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Sex, statistics, and memory tests
posted at 17/6/2009 3:55 PM BST
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*Moderator*
Posts: 669
First: 13/3/2009 Last: 14/2/2013 |
For years now the top spot on bmj.com's traffic logs was a paper published ten years ago on magnetic resonance imaging of male and female gentical during coitus and female sexual arousal. Apparently hundreds of websites link to it (you can guess which kinds), hence its popularity. Other research papers came and went, some of them hitting the headlines internationally, but nothing could topple this analysis of human coitus.Even other papers related to sex, such as a widely-reported cross sectional survey published last year on secular trends in self reported sexual activity and satisfaction in Swedish 70 year olds, posed little competition. Now that's all changed. We have a new champion. What is it, I hear you ask? Perhaps last year's RCT of Alexander technique lessons for back pain? Or the study from northern Iran that links hot tea and oesophageal cancer? This study incidentally, led to comic broadcaster Sandi Toksvig vowing never to drink another cuppa in northern Iran again when she hosted the BMJ Group awards in April. No, it's the cross sectional study about a self administered cognitive screening test (TYM) for detection of Alzheimer’s disease. "Test your memory" is a series of ten tasks. It can be completed quickly and accurately by normal controls and is "a powerful and valid screening test for the detection of the disease. By Monday this week it had 14,500 visits in five days. compared to 10,400 for the coitus paper. How long will its reign of supremacy last, I wonder? And why has it overtaken this paper now? |
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Re: Sex, statistics, and memory tests
posted at 18/6/2009 12:04 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 441
First: 11/5/2009 Last: 6/7/2012 |
I note the following comment from the authors' rapid response: "Future research. The main purpose of the BMJ paper was to show the scientific world that it is possible to perform sexological research in a MRI. So far, there have only been a few experiments and the images do not show details. Further research is necessary to increase our knowledge and check our findings. Extensive MRI studies are required with detailed MR images of coitus in other positions and of the penis in erection without coitus." As far as I can tell this research is still awaited. Is the editorial team of the BMJ going to commission this research directly if it is not forthcoming soon? The world is waiting. davebergie
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Re: Sex, statistics, and memory tests
posted at 18/6/2009 2:48 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1596
First: 24/12/2008 Last: 24/5/2013 |
Hi David, This is interesting to know that a long reign of coitus-related paper being overturned by apparently a simple, non-invasive study about a (non)-(rarely)-mortality causing disease, dementia and cognitive function! And obviously, it is not that appealing as compared to previous one! I think it matters of simple and non-invasive test to incorporate with as simple as in practical life in today's medical facility. Then, there is the population who suffer or think they have someone who has it. Similarly, memory and cognition is another complex but highly prevelent condition. So with these matter, BMJ's readers are clinicians and some medic knoledgeable general population (I guess, you know better from the desk) are definitely interested in the clinical, practice related papers than some others which are little prone to physiology!!! Thanks!
Best wishes, mati |
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Re: Sex, statistics, and memory tests
posted at 19/6/2009 11:56 AM BST
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 669
First: 13/3/2009 Last: 14/2/2013 |
Thanks David. I will check on that. Perhaps at the weekly planning meeting. Thanks for joining us for the one we held this week. Your contributions were very welcome David |
