Patients 'unafraid' to gamble highlight role of amygdala in decision-making

Two patients with rare lesions to the brain have provided direct of evidence of how we make decisions – and what makes us dislike the thought of losing money.

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UC Davis study confirms link between advanced maternal age and autism

Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father's age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in...

Morality research sheds light on the origins of religion

The details surrounding the emergence and evolution of religion have not been clearly established and remain a source of much debate among scholars. Now, an article published by Cell Press...

Soft drink consumption may increase risk of pancreatic cancer

Mark Pereira, Ph.D., is the senior author on the study and associate professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota.Consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who did not consume soft drinks, according to a...

Gadgets not related to teenagers' brain pain

Use of most electronic media is not associated with headaches, at least not in adolescents. A study of 1025 13-17 year olds, published in the open access journal BMC Neurology,...

Few women take tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer

Andrew N. Freedman, Ph.D., is chief of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, NCI.Researchers with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have found that the prevalence of tamoxifen use for the prevention of breast cancer among women without a personal history of breast cancer...

High-altitude climbs may cause corneal swelling, but do not appear to affect vision

Swelling commonly occurs in the corneas of mountain climbers, but does not appear to affect vision at altitudes of up to 6,300 meters (about 20,670 feet), according to a report...

Hypertension may predict dementia in older adults with certain cognitive deficits

High blood pressure appears to predict the progression to dementia in older adults with impaired executive functions (ability to organize thoughts and make decisions) but not in those with memory...

Research reveals link between beer and bone health

A new study suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Researchers from the Department of Food Science & Technology...

Financial hardship contributes to diagnosis anxiety

A new analysis has found that women with medium or low levels of income are particularly susceptible to anxiety and depression after being diagnosed with the precancerous breast condition, ductal...

A potent suppressor of endometrial cancer is revealed

Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive tract, representing 6% of all cancers. There is currently no screening method or biomarker to indicate early presence...

In tests at Berkeley Lab of celluose surfaces contaminated with nicotine residues from third-hand smoke, levels of newly formed TSNAs rose 10 times following a three hour exposure to nitrous acid. TSNAs are potent carcinogens.

Depressed people feel more gray than blue

People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Medical Research Methodology...

Medication appears well-tolerated, beneficial in Huntington's disease patients

A medication previously studied in patients with Alzheimer's disease (latrepirdine) appears well tolerated and may improve thinking, learning and memory skills among individuals with Huntington's disease, according to a report...

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Will earlier springs throw nature out of step?

The recent trend towards earlier UK springs and summers has been accelerating, according to a study published today (9 February 2010) in the scientific journal Global Change Biology.

Method of the future uses single-cell imaging to identify gene interactions

Cellular imaging offers a wealth of data about how cells respond to stimuli, but harnessing this technique to study biological systems is a daunting challenge. In a study published...

Marijuana ineffective as an Alzheimer's treatment: UBC-Vancouver Coastal Health research

The benefits of marijuana in tempering or reversing the effects of Alzheimer's disease have been challenged in a new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver...

More smokers than non-smokers accept HPV vaccination for their daughters

Sally W. Vernon, Ph.D., is director of the Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health and an editorial board member of <i>Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention</i>.A parent's existing health habits or behaviors, like cigarette smoking, may influence the likelihood that they will have their daughters vaccinated against HPV.

Brown biologist solves mystery of tropical grasses' origin

Around 30 to 40 million years ago, grasses on Earth underwent an epic evolutionary upheaval. An assemblage capitalized on falling levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide by engineering an internal mechanism...

Medicare reimbursement change meant to save money has opposite effect

Increased Medicare payments to physicians for outpatient surgeries for bladder cancer have led to a dramatic rise in the number of these procedures being performed and an overall increase in...

Mice shed new light on causes of childhood deafness

Deafness is the most common disorder of the senses. Tragically, it commonly strikes in early childhood, severely damaging an affected child's ability to learn speech and language. In many...

Hand-grip strength associated with poor survival

Poor or declining handgrip strength in the oldest old is associated with poor survival and may be used as a tool to assess mortality, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian...

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