A new study hints at the potential antioxidant benefits of sleep, as well as the damage that getting too little sleep may cause. Researchers studied the lowly fruit fly to help understand the role sleep may play in health, finding that fruit flies with a mutation that resulted in short sleeping times were sensitive to oxidative stress.
A newly published study reveals that obesity in the absence of other metabolic risk factors does not, by itself, increase the individual's risk of death. The research comes out of York University's Faculty of Health, which found that obesity in the absence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and similar isn't associated with increased mortality. The findings are based on a study covering more than 54,000 adults who had either obesity by itself or obesity with other metabolic risk factors.
A newly published study has linked high blood pressure to brain diseases, including Alzheimer's. Researchers specifically point to blood pressure later in life, finding that patients with higher systolic blood pressure had a greater risk of brain lesions. The study followed 1288 older individuals until their death, at which point their brains were studied.
A new study hints at the potential positive effects of aspirin in preventing Alzheimer's disease. The research, which was recently published in the journal JNeurosci, shows a link between aspirin and a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. Though the exact cause of the disease isn't known, researchers explain how aspirin may be positively impacting the brain to reduce the disease's development.
Researchers with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have successfully developed a treatment that may reduce cravings in drug addicts. The treatment, which is simply referred to as a "therapeutic," was tested on lab rats and found to correct a chemical imbalance that makes it harder for addicts to kick their addictions. Serotonin 2C receptors play a primary role.
Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, has been touted as a potential anti-cancer supplement for years, but questions remained. A new study helps shed light on the compound's anti-cancer properties, specifically on its ability to inhibit the collecting of a certain mutant protein, ultimately helping fight against certain cancers.
A study recently published in the journal Nature Communications reveals that serotonin enhances the speed of learning...at least in the mice that were studied. Researchers used light to artificially activate serotonin neurons in these lab rodents, finding that it resulted in more rapid behavior adaption in applicable situations.
The FDA has approved the nation's first medication based on an active ingredient from marijuana. The drug, Epidiolex, is intended to treat seizures resulting from Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, two rare forms of epilepsy. The medication has been approved for patients aged two years or older and marks the first time the agency has approved a drug derived from cannabis.
Children aren't the most receptive when it comes to needles, but virtual reality is helping change that. A new study details research into the use of VR headsets in the doctor's office, specifically as a tool to distract kids from the mild pain associated with getting a shot or blood drawn. Turns out, the majority of kids stop caring about the needle when there's a headset strapped to their face.
Addiction gaming is a real condition, the World Health Organization has decided, though not everybody agrees with the conclusion. The WHO released the latest version of its International Classification of Diseases, ICD-11, today, and among the changes from the previous iteration is that "gaming disorder" has been added to the section on addictive disorders.
A study out of the University of Illinois, Chicago, warns that kids and teens -- especially teens -- are using "alternative medicine" in growing numbers. The research was recently published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, which reports that despite warnings from officials that kids shouldn't use supplements, teens are increasingly using things like melatonin.
A new study out of South Korea's Seoul National University College of Medicine has found weight implications associated with both excess sleep and a lack of sleep. The research, which was recently published in the BMC Public Health journal, evaluated 133,608 individuals aged from 40- to 69-years-old. Too much sleep may negatively effect cholesterol levels, as well.