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Why Just Thinking About Bugs Makes You Itchy
It begins as a friend is telling you a story about spiders in her attic or a mosquito buzzes by near your ear. Before you know it, an invisible itch blossoms somewhere on your skin, compelling you to scratch. But why does simply thinking about bugs seem to conjure real,...
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New Drug May Halt Alzheimer's Disease Progression
Experts are calling a new drug a "game-changer" in the battle against Alzheimer's disease. The novel therapeutic agent, trontinemab, has been found to cross the blood-brain barrier - a longstanding obstacle in Alzheimer's research. And researchers say the drug could...
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Dementia Typically Takes 3.5 Years to Be Diagnosed
It takes an average of three-and-a-half years for typical dementia symptoms to lead to a diagnosis, a new report finds. Diagnosis often comes even later for early-onset dementias. Speeding up the process is important, because "timely diagnosis can improve access to treatments...
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Custom Brain Stimulation Improves Parkinson's Gait
Parkinson's disease can dramatically affect a patient's ability to walk, with "Parkinson's gait" increasing their fall risk and reducing their ability to get around. But deep brain stimulation (DBS) custom-tailored to a patient's brain activity and gait pattern can...
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Boy Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba After Lake Swim
A 12-year-old South Carolina boy has died after being infected by a rare, brain-eating amoeba found in freshwater, his family's lawyer said. Middle school student Jaysen Carr died July 18 after swimming in Lake Murray, a large reservoir near Columbia, S.C., according to a...
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Green Spaces Boost Brain Development in Children
Living near lush green spaces appears to reduce a child's risk of ADHD and autism, even before they are born, a new study says. Children had lower odds of developing brain development problems if they lived near green spaces as infants, or if their moms did before or during...
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Heavy Grief Nearly Doubles Risk of Early Death
People intensely grieving a loved one are nearly twice as likely to die within a decade of their loss, a new study says. Those whose grief remained persistently high in the first years following a loss have 88% increased odds of dying within 10 years of their loved one's...
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Best Exercises for Fighting Insomnia
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reports that 30 to 35% of all adults suffer from bouts of insomnia, as many as 10% have a chronic insomnia disorder, with sleeplessness occurring at least 3 times per week for at least 3 months. According to Medical News Today, a...
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Insulin Nasal Spray Potential Alzheimer's Treatment
Insulin delivered by nasal spray might be a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease, a new study says. An insulin nasal spray effectively reached key memory regions in the brains of a small group of older adults, researchers reported July 23 in the journal Alzheimer's &...
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7,000 Steps a Day Effective at Reducing Health Risks
Walkers don't need to march 10,000 steps a day to gain substantial health benefits, a comprehensive new evidence review has concluded. Instead, getting just 7,000 steps a day appears to be most effective in reducing a person's risk of death and chronic illness, researchers...
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About Parkinson's Disease and Ozzy Osbourne's Death
Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne died this week at 76, just weeks after his farewell show and about five years after announcing he had Parkinson's disease.Here's what to know about the disease:Parkinson's is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over their...
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Study: Cancer Drug Combo May Reverse Alzheimer's
Scientists have discovered that combining two previously approved cancer drugs effectively treats Alzheimer's disease. The one-two punch may be able to reverse the devastation of this disease that affects 7 million people in the U.S., causing a dramatic decline in...
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For Some, Gluten Intolerance Is Psychological
Gluten intolerance might be all in the minds of some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), results from a small-scale experiment indicate. People with the common digestive disorder reported worse GI symptoms after eating a cereal bar, even though the bar contained no...
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Study: Dogs Can Detect Parkinson's Disease
Dogs' noses are sensitive enough to track down fleeing convicts, locate human remains in hidden burial sites and detect illicit drug stashes. They've even been able to sniff out human diseases like prostate cancer, malaria and COVID-19. But are they keen enough to detect...
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Four-Day Work Week Benefits Workers, Employers
A four-day work week can lead to happier and more productive, dedicated employees, a new global study found. Workers at companies that instituted a four-day work week - essentially working 80% of their regular hours for the same pay - reported less burnout and better job...
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Billy Joel 'OK' After Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Billy Joel is doing much better, the "Piano Man" singer wants fans to know. In May, Joel canceled all his upcoming concerts across North America and England after being diagnosed with fluid buildup in his brain that has affected his "hearing, vision and balance." The...
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FDA Advisers Vote Against PTSD Combo Treatment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's panel of independent advisers on Friday voted against the efficacy of Otsuka Pharma's drug when used in combination with Viatris' Zoloft for the treatment of adults with PTSD. The panel voted 10-1 to say the available data does not...
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Best Brain Foods for Those Over 40
Our brains undergo changes with age, just like our bodies. According to HuffPost Life, these changes may include a decrease in neurotransmitter levels, and an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation which can lead to cognitive decline. Dr. Alexander Zubkov, a...
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Depression Risk Greater With Premature Menopause
Some women have a greater risk of depression as they go through premature menopause, according to a new study. Premature menopause occurs when the ovaries stop functioning normally before age 40, researchers said in background notes. The condition has been linked with a more...
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Playing a Musical Instrument Might Slow Brain Aging
Want to help maintain your brain health as you age? Then pick up a guitar, start tickling a piano's ivories or join a band. Playing an instrument can promote a youthful pattern of brain activity, researchers reported July 15 in the journal PLOS Biology. Specifically, older...
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Why Lack of Sleep Makes You Crave Junk Food
When you don't get enough sleep, your brain sends signals to your body that make you crave sugary, greasy foods. Without sound slumber, this can trigger a vicious cycle leading not only to disruptive hunger signals, but also to weak self-control, impaired glucose...
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FDA Raises Efficacy Concerns for PTSD Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's reviewers have raised efficacy concerns over Otsuka Pharma's combination drug for adults with PTSD, citing inconsistent trial results and a modest treatment effect that may not be clinically meaningful. The FDA staff reviewers'...
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Children Don't Ease Loneliness of Losing a Spouse
Adult children aren't likely to fill the void left by the loss of a spouse, a new study says. Becoming widowed might cause a stronger bond between the remaining parent and their children, but these bonds don't appear to ease the loneliness left by loss, researchers reported...
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Study Links Virus in Brain to Psychiatric Disorders
A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine may have discovered the link between psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, and viral infections. In the breakthrough study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry,...
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The Best Exercise for Your Personality Type
A new study reveals how your personality type determines which exercise programs may yield the best results for you. According to TODAY, acknowledging your personality traits can help steer you to choosing the right workout. "Our personalities are largely dictated by how our...