Consider it a silver lining, courtesy of the coronavirus: A new government report reveals that both cigarette smoking and electronic cigarette use dropped slightly among American adults during the first year of the pandemic. The findings, published March 18 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are based on a survey of more than 31,000… read on > read on >
Using medical marijuana to treat pain, anxiety or depression may quickly lead to dependence, without relieving symptoms, a new study suggests. Those most at risk for misusing medical marijuana are patients using it to treat anxiety and depression, the researchers found. Based on these findings, the benefits of medical marijuana may have been exaggerated, the… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, March 18, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — The death rate for people who have a tear in a major artery coming out of the heart – aortic dissection – has been rising over the past decade, especially among women and Black adults, new research shows. And while death rates for women increased faster,… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) –The Omicron COVID-19 variant can cause croup in young children, including severe cases that require hospitalization and intensive care, a new study shows. “The relatively high hospitalization rate and the large number of medication doses our COVID-19 croup patients required suggests that COVID-19 might cause more severe croup compared to other viruses,” said… read on > read on >
U.S. medical schools have a disproportionate number of wealthy students, which hinders attempts to improve diversity among U.S. doctors, researchers say. “In recent years, there has been a significant focus on the diversity of medical students, but to date, most work has focused on ‘visible’ forms of diversity; such as race, ethnicity and gender,” lead… read on > read on >
After a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, families have much to worry about. They wonder what’s next and how long their loved one has left to live. A new study from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas addresses those questions, finding that mental (cognitive) decline, age and other factors affect life expectancy after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.… read on > read on >
Taking longer or more frequent naps during the day may sound enticing, but it may be a harbinger of Alzheimer’s disease. Older adults who nap throughout the day may be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, while napping may also be a consequence of advancing Alzheimer’s, a new study suggests. “Daytime napping and Alzheimer’s disease seem… read on > read on >
Memory and concentration problems haunt 7 in 10 patients with long COVID, a pair of new studies indicate. The findings suggest that COVID-19 has a notable impact on brain health, even if the precise underlying mechanisms remain unclear, British researchers said. “We set out to explore whether some of the long-lasting issues in COVID —… read on > read on >
Most brain studies that rely on MRI scans don’t include enough people to provide trustworthy results, researchers say. These brain-wide association studies use MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to see how brain structure and function connect with personality, behavior, thinking, neurological conditions and mental illness. Such studies require thousands of participants to get accurate results, but… read on > read on >
Older adults may not only be living longer, but better as well, according to a new U.K. study. Researchers found that since the 1990s, British adults age 65 and up have been enjoying more years living independently, free of disability. That’s despite the fact that many chronic health conditions have become more common. In fact,… read on > read on >
