If a great singer seems to light up your mind, it’s not your imagination. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have identified a group of neurons in the brain that react to singing but not to other types of music. “This was a finding we really didn’t expect, so it very much justifies the…  read on >  read on >

Millions of American adults take a potentially deadly duo of prescription opioid painkillers and sedatives at the same time, researchers warn. The side effects of concurrent use of opioids and sedatives such as benzodiazepines (such as Xanax or Valium) may be even stronger in people who are also prescribed other types of sedatives or anxiety…  read on >  read on >

You don’t need to run marathons or sweat it out on your indoor bike to boost your heart health. This is the main message of a new study that found everyday household activities including dishwashing, gardening and cooking also count when it comes to helping older women reduce their risk for heart disease. Women who…  read on >  read on >

As winter winds leave your skin dry, cracked and prone to cuts and bleeding, a skin expert says you should resist the urge to use antibiotic creams or ointments. While it might seem sensible to use antibiotic topicals to combat germs and prevent infection with cuts, they can irritate your skin even more and cause…  read on >  read on >

If you’ve been told you have the heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation (a-fib), you need to take it seriously, an expert emphasizes. “While a-fib itself isn’t life-threatening, it can lead to a blood clot forming in the heart,” said Dr. Christopher Rogers. He is a cardiac electrophysiologist with Penn State Health Medical Group–Berks…  read on >  read on >

Sexual assault and workplace sexual harassment may increase women’s long-term risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, a new study suggests. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, which is the leading killer of U.S. women, accounting for one in three deaths. Sexual violence or harassment aren’t recognized as risk…  read on >  read on >

Construction workers may bring home more than the bacon — they may also be exposing their families to toxic metals, a new study reveals. Toxic contaminants unintentionally brought from the workplace into the home are a public health hazard, but the majority of research to date has focused on problems related to lead. Much less…  read on >  read on >

An experimental drug may help build bone mass in some adults with a rare brittle-bone disease, a small preliminary study suggests. The disease is called osteogenesis imperfecta. It’s caused by defects in certain genes involved in making collagen — a key protein in the body’s connective tissue. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is present at birth, and…  read on >  read on >