Amyloid-beta plaques have long been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, with some scientists theorizing that the plaques actually cause the degenerative brain disease. But a new study suggests that the plaques are actually a symptom of what’s going on in the brain, rather than the cause of Alzheimer’s. Instead, decreasing levels of the “normal,” water-soluble form… read on > read on >
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Suicide Risk Rises Sharply in People Diagnosed With Early-Onset Dementia
Thoughts of suicide are often a first reaction to a diagnosis of dementia before age 65, a new study suggests. Suicide risk is highest in the first three months after the dementia diagnosis and if the patient already has a psychiatric disorder, British researchers found. For those younger than 65, suicide risk was nearly seven… read on > read on >
Babies Might Trigger Brain Changes in New Dads
When men become parents, a lot changes in their lives — less sleep and more time devoted to taking care of their children come to mind — but new research now suggests that distinct changes also unfold in a new father’s brain. Researchers scanned the brains of new fathers to discover and study those changes… read on > read on >
Gut Microbes Could Play Role in HIV Infection
Could key differences in the trillions of bacteria found in the human gut actually affect the risk of becoming infected with HIV? A small, new study suggests the answer may be yes. The intriguing possibility stems from a detailed analysis of the gut bacteria (“microbiomes“) of 55 men, all of whom indicated they have sex… read on > read on >
AHA News: Heart Risk Factors, Not Heart Disease Itself, May Increase Odds of COVID-19 Death
TUESDAY, Oct. 4, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Seeking to clarify connections between pre-existing heart disease and COVID-19, a study of critically ill patients has found their risk of dying from COVID-19 may stem not directly from heart disease, but from the factors that contribute to it. People with heart disease have been, and… read on > read on >
U.S. Breast Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall
Breast cancer researchers and clinicians have made tremendous progress in reducing death rates in the past three decades, yet a racial gap persists in the United States. Even with the lower numbers of actual disease compared to white patients, Black women are still much more likely to die from the disease. The American Cancer Society… read on > read on >
‘I’m Not the Doctor for You’: Disabled Americans Face Discrimination Seeking Care
Over 30 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), some doctors harbor biases toward people with disabilities, and even actively avoid accepting them as patients, a new study finds. In focus group discussions with about two dozen U.S. doctors, researchers found that many said they lacked the knowledge and skill to… read on > read on >
COVID Vaccine Myths Drive Low Rates of Uptake Among U.S. Kids
Almost 8 in 10 U.S. adults have received their primary COVID-19 vaccine series, but only 31% of children ages 5 to 11 have done the same, according to a new report based on late September figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The reason for the discrepancy? A willingness to accept safety… read on > read on >
New Window Blinds? Go Cordless to Save a Child’s Life
How can you make your home safer for your young children? You might want to start by removing window coverings with cords that could strangle a toddler. “Young children can quickly and silently become strangled on pull cords, continuous loop cords, inner cords or any other accessible cords on window coverings,” said Alex Hoehn-Saric, chairman… read on > read on >
Minority Patients Less Likely to Get Newer Alzheimer’s Meds
While certain minority groups are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than their white counterparts, they may also be less likely to be eligible for new disease-slowing treatments, a new study finds. Cognitive, or mental, impairment in Black, Hispanic and Asian patients is more likely to be caused by forms of dementia unrelated to… read on > read on >