Brain drain: Arguing with others puts a lot more strain on your brain than agreeing with them, a new study finds. “Our entire brain is a social processing network,” said senior author Joy Hirsch, professor of psychiatry, comparative medicine and neuroscience at Yale University. “However, it just takes a lot more brain real estate to… read on > read on >
You have probably seen the social media posts: Your good friend’s co-worker is raising money online to help pay for cancer treatments or another friend needs funds to pay medical bills after a car crash. Crowdsourced fundraising seems to, at least partly, fill a gap between out-of-pocket health care costs and what people can afford.… read on > read on >
There’s an expanded nationwide recall of Sportmix pet food products underway, after links were found between a mold-borne toxin in the food and the deaths of 70 dogs, with 80 other dogs being sickened, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. The announcement expands upon a recall first issued on Dec. 30 by Midwestern… read on > read on >
People who began having oral sex at a young age or at greater “intensity” may face an increased risk of a type of throat cancer, a new study finds. The study, published online Jan. 11 in the journal Cancer, focused on oropharyngeal cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). The sexually transmitted infection can, in a… read on > read on >
The Trump administration is expected to announce plans on Tuesday to recommend a coronavirus vaccine for every American over 65, as it tries to speed up the nation’s vaccine rollout. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to announce the new guidelines at a noon briefing, according to an official briefed… read on > read on >
In a finding that highlights another health consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, researchers report that the risk of dying from heart disease increased during the coronavirus lockdowns last spring, likely because people were too scared to go to the hospital. But the dangers of not seeking treatment for a medical emergency far outweigh that of… read on > read on >
As the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines continues, scores of questions are emerging. Here, experts from Penn State Health answer some of the more common ones. How do the COVID-19 vaccines work? The COVID-19 vaccines work by teaching the immune system to protect against the virus, experts said. Neither of the two vaccines approved in… read on > read on >
A plant-based diet is linked to healthy gut microbes that could lower your risk for conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, a new study finds. “This study demonstrates a clear association between specific microbial species in the gut, certain foods, and risk of some common diseases,” said Dr. Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist… read on > read on >
U.S. health officials raced to ramp up the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines across the country as both coronavirus case counts and death tallies continued to hit record highs. “We really need to get this vaccine out more quickly, because this is really our only tool,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and… read on > read on >
Could a cancer diagnosis sometimes produce positive life changes? In a new study, many people with colon cancer, even in advanced stages, believed their diagnosis had brought some beneficial effects to their lives. In surveys of 133 colon cancer patients, researchers found that nearly all — 95% — said their lives had benefited in some… read on > read on >
