Smoking shrinks the human brain, and once that brain mass is lost then it’s gone for good, a new study warns. Brain scans from more than 32,000 people strongly link a history of smoking with a gradual loss of brain volume. In fact, the more packs a person smoked per day, the smaller their brain… read on > read on >
Regular exercise appears to enhance and even grow crucial areas of the human brain, new research using MRI scans shows. It’s long been known that physical activity is a brain-booster, but this international study illustrates ways this could be happening. “With comprehensive imaging scans, our study underscores the interconnected synergy between the body and the… read on > read on >
The Supreme Court will review the ability of American women to easily access a commonly used abortion pill, the court announced Wednesday. Mifepristone has become central to the response by health care professionals and reproductive rights advocates to last year’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The pill can be transported across state and… read on > read on >
Comedian Stephen Colbert returned to his popular late night talk show this week after recovering from a ruptured appendix he suffered roughly three weeks ago. During his monologue on Monday, the talk show host told the audience he was taping back-to-back episodes around Nov. 20 when he experienced almost unbearable pain. “I was in a… read on > read on >
A healthy plant-based diet can reduce a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes by 24%, a new study has found. Eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains has this protective effect even in people with a genetic predisposition for diabetes or risk factors like obesity, advanced age or lack of physical activity, researchers… read on > read on >
Doctor’s brains are great decision-makers, but even the smartest physicians might be well-served with a little diagnostic help from ChatGPT, a new study suggests. The main benefit comes from a thinking process known as “probabilistic reasoning” — knowing the odds that something will (or won’t) happen. “Humans struggle with probabilistic reasoning, the practice of making… read on > read on >
A study involving twins suggests that if you have a sibling who develops dementia, that might not bode well for your life span. That’s true even if you don’t go on to develop dementia yourself, according to a study from U.S. and Swedish researchers. One investigator was surprised by the finding. “We expected a different… read on > read on >
Many Americans battling diabetes are turning to a new class of injected drugs that includes blockbusters like Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). But a new study finds half of patients who use these “second line” therapies — a class called GLP-1 RAs — quit them within a year. The main factor: Gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting… read on > read on >
Late December is typically a time when holiday stress and winter weather can collide, creating a perfect recipe for a rise in heart attacks and stroke. Luckily, one expert has some advice on how to dodge the danger. “When we look across the year in terms of heart attack rates, what we see is fairly… read on > read on >
Gun advocates often claim that mental illness is the driving force behind mass shootings in the United States. But new research argues that gun violence is more likely driven by the massive numbers of firearms available throughout the country, providing easy access to anyone with a homicidal bent. In the study, investigators compared mental illness… read on > read on >
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