If you’ve survived a painful bout of shingles, at least you won’t have to worry that it might raise your future risk of dementia, new research indicates. Shingles, caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, results in a blistering rash from nerve inflammation, and there has been speculation that the inflammation may boost the… read on > read on >
Staying connected to others may help protect your brain as you age, new research reveals. The study showed that social isolation — but not loneliness — can cause changes to certain brain structures and increase the risk of dementia. The findings suggest that social isolation could be used as predictor of dementia risk, the British… read on > read on >
A small area of your brain triggers the familiar symptoms of fever, chills, fatigue and loss of appetite when you have a viral or bacterial infection, new animal research suggests. The findings could eventually lead to ways to reverse this process when symptoms pose a risk to patients, such as when a fever gets too… read on > read on >
Dropping a load of pounds through weight-loss surgery can significantly decrease your risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to three new studies. Obese folks who underwent bariatric surgery were at least two times less likely to develop certain types of cancer and more than three times less likely to die of cancer than… read on > read on >
Even after vaccination, living with HIV ups the odds for COVID infection, new research shows. The study found that vaccinated people living with HIV have a 28% higher risk of developing a “breakthrough” COVID infection compared to those who don’t have the AIDS-causing virus. That’s the bad news. But there’s good news, too: The overall… read on > read on >
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration weighs banning the sale of menthol cigarettes, a new study strengthens the tie between mint-flavored tobacco and teen smoking. According to the survey, adolescents who began smoking using menthols tended to smoke an average of nearly three days more during a 30-day period than their peers who took… read on > read on >
Moderna announced Wednesday that its updated COVID-19 booster shot does a better job at thwarting the Omicron variant than the original version does. “We are thrilled to share the preliminary data analysis on mRNA-1273.214, which is the second demonstration of superiority of our bivalent booster platform against variants of concern and represents an innovation in… read on > read on >
The mental health equivalent of 911 is about to launch across the United States, but a new study finds that many communities may not be prepared for it. Beginning July 16, a new 988 number will be available 24/7 for Americans dealing with a mental health crisis. It’s akin to 911, long used to get… read on > read on >
After adding, and then deleting, a recommendation that U.S. travelers wear masks to protect themselves from monkeypox, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still says that those traveling to countries where the disease is spreading and “other people who may be in close contact with a person who has been confirmed with monkeypox”… read on > read on >
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory panel on Tuesday recommended that Novavax’s COVID-19 shots be added to the vaccine arsenal that Americans have at their disposal. Twenty-one panel members voted to approve the vaccine, while one person abstained. Next, the FDA will have to decide whether to authorize the shot for emergency use,… read on > read on >
