Researchers who have pinpointed an antibody linked to life-threatening autoimmune disorders in children say their discovery could lead to faster diagnosis and treatment of these patients. The investigators identified the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody in their study of 535 children with central nervous system demyelinating disorders and encephalitis. MOG antibodies damage the protective covering… read on >
Getting your surly teens off the couch might trigger a long-term turnaround in their moods, new research suggests. “Our findings show that young people who are inactive for large proportions of the day throughout adolescence face a greater risk of depression by age 18,” said study author Aaron Kandola, a psychiatry Ph.D. student at University… read on >
Two experimental drugs do not appear to slow memory loss or mental decline in patients in the early stages of a rare, inherited form of Alzheimer’s disease, according to initial results from a clinical trial. The international phase 2 and 3 clinical trial separately evaluated the two drugs — solanezumab (Eli Lilly and Co.), and… read on >
Women who receive general anesthesia during a cesarean section delivery are at higher risk of severe postpartum depression that requires hospitalization, as well as self-inflicted harm and suicidal thoughts, a new study finds. Researchers from Columbia University analyzed more than 428,000 discharge records of women who delivered by C-section in New York state hospitals between… read on >
Choosing the right antidepressant for someone who is depressed can be hit or miss. But a new study shows that artificial intelligence (AI) technology may be able to help. Researchers input information from electrical signals in the brain into a computer program that learns as it goes. Based on brain activity, the AI technology helped… read on >
Smartphones, and being on Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and the like may be taking a big toll on teens’ mental health, a new survey of collected data on the subject shows. Canadian researchers pored over dozens of studies and said the negative effects of social media on teens’ well-being is on the rise. “Physicians, teachers and… read on >
Migraine drugs that might work for adults won’t prevent the debilitating headaches in kids and teens, a new study shows. A number of drugs are used to prevent migraines, but treatment of youngsters has largely been based on the results of adult studies, the international team of researchers pointed out. What really works in kids?… read on >
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2020 (American Heart Association News) — Heart problems are often associated with older people. But every year about 1 in 110 children in the United States are born with congenital heart disease, which include a variety of defects ranging from holes in the heart to malformed or missing valves and chambers. These… read on >
High levels of the sex hormone testosterone may trigger different health problems in men and women, a new study reveals. In women, testosterone may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, while in men it lowers that risk. But high levels of testosterone increase the risk for breast and endometrial cancer in women and prostate… read on >
The coronavirus outbreak that is raging in China continued to spread Monday, with just over 40,000 cases and 908 deaths now confirmed. Those numbers far exceed the toll of the 2003 SARS outbreak, in which 8,098 were infected and 774 died worldwide, the Associated Press reported. Outside China, more than 440 cases have been reported,… read on >
