Brain Secrets of the Super-Sharp 'Super-Agers'

MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have discovered another clue as to how some older people stay sharp as a tack into their 80s and beyond: Their brain cells are really big.

The study focused on what scientists have dubbed "super-agers" — a select group of elderly adults who have the memory skills of ...

Evolution Research Garners Swedish Scientist Nobel Prize in Medicine

Swedish scientist Svante Paabo received the Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday.

The 67-year-old researcher made important discoveries about human evolution and the immune system while comparing modern humans and early hominins. After developing new techniques, Paabo and his team made it possible to compare the genome of modern humans with t...

Not All Kids With Autism Will Benefit From Therapy Dogs

MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For many kids with autism, Rhett, a black Labrador retriever, has been a calming and comforting influence in his seven years as a therapy dog.

But parents shouldn't assume that a service pooch is the solution for every child on the autism spectrum, a new study finds. Not all kids ...

Thousands of U.S. Cancer Patients Died From COVID Complications, Study Finds

MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- New research confirms that COVID-19 can be life-threatening for certain cancer patients: More than 16,500 Americans with cancer died from complications related to coronavirus infection during the first 10 months of the pandemic.

"People with cancer, especially blood cancers, who m...

AHA News: At 21, Her College Graduation and a Stroke Happened on the Same Day

Marissa Fattore's graduation from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania took place on a warm spring day. For the occasion, Marissa had her nails done and wore a new dress and high heels.

Despite her excitement, she felt crummy. She had a headache and her brain was fuzzy. It was probably just nerves, she thought.

More than 500 people we...

Alzheimer's Meds Are Mostly Tested in Whites. That Worries Black Patients, Caregivers

Larry Griner resigned from his job in California and moved back to his childhood home in Baltimore nearly five years ago so he could care for his mother, Norma.

She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease almost 12 years earlier, which took away her short-term memory and completely changed the life she used to have. When the 63-year...

More Evidence COVID Boosters Improve Seniors' Immunity

For older adults, getting vaccinated provides protection against COVID-19, but getting a booster is a key part of maintaining that immunity, a new study confirms.

"The data support the CDC guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination and affirm that the vaccine is initially able to mount a good antibody response," said study co-author Dr. Sean Leng...

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Soft Cheeses Sold at Albertsons, Whole Foods

U.S. health officials have warned that numerous brands of brie and camembert cheese may contain Listeria, a potentially dangerous bacteria.

Old Europe Cheese Inc. has recalled more than 20 brands of cheese from retail and wholesale stores nationwide and in Mexico after six people in six states were infected with a specific strain...

Sexual Issues Can Plague Young Women Who've Survived Cancer

Young women who have survived cancer are at risk of having sexual problems, such as loss of libido and discomfort, a new study finds.

The quality of the survivor's sex life is also influenced by the type of cancer she experienced and the intensity of the treatment, researchers found.

"This is one of the largest population-based stu...

Smoggy Air Could Worsen COVID, Even If You're Vaccinated

Exposure to air pollution can impede COVID-19 recovery, whether someone is vaccinated or not, according to new research.

"These findings are important because they show that, while COVID-19 vaccines are successful at reducing the risk of hospitalization, people who are vaccinated and exposed to polluted air are still at increased risk for...

Study Counters Myth That Contraceptive Pill Enlarges Breasts in Teen Girls

Birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin do not contribute to growth of enlarged breasts in teens and young women, a new study finds, and may actually be associated with developing less severe breast enlargement.

Moreover, the combination pills don't increase the risk of regrowth after breast-reduction surgery, said res...

Vitamin Supplements May Help People With Cystic Fibrosis

More than 160,000 people around the world have cystic fibrosis, and supplementing with vitamins C and E could help reduce the damaging inflammation in their lungs, according to new research.

"Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that is associated with increased inflammation, and like many inflammatory diseases, it comes with a large amoun...

Are Your Hands Just Dry, Or Is It Eczema?

Sometimes that irritated skin on your hands is more than simple dryness.

Hand eczema could be the culprit, with painful dry and itchy skin on all or part of the hand and fingers.

"If your hands are extremely dry and painful, and using moisturizer throughout the day is not helping to relieve them, you may have hand eczema," said Dr. ...

Get Ready for Those Fall Allergies

Allergy sufferers know that symptoms don’t just appear in spring or summer. Fall, too, can bring about sneezing and trouble breathing, as can volatile weather patterns.

“People frequently experience allergy symptoms in the fall even if they are mainly allergic to pollens in the spring and summer,” said Dr. David Corry. He is a profes...

U.S. Will Spend $266 Million to Bolster Public Health Programs

The U.S. government will invest $266 million to shore up the community and public health workforce using American Rescue Plan funding.

About $225.5 million will go to 83 recipients to support training and apprenticeship for 13,000 new community health workers, CNN reported before Friday's announcement. These workers specialize in...

FDA Approves New ALS Drug Despite Uncertain Data

FRIDAY, Sept. 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday gave its approval to a new drug for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

But approval of the drug, called Relyvrio, is bound to stir new questions, with some doubting the strength of data supporting its effectiv...

AHA News: After a Jump in Maternal Mortality for Hispanic Women, a Search for Answers

The COVID-19 pandemic produced no shortage of somber statistics. But for people who care about women's health, one number about Hispanic women stood out.

Their maternal mortality rate jumped sharply in 2020 – up 44% from the year before, according to the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every...

U.S. Suicide Rates Rose in 2021, Reversing 2 Years of Decline

The suicide rate in the United States increased in 2021, following two years of decline, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of suicides increased to 47,646 in 2021, up from 45,979 in 2020, according to researchers at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

...

After Ian's Destruction: How to Safely Enter, Clean Flood-Damaged Homes

The devastation left by one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Florida in years is immense. But residents flooded out of their homes by Hurricane Ian must be cautious when they return, federal experts warn.

First off, always assume there's potential risk from electricity or gas leaks, say experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control an...

Could a Folic Acid Prescription Help Prevent Suicide?

FRIDAY, Sept. 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- More than 1 million Americans attempted suicide in 2020, and a new study is hinting at a potential way to reduce that risk: prescription folic acid.

The study, of more than 800,000 Americans in a health care database, found that when people were on prescription folic acid, their...