Older adults who get together with friends, volunteer or go to classes have healthier brains, which could help them ward off dementia, according to a new study. Researchers who used brain imaging to examine brain areas involved in mental decline found that greater social engagement made a difference in brain health. Being socially engaged —… read on >
Parents are usually pleased when their newborn seems big and strong, but new research suggests that large babies may be at higher risk for the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation later in life. Atrial fibrillation (a-fib) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 40 million people worldwide. People with a-fib have a… read on >
Three weeks after becoming the first big urban area to reopen public schools since the pandemic began, New York City is not seeing a feared surge in cases among students and staff. Instead, health officials are seeing a surprisingly small number of COVID-19 cases, The New York Times reported. Of 15,111 staff members and students… read on >
As the weather gets cooler and social activities move indoors, Americans need to take steps to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, an expert says. “We now know that if we are going to socialize with people who are not in our household — or in our pandemic pod — being outside or in… read on >
To mark World Hypertension Day this Saturday, the American Heart Association offers advice on how to lower and control your blood pressure. High blood pressure affects nearly half of American adults, and three-quarters of those with high blood pressure don’t have it under control, the heart association says. High blood pressure is the leading cause… read on >
The number of new U.S. coronavirus cases topped 60,000 on Thursday, a tally not reported since early August, as health experts worried the coming winter might push the toll even higher. The latest numbers have also sent the country’s total COVID-19 case count past 8 million, the The New York Times reported. The surge is… read on >
An experimental COVID-19 vaccine appeared to be safe and triggered an immune response in healthy people, according to preliminary results of a small, early-stage clinical trial. The study of the vaccine based on inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virus (BBIBP-CorV) included more than 600 volunteers in China, ages 18 to 80. By the 42nd day after vaccination,… read on >
In what will come as reassuring news to those who were born with a heart defect, new research finds these people aren’t at increased risk for moderate or severe COVID-19. The study included more than 7,000 adults and children who were born with a heart defect (congenital heart disease) and followed by researchers at Columbia… read on >
The nation’s top infectious diseases expert warned Wednesday that Americans need to consider canceling family gatherings for Thanksgiving because coronavirus cases are now surging in 37 states. Dr. Anthony Fauci told CBS News that those surges might worsen if families across the country travel and gather for the beloved holiday. “That is unfortunately a risk,… read on >
Offering fresh insight into the deep-seated roots of dementia, new research finds that diminished blood flow to the brain is tied to buildup a protein long associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Called “tau,” high levels of the protein are “one of the hallmark pathologies that define Alzheimer’s disease in the brain,” explained study author Judy Pa.… read on >
