Everyone knows cleaner air means healthier bodies, but new research suggests it might also help aging minds. “Our study is important because it is one of the first to show that reducing air pollution over time may benefit the brain health of older women by decreasing their likelihood of developing dementia,” said study co-lead author…  read on >  read on >

Face masks are touted as a key tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and a new study offers more proof that they work. Florida researchers found face masks cut the distance that airborne pathogens such as the coronavirus can travel by more than half. The findings suggest that some COVID-19 social distancing guidelines could…  read on >  read on >

Transgender people get greater mental health benefits if they start gender-affirming hormone treatment when they’re teens instead of waiting until they’re adults, a new study finds. “This study is particularly relevant now because many state legislatures are introducing bills that would outlaw this kind of care for transgender youth,” said study lead author Dr. Jack…  read on >  read on >

It’s a familiar trope of TV and movies — a couple is engaged in passionate sex when the guy’s heart suddenly gives out. “Usually it’s a middle-aged man. Usually he’s cheating with somebody else. It’s funny, there’s this myth in our mind that this can happen,” said cardiologist Dr. Martha Gulati, who refers to the…  read on >  read on >

Here’s more evidence that marijuana may make driving more dangerous: As pot has been legalized in more countries and states, a greater number of people are driving intoxicated by the drug and crashing, researchers report. THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, has been detected in twice as many injured Canadian drivers since 2018, when cannabis…  read on >  read on >