Episode 14: Halloween Science

Life Lines - The Podcast of The American Physiological Society

Halloween is the theme for October, so we'll talk about sleep paralysis, a condition that has been associated with stories of demon attacks during the night. We'll talk to Allan Cheyne of the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Canada about this spooky phenomenon. (Begins at 3:46)We'll also talk to Alexandra Shapiro and Phillip Scarpace of the University of Florida in Gainesville about their study on fructose-induced leptin resistance and obesity. This study is a bit scary if you have a sweet tooth. The study appears in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. (Begins at 11:40)Buzz in Physiology: What is a 'Halloween" gene and how did it get its name? Lawrence I. Gilbert explains. And Bret H. Goodpaster will discuss his study that found that older people who diet without exercising lose more lean muscle mass than those who exercise without dieting. The study is important because older people tend to lose muscle mass as they age, and too much muscle loss may interfere with activities of daily living. (Begins at 1:46)Total time: (23:06)