A noninvasive treatment that heats specific areas of brain tissue may ease movement symptoms in some people with Parkinson’s disease, a clinical trial has found. The study tested the effects of an incision-free procedure called focused ultrasound ablation, where doctors use sound waves to heat and destroy specific spots of brain tissue contributing to movement…  read on >  read on >

Getting good sleep may have long-term benefits — even extending your life span, a new study suggests. Researchers found that young people with better sleep habits were incrementally less likely to die early. About 8% of deaths from any cause could be attributed to poor sleep patterns. Study co-author Dr. Frank Qian, a resident at…  read on >  read on >

Taking laxatives regularly to ease constipation may up your chances of developing dementia down the road, a new study suggests. This risk is even higher among folks who use multiple types of laxatives or osmotic laxatives, which work by drawing water into stool. Previous research has linked other over-the-counter drugs, including non-prescription sleep aids and…  read on >  read on >

Having the lingering symptoms known as long COVID after a COVID-19 infection more than doubles the risk of developing new heart symptoms, according to new research. “COVID-19 is more than a simple respiratory disease — it is a syndrome that can affect the heart,” said lead study author Joanna Lee, a medical student at David…  read on >  read on >

The United States saw a significant decline in the overall rate of heart attack-related deaths over the past 20 years, and the gap in the rate of heart attack deaths between white people and Black people narrowed by nearly half. “It’s good news,” said study lead author Dr. Muchi Ditah Chobufo, a cardiology fellow at…  read on >  read on >