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Caring for Grandchildren May Slow Cognitive Decline
Grandkids are a blessing in more ways than one for seniors, a new study says. Grandparenting is good for the aging brain, potentially serving as a buffer against cognitive decline, according to findings published Jan. 26 in the journal Psychology and Aging.Seniors who...
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Why Cancer Might Protect Against Alzheimer's
Decades of research have uncovered an unusual link between cancer and Alzheimer's disease. For years, scientists have wondered why cancer and Alzheimer's are rarely found in the same patients - raising the possibility that one disease may offer some protection against the...
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Survey: Millions in US Microdosing Psychedelics
Psychedelics are catching on in the United States, but not always to find one's third eye or reach another plane of reality, a new study says. An estimated 10 million U.S. adults microdosed psilocybin, LSD or MDMA in 2025, according to research published by the think-tank...
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Obesity Directly Influences Risk for Dementia
Obesity and high blood pressure are directly linked to a person's risk of dementia, a new study reports. People's odds of developing dementia can be as much as doubled if they have a high body mass index (BMI), researchers reported Jan. 22 in The Journal of Clinical...
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Childhood ADHD Linked to Later Health Problems
Childhood ADHD can set a person up to have poor health in middle age, a new study says. People with ADHD traits at age 10 are likely to have chronic illness and disability at age 46, researchers reported Jan. 21 in JAMA Network Open. The study said these health problems can...
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Do Not Ignore These Subtle Signs of Stress
Stress doesn't always send strong signals like a racing heart, sweaty palms, or panic attacks. Sometimes the messages are more subtle - but just as important - experts say. Because consistent stress can lead to lead to many health problems, it is important to pay attention...
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Why Your Brain Drifts After a Poor Night's Sleep
Ever notice how hard it is to stay sharp after a rough night of sleep A recent study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience points to a surprising reason why: The brain may briefly shift into a sleep-like cleaning mode, even while you're awake. Researchers at the...
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Air Pollution Increases Risk of ALS
Prolonged exposure to air pollution appears to increase a person's risk of ALS and other motor neuron diseases, a new study says. Further, air pollution also appears to speed up the disease in people diagnosed with ALS, researchers reported Jan. 20 in JAMA Neurology. "Our...
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Wildfire Smoke in Pregnancy May Raise Autism Risk
Women who breathe wildfire smoke during pregnancy, especially in late stages, may put their offspring at greater risk of autism, a new study of California births suggests. Researchers found that exposure during the third trimester, when the fetus' brain grows rapidly, was...
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Study: 'Super Agers' Have Brain Protective Genes
So-called "super agers" have a couple of genetic advantages that help them maintain their brain health into late old age, a new study says. These folks are less likely to harbor the gene variant most associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the APOE-ε4 gene,...
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How to Reclaim Your Attention Span
It's easy to lose focus. You're deep into an important assignment when your phone pings with another notification. You're cooking dinner and decide to check email "just in case." Experts say our attention spans are shrinking, and many of us are having a harder time staying...
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Nerve Stimulation Device for ADHD Ineffective
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved device for treating ADHD in kids simply doesn't work, a new clinical trial says. The device - an external trigeminal nerve stimulator - was not effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD compared to placebo, researchers reported...
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New Review Finds Tylenol Doesn't Raise Autism Risk
A new review of studies has found that taking Tylenol during pregnancy doesn't increase the risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities - adding to the growing body of research refuting claims made by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump last year promoted...
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The State of Health in the US
The 2025 annual report of America's Health Rankings, the longest-running state-by-state analysis of the nation's health, has just been released. It provides actionable, data-driven insights that help inform public policy, research, and news reporting. The report analyzes 99...
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Nerve Stimulation Halts Depression in 1 in 5 Patients
Treatment-resistant depression might be eased using an implant that sends electrical pulses to one of the body's major nerve clusters, a new study says. The implant, placed under the skin in the chest, sends carefully calibrated electrical pulses to the left vagus nerve - a...
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Dr. Small: Calm Your Fear of Flying
Recent headlines about air traffic controller shortages, crashes, and near misses have increased anxiety about air travel - even for people who don't normally worry about flying. Experts say the growing stress is fueling aerophobia, the fear of flying, which may affect as...
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Depression in Seniors Might Signal Brain Disease
Depression in old age could be an early sign of serious brain disease, a new study says. Depression occurs more often and earlier in seniors who go on to develop Parkinson's disease or Lewy body dementia, researchers recently reported in the journal General Psychiatry.The...
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How Hearing Aids Help Seniors Avoid Dementia
Some seniors are loathe to don a hearing aid, worried that the devices will be a hassle or make them look old. But that hearing aid might help them avoid dementia, a new study says. People prescribed a hearing aid had a 33% lower risk of dementia, researchers reported Jan. 14...
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US Overdose Deaths Fell Through Most of 2025
U.S. overdose deaths fell through most of last year, suggesting a lasting improvement in an epidemic that had been worsening for decades. Federal data released Wednesday showed that overdose deaths have been falling for more than two years - the longest drop in decades - but...
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Seniors With Dementia Being Prescribed Risky Drugs
Many seniors with dementia are being put at risk by brain-altering medications linked to falls, confusion and hospitalization, a new study says. In all, 1 in 4 Medicare-covered seniors with dementia have been prescribed drugs like antipsychotics, barbiturates and...
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FDA: Remove GLP-1 Drug Suicide Warnings
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday requested companies to remove warnings related to the potential risk of suicidal ideation from the labeling of popular weight-loss drugs of the GLP-1 class. The action follows a comprehensive FDA review that found no...
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How to Manage Post-Holiday Stress
The holidays may be over, but for many Americans the stress lingers. Experts estimate that millions experience post-holiday stress each year, driven by factors such as financial pressure, family dynamics, and the abrupt shift from festive routines back to everyday...
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Stress Before Surgery Increases Pain, Hospital Stay
Are you facing upcoming surgery One of the best ways to prepare is to de-stress, a new study says. People who are stressed out prior to surgery appear to suffer more pain afterward and take longer to recover, researchers report in the January issue of the journal...
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More Weekend Sleep May Lower Depression in Teens
Experts agree that keeping a regular sleep schedule is important for everyone, even night-owl teenagers and young adults. But catching a few extra Z's over the weekend might be good for young folks' mental health, a new study says. Young people who sleep in on weekends to...
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Yoga May Speed Recovery from Opioid Withdrawal
Adding yoga to regular treatment can help speed recovery from opioid withdrawal, a small Indian study suggests. Combining standard buprenorphine therapy with yoga helped people recover from opioid withdrawal almost twice as fast as the drug alone, researchers found. During...