Demand for mental health service in Canada is climbing
(Bob Becken/ CBC News) — After what her family endured, Christine Hodge says she sympathizes with Canadian families who cannot access essential medications and treatments for mental illness.
The Ottawa woman’s daughter, now 21, was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder before the pandemic began; however, it took …
Music can serve as therapy. Here’s how it can help reduce anxiety.
(Raymond Leone/ Washington Post) — Music can have a profound effect on us. It can improve our physical and mental health by helping to reduce blood pressure, alleviate stress and lead to a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects our mood and sense of happiness, research shows.
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People at high risk advised to wear masks as new Covid variant detected
(Victoria Bekiempis/ The Guardian) — As authorities revealed that a new Covid-19 variant has been detected in the US, medical experts are emphasizing that high-risk persons should resume masking to prevent potentially deadly infection. Warnings from these physicians come amid an ongoing increase in …
Eye scan may detect Parkinson’s up to 7 years before it’s diagnosed
(Bronwyn Thompson/ New Atlas) — For the first time, scientists have identified a marker in the retina that may lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease, and it may be detected years prior to diagnosis.
Researchers out of Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London (UCL) conducted the largest study to date …
Morning-after pill more effective if taken with anti-inflammatory drug
(Corrie Pelc/ Medical News Today) — In survey data from 2017–2019, 28% of female respondents in the United States aged 15 to 44 reported having used emergency contraceptive pills — such as the morning-after pill, also known as “plan B” — at least once in their lives.
Emergency contraceptive pills are …
Alzheimer’s research offers hope of restoring some cognition
(Canadian Press/ CTV News) — Canadian scientists are reporting an interesting advance in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, which offers hope that certain cognitive functions could be partially restored.
Researchers at Laval University, Quebec City, and the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, say they …
Invasive Group A streptococcus cases rising in Canada
(Megan DeLaire/ CTV News) — Countries across the globe are reporting a sustained spike in the number of invasive Group A streptococcus (iGAS) infections at a time when the season for strep infections should be winding down, and Canada is among them.
iGAS is a potentially life-threatening infection involving …
Huge increase in 5-year survival rates of early breast cancer
(Paul McClure/ New Atlas) — A new UK study has found that, compared to 20 years ago, women diagnosed today with early invasive breast cancer and initially treated with surgery are 66% less likely to die from the disease.
Globally, more than two million women are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer each year. For most, it’s …
New research suggests that napping can help to maintain brain health
(Jack Guy/ CNN News) — Taking daytime naps may help maintain brain health as we age, according to a new study. However, prior research has shown that excess napping can also be harmful.
Habitual napping was linked with larger total brain volume, which is associated with a lower risk of dementia …