Around 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, the actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, a rare type of dementia that typically affects people ages 45 to 64. In contrast to Alzheimer’s, in which the major initial symptom is memory loss, FTD typically involves changes in behavior.
People produce endocannabinoids—similar to compounds found in marijuana—that are critical to many bodily functions
Over the past two decades, a great deal of attention has been given to marijuana—also known as pot or weed. As of early 2023, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in 21 states and Washington, D.C., and the use of marijuana for medical purposes has grown significantly during the last 20 or so years.
Viewpoint: E-cigarettes should be in plain packaging—just like cigarettes
Vaping is a rapidly growing habit in Great Britain, particularly among younger people. Research by the anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health found that in 2022 7% of 11- to 17-year-olds in Great Britain used e-cigarettes, up from 3.3% the year before.
What’s the ‘weight set point,’ and why does it make it so hard to keep weight off?
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight but found the kilos return almost as quickly as they left, you’re not alone.
You’ve read the scary headlines—but rest assured, your cookware is safe
“Are nonstick pans toxic”? “Can aluminum cookware cause dementia?” “Are my scratched pans still safe?” That’s just a sample of a few worrying headlines about the safety of our pots and pans recently.
Yeast used in production of cachaça can prevent asthma, study shows
A daily dose of a strain of brewer’s yeast used to produce cachaça (distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice) can act as a preventive against asthma, according to a Brazilian study involving male mice. The results are reported in an article published in the journal Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins. The authors are researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). The yeast strain used in the study was Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG A-905.
Type 1 diabetes: First clinical trial of GABA/GAD in newly diagnosed, very young children
For the first time, humans with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, or T1D, have received two treatments called GABA and GAD that have shown promise in animal studies and in isolated human pancreas islets. This investigator-initiated clinical trial, published in Nature Communications, focused exclusively on children with recent onset T1D.
Analysis of vaccine uptake among UK women provides valuable insights
Only three-quarters of women of reproductive age were vaccinated against COVID-19 by February 2022, new research has found.
‘You’: A criminologist explains Joe Goldberg’s ‘erotomaniac delusions’ in Netflix stalking drama
Despite its unusual choice of protagonist—obsessive stalker and serial killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley)—Netflix’s “You” is entering its fourth season, with audiences around the world streaming the many crimes he commits in the name of “love.”
Irritable bowel syndrome patients may suffer significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation
New research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine has established a link between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The research highlights the need for health professionals to evaluate and treat associated psychiatric co-morbidities in IBS patients to improve their overall health and quality of life.