Irish America

Mental Health

First Word: Inventing The Future of Medicine

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
August / September 2019

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You would think after all this time as editor of this magazine, I would cease to be surprised at the mighty achievements of Irish-Americans. We have showcased the measure of that success down through the years, and yet the honorees profiled in this issue give me pause. The incredible work that they do – in research institutions, clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare … [Read more...] about First Word: Inventing The Future of Medicine

Saoirse

By Saoirse Kennedy Hill
August / September 2019

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Saoirse, the only daughter of Courtney Kennedy Hill and Paul Hill, tragically died on Thursday, August 1, 2019, of a suspected accidental overdose at her family’s compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. She was a junior at Boston College. In this essay, published in February 2016 for the Deerfield Academy student newspaper, she wrote about dealing with … [Read more...] about Saoirse

Irish Scientists Discover Genetic Basis for Memory Formation

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
February / March 2014

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Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have shown for the first time that two genes involved in many neurological diseases act together to regulate specific aspects of protein production in nerve cells and allow the development of a simple form of memory called habituation. These findings have implications for our understanding of memory formation in general, and will also aid … [Read more...] about Irish Scientists Discover Genetic Basis for Memory Formation

Dublin Researchers Lead Promising Alzheimer’s Study

By Adam Farley, Editorial Assistant
August / September 2013

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An 18-month-long international study of a potential Alzheimer’s drug has begun, and Ireland is playing a big role. The project, coordinated by Brian Lawlor, Connolly Norman Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, is set to be one of the most intensive and significant studies in over a decade of Alzheimer’s treatment research. Professor Lawlor has worked on … [Read more...] about Dublin Researchers Lead Promising Alzheimer’s Study

Cork Study Suggests Link Between Gut Bacteria and Autism

By Michelle Meagher, Editorial Assistant
August / September 2013

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A new study conducted by scientists at University College Cork (UCC) shows that mice lacking bacteria in their gut displayed autistic behaviors such as repetitive grooming and disinterest in social interactions with other mice. Ted Dinan, psychiatry professor and a principal investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Center at UCC has been studying gut bacteria and its effect … [Read more...] about Cork Study Suggests Link Between Gut Bacteria and Autism