News by Subject Medicine & Health

A new study has found that variability in night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults to recall information about past events. The study also found unexpected racial differences in the type of sleep patterns tied to lower memory performance across both younger and older African American research participants.

Researchers have discovered a mysterious group of neurons in the amygdala -- a key center for emotional processing in the brain -- that stay in an immature, prenatal developmental state throughout childhood. Most of these cells mature rapidly during adolescence, suggesting a key role in the brain's emotional development, but some stay immature throughout life, suggesting new ideas about how the brain keeps its emotional responses flexible throughout life.

Chronic diseases, such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, and lung cancer, now represent the leading causes of premature death in China, according to a new scientific study. The rise in non-communicable diseases reflects declines in maternal and child mortality over nearly three decades, largely the result of economic growth and increasing levels of education. In addition, China has instituted national programs targeting infectious diseases.

Colorado study suggests that changes to the tissue ecosystem and not necessarily mutations allows growth of cancer.

One of the largest studies on out-of-pocket costs for nursing home care finds prices are high and rising faster than other medical care and consumer prices, reports a team of health policy researchers.

Researchers have developed a way to measure the impact of living with multiple chronic illnesses - a situation called multimorbidity. Among their first findings: those with higher multimorbidity scores experience faster decline in their thinking and memory, and have a higher risk of dying by suicide.

People who are obese from childhood through to middle age are more than twice as likely to have difficulty with daily tasks such as lifting, climbing stairs and carrying shopping by the time they are 50, a new UCL study has found.

Postural sway is an independent risk factor for bone fractures in postmenopausal women, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Women with the highest postural sway had a two times higher fracture risk compared to women with the lowest postural sway.

In today's dating world, singles make snap judgments about potential dates as fast as they can swipe. For the 20 million baby boomers currently using online dating sites, the high stakes of the modern dating world can be intimidating as they age. New statistics by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that more Americans age 55 and older are seeking cosmetic procedures to help them put their best face forward.