• More Organs Being Donated After Heart Stops
  
  The vast majority of organ donations once came from people who were brain-dead. Now they're increasingly coming from people who died when their heart stopped beating, a major shift that can boost transplants but also raises public confusion, researchers reported...
• Japan Debuts Stem Cell Therapies for PD, Heart
  
  Japan is moving to commercialize two groundbreaking stem cell therapies - one for Parkinson's disease and another for severe heart failure - in what experts are calling a historic milestone in regenerative medicine. Earlier this month, a Japanese government panel approved...
• More Evidence Shingles Shot Lowers Dementia Risk
  
  Evidence continues to mount showing that the shingles vaccine may offer benefits beyond preventing a painful rash. A growing body of research suggests it could lower the risk of dementia - including Alzheimer's disease - and may even slow biological aging. Accumulating...
• Study: AI Chatbots Can Worsen Mental Illness
  
  AI chatbots used for cheap therapy are liable to make mental illnesses worse, a new study warns. People with diagnosed mental conditions wound up with worse delusions, increased mania, suicidal thoughts and aggravated eating disorders after relying on an AI chatbot for help,...
• Doomscrolling Affecting Many Americans' Sleep
  
  Doomscrolling is taking a toll on many Americans' rest, a new survey says. More than a third of U.S. adults (38%) say using their phone or tablet to read the news before bed is making their sleep slightly or significantly worse, according to the new poll from the American...
• Eating Healthy in Middle Age Lowers Brain Decline
  
  What's on your plate today can affect your brain aging as a senior, a new study says. Middle-aged people who eat healthy have a lower risk of brain decline in old age, researchers reported Feb. 23 in JAMA Neurology. The heart-healthy Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension...
• Energize Your Morning Without Coffee
  
  If you're trying to cut back on caffeine - or simply don't have time to brew a cup of coffee - there are plenty of natural ways to boost your energy in the morning. Small changes to your routine can help you feel alert and focused without relying on caffeine, according to...
• Teens Using Weed Double Risk for Psychosis
  
  Teens who use weed are twice as likely to develop psychotic or bipolar disorders, a new study says. They also are more likely to have depression and anxiety, researchers reported Feb. 20 in JAMA Health Forum."As cannabis becomes more potent and aggressively marketed, this...
• Study Probes Why Chronic Pain Lasts Longer in Women
  
  To all the women who've heard the frustrating "it's all in your head" in response to medical maladies, a new study feels your pain. Research published in the journal Science Immunology shows that women actually do experience exacerbated chronic pain compared to...
• How to Cut Back When Social Media Becomes Addictive
  
  Social media addiction has been compared to casinos, opioids and cigarettes. While there's some debate among experts about the line between overuse and addiction, and whether social media can cause the latter, there is no doubt that many people feel like they can't escape...
• About ALS, the Disease That Killed Actor Eric Dane
  
  Eric Dane, known for his roles on "Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria," died this week from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at age 53.The fatal nervous system disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, killed Dane less than a year after he announced his diagnosis. According to...
• Study: Advanced CTE Quadruples Risk for Dementia
  
  For years, families of athletes and military veterans have watched loved ones slip into memory loss, suspecting the culprit was a lifetime of blows to the head. Now, a major study from the Boston University CTE Center provides the data to back those suspicions: Advanced...
• Blood Test Estimates Onset of Alzheimer's Symptoms
  
  Imagine knowing exactly when your brain might start to fail. It sounds like a plot from a futuristic movie, but a new "biological clock" developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may make it a reality. By analyzing a blood sample,...
• Sweetened Drinks Linked to Higher Anxiety in Teens
  
  While parents have long worried that too much sugar leads to cavities and weight gain, new research suggests that sugar rush might be followed by a worry crash. A study from Bournemouth University in the U.K. has identified a troubling link between high-sugar drinks and...
• Dr. Small: Mental Health Benefits of Yoga
  
  Yoga has long been praised for improving flexibility, strength, and balance. But experts say its benefits extend well beyond the physical - and may even help keep your brain sharp as you age. Dr. Gary Small, brain health expert and chair of psychiatry at Hackensack...
• Robotic Pets Shorten Dementia Patient Hospital Stays
  
  For a person living with dementia, a hospital stay can be a terrifying whirlwind of strange faces, loud noises and confusing tests. This disorientation often leads to a condition called delirium, which can slow down recovery and lead to more time spent in medical...
• Study: Lifetime Learning Lowers Alzheimer's Risk
  
  "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80," American entrepreneur Henry Ford once said. "Anyone who keeps learning stays young. "There's something to that, a new study says. People who engage in a lifetime pursuit of learning have a lower risk of Alzheimer's...
• Swapping TV for Activity Wards Off Depression
  
  Want an easy way to head off the blues Stash the TV remote. Dutch researchers who followed more than 65,000 adults for four years found that replacing 60 minutes of TV with something more active cut depression risk by 11% - and nearly 19% in middle-aged adults.And more is...
• Study Uncovers What Drives Compulsive Behavior
  
  A new study is challenging long-held beliefs about what drives compulsive behavior. In the research, scientists observed that certain rats continued performing repetitive actions even after those actions no longer produced a reward. Traditionally, such behavior has been...
• Brain Implant Reads Parkinson's Patients Movements
  
  A new advance might help doctors improve movement in people with Parkinson's disease by tracking their gait-related brain waves in real time. An experimental brain implant can capture the signals of movement-related brain regions while Parkinson's patients perform daily...
• Some Push to Make Profound Autism Its Own Diagnosis
  
  Connor Murphy walked in circles around his dad, then flopped down on the kitchen floor, got up and walked in circles again. His dad turned the 9-year-old's repetitive behavior into a chance to connect. "Want me to pick you up" Matthew Murphy asked, lifting, tickling and...
• Stopping Antidepressants While Pregnant Doubles Risk
  
  Women who stop taking prescribed antidepressants during pregnancy are playing games with their mental health, a new study says. Pregnant women who quit their antidepressants are nearly twice as likely to experience a mental health emergency compared to those who keep taking...
• How to Reduce Fatigue Naturally
  
  Fatigue is not the same as simply feeling tired. When you're tired, a good night's sleep usually restores your energy. Fatigue, however, is a deeper state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that can make everyday life feel overwhelming. Before trying to manage...
• Smartwatches May Soon Predict a Depression Relapse
  
  Your smartwatch might soon do more than just count your steps or check your heart rate: It could serve as a literal early-warning system for your mental health. New research from McMaster University suggests that wearable trackers can detect the subtle signs of a depression...
• 'Cognitive Shuffling' Can Calm a Busy Brain
  
  If your busy brain is making it difficult to sleep at night, try this science-backed way to summon the sandman. It's called cognitive shuffling and was developed by Luc Beaudoin, a cognitive scientist at Simon Fraser University in Canada. This technique helps calm the mind...

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