Heart disease remains the United States’ top cause of death, but progress is being made and more lives are being saved, a new report finds. There were 931,578 heart-related deaths in 2021, an increase of less than 3,000 from the year before, the report from the American Heart Association (AHA) showed. But overall, death rates… read on > read on >
Could a blood pressure drug thats been around since the 1960s help ease anxiety in people with autism? That’s the main finding from a small study where 69 people between the ages of 7 and 24 who had autism were given the drug, called propranolol. “The findings show that propranolol could serve as a helpful… read on > read on >
Strange visual disturbances occur early in about 10% of Alzheimer’s cases, and when this happens it almost always signals the impending arrival of the disease, a new study finds. The condition is called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). It involves a sudden difficulty in performing vision-related tasks — for example writing, judging whether an object is… read on > read on >
Babies born to COVID-infected mothers have triple the risk of developing a breathing disorder that normally affects preemies, a new study shows. Researchers found that exposure to the coronavirus while in the womb increased a newborn’s risk of respiratory distress syndrome by sparking an “inflammatory cascade” in the infants that affected their breathing. “We found… read on > read on >
Alcoholics Anonymous is a key means by which millions of Americans deal with drinking problems. However, white Americans are much more likely to engage in the trusted “12-step” program than Black of Hispanic drinkers, a new study finds. Black and Hispanic alcoholics are about 40% less likely to have ever attended an AA meeting, compared… read on > read on >
Young Black and Hispanic women diagnosed with multiple sclerosis are more likely to fare worse than young white women do, a new study shows. Specifically, they are more likely to have advanced MS and to face greater challenges during pregnancy, according to findings published Jan. 23 in the journal Neurology. “We found that Black and… read on > read on >
If you decide to see a therapist, finding one who’s right for you presents one of the biggest early hurdles. “The field of psychology, psychiatry and psychotherapy has advanced over the years, and one of the ways it has advanced is by learning that certain therapies may work best for certain problems,” said Eric Storch,… read on > read on >
Loneliness can be a killer, but it can be particularly deadly for obese people, who are markedly more likely to experience social isolation. Luckily, a new study shows that addressing it may lower the risk of health complications and an early death for these folks. “To date, dietary and lifestyle factors are the major focus… read on > read on >
The prestigious Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston will retract six studies and correct 31 more as part of an ongoing investigation into claims of data manipulation. The action follows allegations that a British molecular biologist posted in a blog earlier this month suggesting researchers involved in those studies falsified data by manipulating images. More than… read on > read on >
Two new strategies using deep brain stimulation can improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, Duke University researchers have found. Doctors can efficiently improve symptoms of Parkinson’s by simultaneously targeting to key brain structures using a newly developed self-adjusting device, researchers recently reported in the journal Brain. For the past two decades, doctors have used deep brain… read on > read on >
