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Could Some HIV Meds Also Fight Alzheimer's?

In a new study, people living with HIV who got standard meds to keep the virus at bay also had much lower rates of Alzheimer's disease -- suggesting the drugs might also lower risks for the brain illness.

It's early-stage research, but it's possible that mechanisms used by these HIV drugs work at a ...

Blinking: It's About More Than Moistening the Eye

Most folks think of blinking as the eyes' version of windshield wipers, clearing the eye of debris and maybe lubricating it, too.

But blinking is much more than that, researchers report: It also helps the brain process what it's seeing.

That's perhaps counterintuitive: Wouldn't it make sense to not blink, so eyes are receiving an uninterrupted stream of information?

Brain's Cerebellum Could Help Direct Prosthetic Limbs

Tapping the power of the small brain region called the cerebellum could improve patients’ ability to move cutting-edge robotic limbs, a new study suggests.

The cerebellum is an ancient structure located under the brain, just above where the spinal cord connects to the brain.

This structure has largely been overlooked by prosthetics researchers in favor of the cerebral cortex, whic...

Chemicals Stored in Your Garage Could Raise Odds for ALS

Volatile and toxic chemicals commonly stored in garages can increase the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Gasoline or kerosene, gas-powered equipment and lawn care chemicals represented the top three risk factors for ALS found in garages, researchers report.

Exposures to each of these increased ALS risk around 15%, results show.

Other chemicals found in garages tha...

Gene Discovery May Lead to Better Alzheimer's Treatments

The discovery of a gene variant that rids the brain of toxic plaques linked to Alzheimer's might lead to new treatments for the disease, researchers report.

The variant arises naturally in people who don't seem to get Alzheimer's disease despite having another gene, called APOEe4, that strongly prom...

Nerve Zap Treatment for Sleep Apnea Less Effective in Obese People

Obese folks are less likely to benefit from a nerve-stimulation treatment for sleep apnea that's recently been made available to them, a new study reports.

The treatment is likely to be 75% less effective among obese people with BMIs of 32 to 35, compa...

Maker Is Pulling Controversial ALS Drug Relyvrio Off the Market

THURSDAY, April 4, 2024 (HealthDayNews) -- Following disappointing trial results, the maker of a controversial ALS drug said it is pulling the medication off the market.

In a

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 4, 2024
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    • Active Workstations Could Make You Smarter at Work

    Desks that require folks to stand or move as they work also might help them produce better results on the job, a new study suggests.

    People's brains became sharper when working at a desk that made them stand, step or walk rather than sit, results show.

    Reasoning scores in particular improved when at an active workstation, researchers said.

    “It is feasible to blend movement w...

    FDA Clears 15-Minute Bedside Test to Gauge Soldiers' Brain Injury

    When a soldier is rushed to medical care following a blast or other injury to the head, time is crucial in deciding just how extensive that injury is.

    Now, the U.S. Army has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared a bedside whole blood test that can answer that question in about 15 minutes.

    Prior tests relied on blood plasma or serum, and that meant sending ...

    Better Eye-Tracking: A Hidden Advantage for Sportsmen, Gamers

    Smacking a 100-mile-an-hour fastball or shooting down a fast-moving alien invader in a video game might involve more than fast reflexes, researchers report.

    Elite gamers and pro athletes may also have a hidden vision advantage over others, a new study finds.

    Some people can perceive rapidly changing visual cues better than others, researchers reported April 1 in the journal PLOS...

    Mouse Study Finds Brain Target to Block Alcohol Cravings

    For folks who have battled alcohol dependency for years, any treatment that could curb or block alcohol cravings would be a huge advance.

    Now, research in mice is giving a glimmer of hope that just such a therapy might be possible.

    A compound -- so far dubbed LY2444296 -- appears to block a key brain cell receptor called the kappa opioid receptor (KOP), a team at the Scripps Researc...

    Mutation Helps Even Carriers of 'Alzheimer's Gene' Avoid Alzheimer's

    A genetic mutation that boosts cell function could protect people against Alzheimer's disease, even if they carry another gene mutation known to boost dementia risk.

    The newly discovered mutation appears to protect people who...

    Obesity in Childhood Doubles Odds for MS in Young Adulthood

    Children who are obese face double the odds of developing multiple sclerosis later in life, a new study warns.

    The overall odds for any one child to develop the neurodegenerative illness remains very low. However, the Swedish researchers believe the link could help explain rising rates of MS.

    "There are several studies showing that MS has increased over several decades and obesity ...

    These 3 Factors Make Your Brain More Vulnerable to Dementia

    Out of a host of possible risk factors for dementia, three really stood out in a new analysis: Diabetes, air pollution and alcohol.

    British and American researchers used brain scans to focus on a neurological network they labeled a "weak spot" in the brain. This network is known to be vulnerable to the effects of aging, as well as

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 28, 2024
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    • Could Deep Frying Foods Harm the Brain? Rat Study Suggests It Might

    Fried foods not only wreck the waistline, but they could also be harming the brain, a new study of lab rats suggests.

    Fed chow that was fried in sesame or sunflower oil, the rodents developed liver and colon problems that wound up affecting their brain health, researchers found.

    These brain health effects not only were found in the lab rats that munched down the fried food, but also...

    Human Brains Are Getting Larger With Each Generation

    Youngsters might have good cause to think they're brainier than their parents or grandparents, a new study finds.

    It turns out that human brains are getting larger with each generation, potentially adding more brain reserve and reducing the overall risk of dementia, researchers report March 25 in the journa...

    Common Household Chemicals Could Harm the Brain

    Chemicals found in common household products might damage the brain's wiring, a new study warns.

    These chemicals -- found in disinfectants, cleaners, hair products, furniture and textiles -- could be linked to degenerative brain diseases like multiple sclerosis and autism, researchers report.

    The chemicals specifically affect the brain's oligodendrocytes, a specialized type of cell ...

    Nerve Treatment Could Help Ease Diabetic Neuropathy

    A surgical treatment used to treat conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and back sciatica might also help relieve the pain of patients with diabetic neuropathy, a new study finds.

    Surgical nerve decompression significantly eased pain among a small group of people with diabetic neuropathy for up to five years, researchers report.

    In the surgery, researchers removed inflexible tissu...

    Rare Condition Makes Others' Faces Appear 'Demonic'

    Some people diagnosed with schizophrenia might instead be suffering from a rare visual condition that can cause other people's faces to appear “demonic,” a new study argues.

    The condition, called prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), can cause others' facial features to appear horrific -- drooped, larger, smaller, out of position or stretched in disturbing ways.

    “Not surprisingly, peo...

    Common Epilepsy, Migraine Drug Won't Raise Odds for Autism in Offspring

    A common antiseizure drug used to treat epilepsy, migraines and bipolar disorder does not appear to increase the risk of autism for kids exposed to it in the womb, a new study says.

    Topiramate does not contribute to any ri...

    Flu May Be Tougher on Brain Health Than COVID-19: Study

    The flu is more likely to lead to a neurological disorder than COVID, according to a new study that surprised its authors. 

    "While the results were not what we expected to find, they are reassuring in that we found being hospitalized with COVID did not lead to more care for common neurological conditions when compared to being hospitalized with influenza," study co-author

  • Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 21, 2024
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    • Skin Biopsy Might Help Diagnose Parkinson's or Other Brain Disorders

    Folks can learn their risk for Parkinson's disease and other related brain disorders through a simple skin biopsy, a new study says.

    Skin tests can detect an abnormal form of alpha-synuclein, a protein that is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease and similar degenerative brain illnesses, researchers say.

    This simple test could be a reliable and convenient tool to help doctors accurat...

    Nearly 7 Million Americans Have Alzheimer's, and Caregivers Are Stressed

    Nearly 7 million American seniors are living with Alzheimer's dementia, placing a huge strain on both personal caregivers and the U.S. health care system, according to a new Alzheimer's Association report.

    The cost of caring for seniors with Alzheimer's is projected to reach $360 billion this year, up $15 billion from just a year ago, says the association's

  • Dennis Thompson and Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporters
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  • March 20, 2024
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    • Almost 70% of Young Kids in Chicago Are Exposed to Lead in Tap Water

    More than two-thirds of Chicago kids younger than 6 live in homes with tap water tainted by lead, a new analysis says.

    There are detectable levels of lead in the drinking water supplied to 68% of young children in the Windy City, say researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Pub...

    No Brain Injuries Seen Among 'Havana Syndrome' Patients

    “Havana Syndrome” appears to cause real and severe symptoms among federal employees suffering from the mystery illness, but there's no evidence of brain injury or biological abnormalities among them, a new report shows.

    Researchers evaluated 81 U.S. diplomats and other federal employees, mostly stationed abroad, who had complained of hearing noise and feeling head pressure just before...

    'Space Headaches' Can Hit Astronauts, Study Finds

    Astronauts who have never had headaches may develop migraines and other tension-type headaches for the first time when they go into space.

    A side effect of zero gravity, these headaches start with motion sickness as astronauts adapt to long-haul space flight, according to new research published March 13 in the journal

  • Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 15, 2024
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    • FDA Delays Decision on New Alzheimer's Drug

    Instead of approving the new Alzheimer's drug donanemab this month, as was expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will now require the experimental medication be scrutinized more closely by an expert panel, the drug's maker said Friday.

    “The FDA has informed Lilly it wants to further understand topics related to evaluating the safety and efficacy of donanemab, including the saf...

    Tremor Could Point to Higher Odds for Dementia

    Dementia could three times more common among people suffering from essential tremor, a movement disorder that causes involuntary shaking, a new study suggests.

    “Not only do tremors affect a person's ability to complete daily tasks such writing and eating, our study suggests that people with essential trem...

    Iron Gathers in Brain After Concussions

    Folks who've suffered a concussion and then develop headaches show iron accumulation in their brains, new research discovers.

    Excess brain iron stores are a hallmark of damage, noted a team led by Simona Nikolova, of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. The team is slated to present the results in April at the an...

    More Evidence Sleep Apnea Harms Thinking, Memory

    Sleep apnea could have detrimental effects on the brain, causing memory or thinking problems, a new study suggests.

    People suffering from sleep apnea are about 50% more likely to also report having memory or thinking problems, compared to those without sleep apnea, researchers say.

    “These findings highlight the importance of early screening for sleep apnea,” said researcher

    Vaping, Skipping Breakfast Ups Headache Risk for Teens

    Vaping and skipped meals appear to be the main causes of frequent headaches among teens, a new study says.

    Teens who ate breakfast and dinner with their family had a lower risk of frequent headaches than those who regularly missed meals, researchers report Feb. 28 in the journal Neurology.

    Meanwhile, vaping also was associated with frequent headaches for those 12 to 17, res...

    Stationary Bike Workouts Could Help Parkinson's Patients

    A bicycle built for two could be a positive prescription for Parkinson's patients and their caregivers, a small, preliminary study says.

    Parkinson's patients had better overall quality of life, improved mobility, and faster walking speed after sharing regular rides on a stationary tandem bike with a care partner, researchers plan to report at the annual meeting of the American Academy of ...

    Long COVID May Harm Cognition

    In a finding that unearths yet another way Long COVID can harm health, new research finds the condition may trigger thinking declines.

    Published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study involved cognitive testing on nearly 113,000 people in England. It found that thos...

    Service Dogs May Lessen Seizure Frequency in Folks With Epilepsy

    Perhaps by reducing anxiety, a service dog can help reduce seizures in people with tough-to-treat epilepsy, a new study finds.

    A group of 25 study participants had an average 31% fewer seizures after months of owning a service dog trained to help people with epilepsy.

    And seven of those patients experienced a 50% to 100% reduction in seizures, researchers report in the Feb. 28 issue...

    How Is Autism Diagnosed?

    According to the advocacy group Autism Speaks, one in every 36 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

    Early diagnosis is crucial to helping to treat the condition, but how is a diagnosis done?

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Your Brain Feels Better When Music Is Live, Not Recorded: Study

    Live musical performances speak to the soul, stimulating the brain in ways more powerful than listening to a recorded tune does, new research finds.

    “Our study showed that pleasant and unpleasant emotions performed as live music elicited much higher and more consistent activity in the amygdala [the emotional center of the brain] than recorded music,” said lead researcher

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • February 28, 2024
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    • Yoga Brings Brain Benefits to Women at Risk for Alzheimer's

    In a new study, yoga appears to have bolstered the brain health of older women who had risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

    The study can't prove that the ancient practice will slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's, but it did seem to reverse some forms of neurological decline, researchers said.

    “That is what yoga is good for -- to reduce stress, to improve brain health, subje...

    Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's Cases in Midwest, Western U.S.

    Pesticides and herbicides used in farming appear to increase people's risk of Parkinson's disease, a new, preliminary study finds.

    People exposed to pesticides and herbicides are 25% to 36% more likely to develop Parkinson's, according to a study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's upcoming annual meeting in April.

    The Parkinson's risk was specifically higher in t...

    You're Aware of Relaxing Words While Asleep, and They Calm the Heart

    The mind is alert to relaxing words spoken by others when you're asleep, so much so that your heart beat slows down, new research shows.

    Hearing words like "relax" and "easy" spoken while asleep appeared to help put study participants into a deeper sleep and slowed their heartbeat, while words deemed not to be relaxing did not, scientists report.

    The findings suggest that "the brain...

    Wendy Williams Diagnosed With Frontotemporal Dementia

    Former talk show host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her representatives announced in a statement on Thursday.

    The conditions are the same diagnoses actor Bruce Willis received in 2022...

    Your Brain Finds Ways to Compensate Against Age-Related Decline

    No one's brain is as sharp at 60 as it was at 20.

    However, new research supports the notion that folk's brains can make subtle adjustments with age to compensate for that decline.

    A team of British researchers has found more evidence that as the mind ages, it sometimes recruits help from certain brain regions to make up for deficits elsewhere.

    This does not happen for everyone...

    Scientists Produce First 3D-Printed Brain Tissue for Use in Research

    Scientists say they've created the first 3D-printed brain tissue where neurons network and "talk" to each other.

    The breakthrough could be an advance for studying neurological processes in the lab, say a team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

    “This could be a hugely powerful model to help us understand how brain cells and parts of the brain communicate in humans,” said s...

    Surge in Police Seizures of 'Magic Mushrooms' Mirrors Rise in Psilocybin Use

    Police seizures of “magic” mushrooms have more than tripled within the past five years, the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse reports.

    The total weight of psilocybin mushrooms seized by law enforcement increased from 498 pounds in 2017 to 1,861 pounds in 2022, according to a new report published Feb. 6 in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

    To put those seizure...

    Healthy Living Builds 'Cognitive Reserve' in Brain That May Prevent Dementia

    New research suggests healthy lifestyles can help stave off dementia, perhaps by building a resilient 'cognitive reserve' in the aging brain.

    The study was based on the brain autopsies on 586 people who lived to an average of almost 91. Researchers compared each person's lifestyle and end-of-life mental skills to their neurological signs of dementia, such as brain protein plaques or chang...

    Scientists Spot Brain Cells That Prepare You to Speak

    Advanced brain recording techniques have revealed how neurons in the human brain work together to produce speech.

    The recordings provide a detailed map of how people think about what words they want to say and then speak them aloud, researchers report in the Jan. 31 issue of the journal Nature.

    Specifically, t...

    Nerve Zaps Plus Intense Rehab Can Help Stroke Survivors Use Hands, Arms Again

    Losing the use of an arm after a stroke can be devastating, but new research could offer survivors fresh hope.

    The study found that a combination of targeted brain stimulation therapy, along with intense physical rehabilitation, can restore control of an affected arm or hand.

    “This is the first time that brain stimulation combined with rehabilitation therapy for stroke is availabl...

    How Walking in Nature Sharpens the Mind

    A walk in the woods appears to sharpen the mind better than an urban asphalt amble, a new brain scan study finds.

    People strolling through an arboretum at the University of Utah performed better on brain function tests than those who walked around an asphalt-laden medical campus, according to findings published recently in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • February 1, 2024
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    • Biogen Is Dropping Controversial Alzheimer's Drug Aduhelm

    Biogen, maker of the Alzheimer's medicine Aduhelm, announced Wednesday that it would "discontinue the development and commercialization" of the controversial drug.

    Biogen will return the rights to Aduhelm to Neurimmune, the private firm that invented it, the company said in a

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 31, 2024
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    • Elon Musk Says First Human Has Received Neuralink Brain Implant

    Elon Musk, co-founder of Neuralink, said this week that the company placed the first brain implant in a human over the weekend.

    In a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter that is now owned by Musk, the billionaire said the patient was “recovering well.” He added that...

    Study Confirms Link Between Smoking and ALS

    New research is helping confirm smoking as a risk factor for the devastating brain illness amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

    ALS affects roughly 31,000 Americans each year, with about 5,000 new cases diagnosed annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's a progressive, fatal illness that causes nerves cells controlling muscles to slowly die, leading ...