Average people are right to be worried about PFAS “forever chemicals” being found in the food and water supply, an internationally renowned leader in children’s environmental health says. “We’re not overreacting, and we need to take it even more seriously in the form of government action, ultimately,” Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a professor of pediatrics and…  read on >  read on >

A federal vaccine advisory panel work session focused on next year’s flu shot has been canceled without explanation. It is the second vaccine advisory meeting that has been canceled or postponed since Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, was confirmed as secretary of health and human services (HHS). The U.S. Food and Drug…  read on >  read on >

A blood test can help doctors detect ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and predict how the degenerative disease will progress in patients, a new study suggests. People with ALS have three times higher blood levels of neurofilament light chain proteins, which are produced when nerve cells are injured or die, than people with other brain…  read on >  read on >

Artificial intelligence (AI) might help treat childhood epilepsy by detecting brain abnormalities that are causing kids’ seizures, a new study suggests. The AI tool, called MELD Graph, found 64% of brain lesions linked to epilepsy that human radiologists had previously missed, researchers report in JAMA Neurology. Surgery to remove these lesions can be an effective…  read on >  read on >

Powerful synthetic opioids are meant to serve as painkillers, but new research suggests their use during surgery might actually prompt worse pain during patients’ recovery. The use of two types of synthetic opioid during surgery is linked to patients having a poor “pain experience” — a composite of the emotional, cognitive and mental aspects of…  read on >  read on >

Feeling scared? Your fear is a survival tool, but sometimes, it overreacts — making us afraid of things that aren’t true threats.  A new study shows how the brain learns to let go of unnecessary fears, offering potential new ways for treating conditions such as anxiety, PTSD and phobias. Published in the journal Science, it…  read on >  read on >

Many Americans don’t realize how everyday habits and overlooked health issues can increase their risk for heart disease, according to a new Cleveland Clinic survey. The nationwide survey found numerous gaps in heart health knowledge. For example:  40% of repondents didn’t know that using tobacco harms heart health. 62% were unaware that air pollution can…  read on >  read on >

TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2025 (HealthDay news) — Antidepressants are frequently prescribed to people with dementia for symptoms like anxiety, depression, aggressiveness and sleeplessness. But a specific class of antidepressant medications — selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) — actually might speed up brain decline among some dementia patients, a new Swedish study suggests. Heavier doses of…  read on >  read on >