A bout of depression can trigger a bump in body weight among people struggling with obesity, a new study has found. People who had an increase in symptoms related to depression experienced an increase in their weight a month later, researchers report in the journal PLOS One.  “Overall, this suggests that individuals with overweight or…  read on >  read on >

With blizzards and possible power outages threatening much of America this week, some dangers might not be immediately obvious: carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and electric shock. “I urge consumers to follow CPSC’s safety tips to prepare ahead of storms to prevent loss of life in a storm’s aftermath,” said Alex Hoehn-Saric, chair of the U.S. Consumer…  read on >  read on >

Professional guitarist Christian Nolen took his stage show to an operating room last month, strumming out Deftones tunes for surgeons as they worked to remove a tumor from his brain. Nolen’s performance wasn’t just for entertainment – his guitar playing helped guide the brain surgeons during the delicate operation. By playing the guitar during an…  read on >  read on >

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized while recovering from complications related to a December surgery to treat prostate cancer, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. His doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Dr. John Maddox, director of trauma medical, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research, said the…  read on >  read on >

Women are four to five times more likely than men to develop early-onset rheumatoid arthritis, and a few hormonal factors could be why, new research suggests. Entering menopause early (before age 45), taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and having four or more kids are all related to heightened odds for developing rheumatoid arthritis, the study…  read on >  read on >

Could the immune system play a role in why some women become depressed during and after a pregnancy?   Swedish researchers have uncovered a “bidirectional relationship” between pregnancy-linked depression and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis and celiac disease. In other words, women who experienced depression specific to a pregnancy were more…  read on >  read on >