THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) — DNA locked in the bones and teeth of more than 5,000 humans who lived in Asia and Europe up to 34,000 years ago are providing vital clues to a myriad of present-day medical conditions. The descendants of these ancient peoples are living nowContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A rare genetic mutation found in 1% of people of European descent appears to cut their odds for Parkinson’s disease in half, a new study finds. A better understanding of how this bit of DNA works might lead to better prevention and treatmentContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A regularly prescribed class of heart medications might be capable of treating one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy, a new study in mice suggests. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by abnormal RNA that affects the function of calciumContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Folks with a family history of heart disease might benefit from eating more oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines, a new study finds. Oily fish contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which cannot be produced by the body and mustContinue Reading
MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2023 (Healthday News) — Two new gene-editing treatments that target dangerously high levels of cholesterol in people with a genetic predisposition to the condition were found safe and effective in new, groundbreaking research. While powerful drugs like statins can help manage cholesterol in most people, they can’t treatContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Everyone knows smoking to be a major cause of cancer. Now, exactly how tobacco smoke triggers tumor development just got a bit clearer, thanks to new Canadian research. According to a team at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) in Toronto, smokingContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 16, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Scientists have discovered two genes that may trigger Raynaud’s phenomenon, a condition that can cause fingers and toes to go cold and numb because of the constriction of tiny blood vessels under the skin. “We identify two distinct genes that point to twoContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 9, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have developed an antibody that can reduce Alzheimer’s-like brain damage in lab mice — inspired by the case of one woman with remarkable resistance to the disease. The work, by researchers at Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School in Boston, and elsewhere,Continue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Going vegetarian is trendy and popular, along with being a healthy choice, but a large portion of those who say they want to stick with a plant-based diet don’t. It might come down to your DNA, suggests new research that has uncovered threeContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) — New research has discovered 12 gene variants that may be tied to an increased risk of attempting suicide. These genes also may have links with physical and mental health woes, including chronic pain, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), lung conditions and heart disease. The researchersContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Sept. 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have found a gene mutation linked to esophageal cancer, which could lead to better prevention and treatment strategies. Investigators from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio found the mutation, potentially helping those at risk of what is a highly lethal cancer. EsophagealContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 20, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Bats have an extraordinary ability to avoid cancer and handle infections, and researchers now think they might know why. Specific genetic adaptations caused by rapid evolution have made bats extremely cancer-resistant, researchers report in the Sept. 20 issue of the journal Genome BiologyContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Sept. 19, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Women who carry mutations in genes known as BRCA have an elevated risk of breast cancer. But a large, new study suggests that risk may be lower than generally believed — especially if a woman has no close relative with the disease. TheContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) — A large number of drugs used to treat everything from multiple sclerosis to blood cancers to rheumatoid arthritis may cause a rare but often-fatal condition called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). But a simple genetic test can determine who has a 10-fold higher riskContinue Reading