisol damaged these stem cells and reduced the number of newborn brain cells. They discovered that a specific signalling mechanism in the cell, the 'Hedgehog pathway', is responsible for this process. Then, using an animal model, the team confirmed that exposure to stress inhibited this pathway in the brain.

Finally, in order to test the findings, the researchers used a compound called purmorphamine, which is known to stimulate the Hedgehog pathway. They found that by using this drug, they were able to reverse the damaging effects of stress hormones, and normalise the production of new brain cells.

Dr Christoph Anacker, lead author of the study from King's Institute of Psychiatry says: "By decreasing the number of new-born cells in the human brain, stress hormones damage many important brain functions and may contribute to the development of depression after a period of chronic stress. By inhibiting the Hedgehog signalling pathway, stress hormones reduce the development of immature 'stem' cells into mature 'brain' cells."

Dr. Anacker continues: "With as much as half of all depressed patients failing to improve with currently available treatments, developing new, more effective antidepressants still remains a great challenge, which makes it crucial to identify new potential mechanisms to target. The discovery of antidepressants has so far been mainly by serendipity. Developing a drug with a defined effect on the brain, such as increasing the number of new-born brain cells, and with a clear target, such as Hedgehog signalling, will allow us to develop much more specific antidepressants in the future."

###

Anacker, C. et al. 'Glucocoticoid-related molecular signalling pathways regulating hippocampal neurogenesis' Neuropsychopharmacology (2012).

King's College London: http://www.kcl.ac.uk

Thanks to King's College London for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 31 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125790/Discovery_of_pathway_leading_to_depression_reveals_new_drug_targets

jennie garth space needle nashville predators king arthur king arthur there will be blood there will be blood