There was no smallpox virus in frozen vials recently discovered at a vaccine research facility in Pennsylvania, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Instead of the variola virus that causes smallpox, lab tests showed that the vials contained vaccinia, the virus used in smallpox vaccine, according to the agency. On Nov.…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) – People who live with chronic migraines suffer intense throbbing and pulsing, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. Could a plant-based diet, credited with a variety of positive health impacts, also help ease these chronic symptoms? It might. Researchers in New York have published a case study…  read on >  read on >

Guidelines for treating movement problems in people in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease have been updated. The new treatment recommendations from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) focus on dopaminergic medications, which increase dopamine levels or mimic dopamine effects. Parkinson’s is a movement disorder that occurs when nerve cells in the brain fail to…  read on >  read on >

Neurologists must make sure Alzheimer’s patients and their families understand that the controversial drug aducanumab does not restore mental function, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) said in new position statement that includes ethical guidelines. “Aducanumab is not a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, yet since it has been approved by the [U.S. Food and Drug…  read on >  read on >

Race-based gaps in health care and health outcomes persist in every region of the United States, a new state-by-state report card shows. Racial and ethnic disparities woven throughout America and its system of health care mean that people of color are more likely to die younger from preventable illnesses than white people, according to a…  read on >  read on >

Despite stereotypes about seniors and technology, a small study suggests that older adults in the early stages of dementia can use smartphone apps as memory aids. The researchers found that older people with mild impairments in memory and thinking were not only able to learn how to use the apps, they said the digital aids…  read on >  read on >