News by Subject Medicine & Health

Researchers identified non-coding regions of the human genome that control the development and function of four brain cell types and mapped genetic risk variants for psychiatric diseases. They found that risk variants for Alzheimer's disease were enriched in microglia-specific regulatory elements.

Staying fit or improving fitness over time should be a goal for anyone who wants to reduce the likelihood of getting dementia.

An international research team led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found that microorganisms living in the gut may alter the ageing process, which could lead to the development of food-based treatment to slow it down.

Regular use of prescription drugs for pain and sleep increases frailty risk by 95% among older adults. The possible implications of these research findings are especially serious given that it is common for older Americans to use two or more prescription drugs at the same time and many of these prescription drugs are for pain and sleep, including analgesics and sedatives.

Strong same-sex friendships among male firefighters can help cut down on their stress -- but loving relationships with their wives may increase anxiety for those who constantly face danger, according to a Baylor University study.

Across the world, more people are living longer. But 'whether the extra years will be good ones -- and whether societies and economies will benefit as a result -- depends on the actions we take now,' states an editorial in a new supplemental issue of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences from The Gerontological Society of America.

A team of researchers including those from King's College London and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, have for the first time successfully applied bacteriophage (phage) therapy in mice to alcohol-related liver disease. Phages are viruses that specifically destroy bacteria.

Taller people have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and often rapid heartbeat that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other complications, according to a new Penn Medicine study. The research, which reveals a strong link between the genetic variants associated with height and one's risk for AFib, is the among the first to demonstrate that height may be a causal -- not correlated -- risk factor for AFib.

A Veterans Affairs study has shown that frail surgery patients may be at higher risk than previously thought, leading the researchers to conclude that 'there are no 'low-risk' procedures among frail patients.'

New study finds that the amount of climate and health benefits achieved from renewable energy depends on the country where it is installed. Countries with higher carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and more air pollution, such as India, China, and areas in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, achieve greater climate and health benefits per megawatt (MW) of renewable energy installed than those operating in areas such as North America, Brazil, and parts of Europe.