Outdoor air pollution linked to higher diabetes risk
(Kristina Sauerwein/ Futurity) — A new study links outdoor air pollution—even at levels deemed safe—to an increased risk of diabetes globally.
The findings raise the possibility that reducing pollution may lead to a drop in diabetes cases in heavily polluted countries such as India and less polluted ones such as the United States. …
Inexpensive eye imaging method may help monitor Alzheimer’s progression
(Matt O’Connor/ Health Imaging) — Queen’s University Belfast researchers found the eye may be a critical indicator for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) along with a host of other neurodegenerative diseases.
Published in the Journal of Ophthalmic Research, the study showed peripheral retinal imaging, using ultra-wide field …
Alzheimer’s could one day be treated with common drug, study in mice suggests
(Kashmira Gander/ Newsweek) — Aspirin could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has suggested.
Currently, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown, and researchers are scrambling to find a way to prevent and treat the most common form of dementia.
The research hones in on how the body deals with amyloid beta. Scientists …
Seeing the same doctor linked to lower risk of death
(Rebecca Ochs/ European Scientist) — Seeing the same doctor over time has been linked to a variety of benefits for patients, including improved care, communication and trust, but new research suggests that it could also save lives.
In what is said to be the first systematic review of how continuity of care is related to risk …
How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?
(Web MD) — You could call fibromyalgia a copycat condition. Its main symptoms — widespread pain and fatigue — are a lot like those of other health problems. And there’s no test or scan that can diagnose fibromyalgia, so it can be hard for your doctor to nail down what’s causing your aches and pains.
If you think you could have …
Addiction mechanism discovery may explain why some people are prone to alcoholism
(Rich Haridy/ New Atlas) — A robust study led by researchers at Linköping University has uncovered a molecular mechanism in the brain that is believed central to the development of alcohol addiction. The research potentially explains why some people are more prone to alcoholism than others and may even lead to a new drug therapy …
‘Remarkable drop’ in C. difficile infections at Canadian hospitals
(Sheryl Ubelacker/ Canadian Press) — Rates of Clostridium difficile, an often recurring bacterial infection of the colon that causes debilitating diarrhea, have fallen dramatically in hospitals across Canada since 2009, a study has found.
In a study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers …
Caffeine linked to improved heart health in mice
(Rebecca Ochs/ European Scientist) — Scientists have discovered why coffee seems to be good for the heart and said that caffeine intake equivalent to drinking four cups of coffee a day could lead to improved heart health.
Although previous research has linked coffee to lower risks for various diseases, including type 2 diabetes, …
I learned I have sleep apnea. It’s more serious than many people realize
(Austin Frakt/ New York Times) —One of the lighter moments along my journey to receiving a sleep apnea diagnosis was learning that “heroic snoring” is a clinical term. It sounds more like an oddball super power — snores that can be clearly heard through walls. Many of us have such a snorer in our lives, and some endure the disruption it causes …