Expecting or new mothers are much more likely these days to be diagnosed with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, new research shows. However, more women are also getting treated for these problems rather than roughing it out, researchers report in April 1 issue of the journal Health Affairs. “Taken together, these studies show a… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Adult High Blood Pressure Could Begin in Childhood
The seeds of high blood pressure in adulthood might be sown in youth, a new study suggests. Children and teenagers with excess weight were more likely to have high blood pressure in middle age, researchers report. In fact, there’s a linear relationship between adult high blood pressure and childhood overweight and obesity, researchers found. The… read on > read on >
Better Eye-Tracking: A Hidden Advantage for Sportsmen, Gamers
Smacking a 100-mile-an-hour fastball or shooting down a fast-moving alien invader in a video game might involve more than fast reflexes, researchers report. Elite gamers and pro athletes may also have a hidden vision advantage over others, a new study finds. Some people can perceive rapidly changing visual cues better than others, researchers reported April… read on > read on >
Playtime, Being Social Helps a Dog’s Aging Brain, Study Finds
As their aging brains shrink, older dogs can suffer the same memory and thinking problems as many older humans do. But dogs are just like humans in another way — playtime and social activities can help preserve their brain function, a new study finds. Exercising, socializing, playing with toys and playing with other dogs helped… read on > read on >
Texan Has Contracted H5N1 Bird Flu; CDC Calls Threat to Public ‘Low’
An unnamed person in Texas had been diagnosed with the H5N1 avian flu after close contact with infected dairy cattle, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. It’s only the second case ever confirmed in the United States (the first was in Colorado in 2022), and preliminary analysis of the strain in… read on > read on >
New Federal Rule Means Hospitals Need Written Consent for Pelvic, Prostate Exams
In a letter sent to teaching hospitals and medical schools across the country, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that written consent must be obtained from patients before performing sensitive procedures such as pelvis and prostate exams. The agency noted that it “is aware of media reports, as well as medical… read on > read on >
Abiomed Heart Pumps Linked to 49 Deaths
A new warning is being issued over a heart pump whose use could perforate the heart. The device has already been linked to over 100 injuries and 49 deaths. These left-sided Impella heart pumps are made by Abiomed, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Abiomed posted the new warning on the devices on the… read on > read on >
Mpox Vaccine Protection Quickly Fades; Boosters Necessary: Study
Vaccine protection against mpox fades quickly in the human immune system, even in people who’ve received the full two-dose regimen, a new real-world study shows. Antibody levels fell to low or near zero within the first few months of getting the vaccine, unless the person had previously received a smallpox vaccine, scientists reported Saturday at… read on > read on >
Mouse Study Finds Brain Target to Block Alcohol Cravings
For folks who have battled alcohol dependency for years, any treatment that could curb or block alcohol cravings would be a huge advance. Now, research in mice is giving a glimmer of hope that just such a therapy might be possible. A compound — so far dubbed LY2444296 — appears to block a key brain… read on > read on >
Scientists Get Closer to Realistic Replacement Human Ear
Researchers say they are close to perfecting a bioengineered, 3D printed replacement human ear that looks, feels and resists injury like the real thing. Such an advance would greatly benefit people with congenitally malformed ears from birth, or those who have had an ear lost or damaged through injury, says a team at Weill Cornell… read on > read on >