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Key Ingredient In Cough Syrup Could Help With Down Syndrome

ABC NEWS, HERALD SUN, MONASH UNIVERSITY (Australia)

Worldcrunch

MELBOURNE – An ingredient used in cough syrup could hold the key to improving memory, language skills and learning in people with Down syndrome.

Researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, believe BTD-001, an ingredient in cough syrup that was discovered in the 1920s, could help with Down syndrome, reports Australian public broadcaster ABC News.

BTD-001 is used as a respiratory stimulant, but in the 1950s and 60s, it was also prescribed to patients with dementia, says Associate Professor Bob Davis from Monash University.

“People with dementia seemed to improve their memory and cognitive ability,” says Professor Davis. Since then, it has been established that BTD-001 improves the conductivity of the nerves in the brain.

Monash University has announced the launch of a trial to investigate the effectiveness of the ingredient, which has the “potential to significantly improve the quality of life of people with Down syndrome,” a disability that effects six million people worldwide.

Down Syndrome is a genetic condition where a person has an extra copy of the chromosome 21, leading to physical, developmental and intellectual disability, says the Herald Sun.

The first-ever clinical study involves trialing a lower dose formulation of the drug on 90 people with Down syndrome, aged between 13 and 35. Researchers are currently recruiting all around Australia. To take part in the trial, visit: compose21.com

Award-winning Belgian actor Pascal Duquenne has Down syndrome. Photo Pascal Duquenne.

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food / travel

Bogus Honey, Olive Oil Remix: How Fraudulent Foods Spread Around The World

What you have in your plate isn't always what you think it is. As food counterfeiting increases in the food industry and in our daily lives, some products are more likely to be "fake", and it's up to consumers to be careful.

Image of honey

Honey

Arwin Neil Baichoo / Unsplash
Marine Béguin

All that glitters isn't gold – and all that looks yummy isn't necessarily the real deal.

Food fraud or food counterfeiting is a growing concern in the food industry. The practice of substituting or adulterating food products for cheaper, lower quality or even harmful ingredients not only deceives consumers but can pose serious health risks.

Here's an international look at some of the most widespread fake foods – from faux olive oil to counterfeit seafood and even fraudulent honey.

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