A possible genetic link found in twins with rosacea and increased understanding of biochemical processes that may lead to the disorder are among the insights reported by investigators at the midpoints of their new research supported by the National Rosacea Society (NRS).

According to a study funded by the National Rosacea Society, researchers have found a potential connection between the nervous system and the redness and stinging of subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea.

Drs. Ferda Cevikbas and Martin Steinhoff, University of California-San Francisco, noted that the flushed face of rosacea is often accompanied by stinging and burning, signs of nerve activation. They theorized this may signal a dysfunction in communication between the nerves and the vascular system.

A new technique for improving the eye symptoms of ocular rosacea, a possible biochemical clue to its diagnosis and a potential link between Demodex and the development of corneal ulcers are among the advances from National Rosacea Society-funded researchers to appear in recent medical journals.

The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has awarded funding for five new studies as part of its research grants program to increase knowledge and understanding of the potential causes and other key aspects of rosacea.

Demodex mites, the microscopic parasites that are normal inhabitants of facial skin, have long raised the question, "Which comes first, Demodex or rosacea?" as medical experts debate whether their increased numbers on rosacea patients are a cause or a result of the disorder. Now there may be some evidence that the "chicken" — Demodex mites — and not the "egg" comes first, according to a recent scientific report.

Individuals with severe rosacea are often anxious about the social consequences of blushing and may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, according to a recent study published in the journal Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy.¹

To evaluate the psychological and social impacts of rosacea, 31 patients completed five standard psychological questionnaires, according to researchers Dr. Daphne Su and Dr. Peter Drummond, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.

Two recent studies, funded by individual donations to the National Rosacea Society (NRS), have discovered potential key factors in the development of rosacea that open new possibilities for important advances in its treatment and prevention.

A malfunction in part of the body's nervous system may be linked to the redness as well as the bumps and pimples of rosacea, according to a recently completed study by Dr. Akihiko Ikoma and colleagues at the University of California-San Francisco.

Individuals with prominent neurologic symptoms might be considered a subset of rosacea, according to a report by Dr. Tiffany Scharschmidt and colleagues at the department of dermatology, University of California-San Francisco.¹

In their study of 14 rosacea patients, the researchers found that a high percentage had neurologic (43 percent) or neuropsychiatric (50 percent) conditions such as headaches, depression, essential tremor and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Eye symptoms are common in rosacea patients and eye dryness is an early sign of subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea, according to a study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.¹

Noting that the prevalence of eye involvement in rosacea is probably higher than often presumed, Dr. E. Lazaridou and colleagues of the Aristotle University Medical School, Thessalonika, Greece, examined 100 rosacea patients for ocular signs and symptoms using two tests to determine the presence of eye dryness.

The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has awarded funding for three new studies in addition to continuing support for five ongoing studies as part of its research grants program to increase knowledge and understanding of the potential causes and other key aspects of rosacea.