Over-the-counter medicine may shrink brain

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Many of us go to pharmacies for headache tablets, cough syrups or allergy treatments. However, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs may cause more harm than good. A newly published journal says many of these medicines may have serious side effects. These include cognitive damage, dementia and even brain shrinkage. This happens in older adults who take OTC medicines for asthma, aches and pains, insomnia and allergies, etc.

Researchers from Indiana University looked at the link between OTC drugs and brain function in older people. The scientists found that OTC drugs lower our glucose metabolism, so the brain isn't as healthy. The research gives us a better understanding of the brain and "ways that might raise the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia". A researcher said she would not tell her grandparents to take OTC drugs unless they had to.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.medicaldaily.com/over-counter-cold-medicine-cognitive-impairment-brain-scans-382524
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/hayfever-drugs-reduce-brain-size-risk-dementia-alzheimer-s-a6991281.html
http://www.healthnewsline.net/common-cold-flu-medicines-may-shrink-brain-dementia-risk-study/2535182/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	go to pharmacies for headache	a.	effects
2.	cough	b.	and pains
3.	A newly published	c.	tablets
4.	medicines may have serious side	d.	etc.
5.	dementia and even brain	e.	adults
6.	This happens in older	f.	journal
7.	medicines for asthma, aches	g.	shrinkage
8.	insomnia and allergies,	h.	syrups

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	the link between OTC drugs and	a.	better understanding
2.	older	b.	lower our glucose
3.	OTC drugs	c.	grandparents
4.	the brain isn't	d.	of cognitive impairment
5.	The research gives us a	e.	brain function
6.	raise the risk	f.	OTC drugs
7.	she would not tell her	g.	people
8.	take	h.	as healthy

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ pharmacies for headache tablets, cough syrups or allergy treatments. However, over-the-counter (OTC) (2) _____________ more harm than good. A (3) newly published ___________________ journal says many of these medicines may have (4) ___________________. These include cognitive damage, dementia (5) ___________________ shrinkage. This happens in older adults who take OTC medicines for asthma, aches and pains, (6) ___________________, etc.

Researchers from Indiana University (7) ___________________ between OTC drugs and brain function (8) ___________________. The scientists found that OTC drugs (9) ___________________ metabolism, so the brain isn't as healthy. The research gives us a (10) ___________________ of the brain and "ways that might (11) ___________________ cognitive impairment and dementia". A researcher said she would not tell her grandparents to take OTC drugs (12) ___________________.

MEDICINE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about medicine in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about medicine for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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