Health
Women get far more migraines than men: A neurologist explains why, and what brings relief
A migraine is far more than just a headache – it’s a debilitating disorder of the nervous system. People who have migraines experience severe throbbing or pulsating pain, typically on one side of the head. The pain is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light or sound.… Read
Women over 70 risk breast cancer overdiagnosis with screening, U.S. study finds
A new study is raising fresh questions about the value of breast cancer screening in older women, finding that those 70 and older who underwent mammograms were more apt to be diagnosed with tumors posing no threat to their health than those who did not screen. The study by researchers… Read
New neurotechnology is blurring lines around mental privacy
Neurotechnologies – devices that interact directly with the brain or nervous system – were once dismissed as the stuff of science fiction. Not anymore. Several companies are trying to develop brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, in hopes of helping patients with severe paralysis or other neurological disorders. Entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company… Read
AI could halve time reading breast cancer scans, study suggests
Artificial intelligence could help almost halve the workload of radiologists when it comes to searching routine scans for signs of breast cancer, a large Swedish study suggests. The interim results of the trial were hailed as promising, but the authors cautioned that more research was needed before AI can be… Read
More adults than ever have been seeking ADHD medications
As a woman in my 30s who was constantly typing “ADHD” into my computer, something interesting happened to me in 2021. I started receiving a wave of advertisements beckoning me to get online help for ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. One was a free, one-minute assessment to find out if I… Read
Immune cells that fight cancer become exhausted within hours of first encountering tumors, new research shows
A key function of our immune system is to detect and eliminate foreign pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Immune cells like T cells do this by distinguishing between different types of proteins within cells, which allows them to detect the presence of infection or disease. A type of T… Read
U.S. preterm birth and maternal mortality rates are alarmingly high, outpacing those in all other high-income countries
Every two minutes, in about the time it takes to read a page of your favorite book or brew a cup of coffee, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth, according to a February 2023 report from the World Health Organization. The report reflects a shameful reality in which maternal… Read
First pill to treat postpartum depression approved by U.S. health officials
Federal health officials have approved the first pill specifically intended to treat severe depression after childbirth, a condition that affects thousands of new mothers in the U.S. each year. The Food and Drug Administration granted approval of the drug, Zurzuvae, for adults experiencing severe depression related to childbirth or pregnancy.… Read
Brain fog and other long COVID symptoms are focus of new small treatment studies
The National Institutes of Health is beginning a handful of studies to test possible treatments for long COVID, an anxiously awaited step in U.S. efforts against the mysterious condition that afflicts millions. The announcement from the NIH’s $1.15 billion RECOVER project comes amid frustration from patients who’ve struggled for months… Read
Each cigarette in Canada now comes with warning label
Each cigarette sold in Canada effective Aug 1 now comes with an individual health warning that "cigarettes cause impotence" and cancer, and that there is "poison in every puff." The labeling rule announced in May aims to further crack down on smoking and is a world first. Canada's then-addictions minister,… Read
