About 1 in every 8 U.S. teenagers and young adults turns to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health advice, a new study says. AI bots offer a cheap and immediate ear for younger people’s concerns, worries and woes, researchers wrote Nov. 7 in JAMA Network Open. However, it’s not clear that these programs are… read on > read on >
Blood tests might be able to tell how badly a concussion has rung a person’s bell, a new study says. Certain brain-related biomarkers in the blood are associated with how bad a teenager’s symptoms will be as they recover from a concussion, researchers reported in the November/December issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.… read on > read on >
The COVID vaccine appears to provide a health boost to children with eczema, a new study says. Kids with eczema (atopic dermatitis) appear to experience fewer infections and allergic complications if they get the COVID jab, researchers reported over the weekend at a meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in Orlando,… read on > read on >
Imagine a brain implant that could be placed without surgically opening a person’s skull, but instead through a simple injection in the arm. Massachusetts Intitute of Technology researchers are working on microscopic, wireless electronic chips that can travel through the bloodstream and self-implant in a targeted region of the brain. In a study with lab… read on > read on >
As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, many people start to feel a noticeable shift in their mood, a condition known as seasonal affective disorder. This type of depression — commonly known as SAD — happens around the same time every year, most often in the fall and winter, when sunlight is limited. Having… read on > read on >
If a healthy slurp is your aim, skip the banana when you whip up a smoothie. Researchers at the University of California-Davis found that adding banana may interfere with absorption of powerful compounds called flavanols, which are linked to brain and heart health. “We were really surprised to see how quickly adding a single banana… read on > read on >
A new screening tool may help doctors and communities better understand why so many Americans struggle to eat a healthy diet, even when they have enough food. Researchers at Tufts University’s Food is Medicine Institute in Boston have created and tested a survey called the Nutrition Security Screener (NSS). Unlike standard food security tools that… read on > read on >
The flash of lightning and roar of thunder can be quickly followed by the wheezing gasp of an asthma attack, a new study says. Thunderstorms appear to trigger sharp increases in asthma-related ER visits, researchers are scheduled to report Saturday at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. “These… read on > read on >
Getting your wisdom teeth pulled? You don’t need opioids to deal with the pain of the extraction, a new study says. A combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen provided better pain relief than hydrocodone with acetaminophen for the first two days after wisdom tooth surgery, researchers reported Nov. 6 in JAMA Network Open. Both men and… read on > read on >
A fractured America is causing people’s stress levels to go through the roof, a new American Psychological Association (APA) survey has found. Overall, the results indicate that loneliness and emotional disconnection have become a defining feature of American life. “This year’s findings show that people across the nation are not just feeling divided, they’re feeling… read on > read on >
