Want to keep your brain healthy as you age? Regularly volunteer some of your time to your community, neighborhood, friends or family, a new study suggests. People who regularly lend a hand slow their rate of aging-related brain decline by 15% to 20%, researchers report in the October issue of the journal Social Science &…  read on >  read on >

Forecasters say it will bypass a direct hit on the continental U.S., but the first hurricane of 2025 — Erin — is a strong reminder to have an emergency plan and know what to do if severe weather strikes. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds…  read on >  read on >

College students with autism have dramatically higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to their peers, a new study says. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of college students with autism suffer from anxiety, compared with just over 9% of their peers without autism, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Likewise, nearly half…  read on >  read on >

Urban dwellers have a higher risk of developing asthma, thanks to dirty air and lower amounts of green space, a major new study says. In fact, better urban planning could prevent more than 1 in 10 new cases of asthma, researchers estimated recently in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe. “This study provides strong evidence for the…  read on >  read on >

Folks fighting an addiction can boost their chances of success if they also drop the smokes, a new study says. Addicts who quit smoking have up to 42% better odds of recovery, researchers reported Aug. 13 in JAMA Psychiatry. These results indicate that smoking cessation programs should be made part of virtually all substance abuse…  read on >  read on >