How the brain decides between effort and reward
Every action we take involves a cost to us in physical energy, yet studies about decision-making have tended to look at how we weight up...
NEWS INDEX
Breastfeeding saves mothers’ lives, too, study shows
Breastfeeding as recommended — for a total of one year and exclusively for six months — could protect babies and their moms from premature death...
Brain’s biological clock stimulates thirst before sleep
The brain’s biological clock stimulates thirst in the hours before sleep, according to a study published in the journal Nature by McGill University researchers. Blue...
Smoking fathers increase asthma-risk in future offspring
A Norwegian study shows that asthma is three times more common in those who had a father who smoked in adolescence than offspring who didn’t....
Depression in pregnancy increases risk of mental health problems in children
Depression in pregnancy increases the risk of behavioural and emotional problems in children, says a new review published in The Lancet Psychiatry. The authors of...
Americas declared free of measles
The Region of the Americas is the first in the world to have eliminated measles, a viral disease that can cause severe health problems, including...
Antibiotics developed in 1960s show promise for TB therapy
First generation cephalosporins — antibiotics introduced as a treatment against bacterial infections in 1963 — now show promise for tuberculosis (TB) therapy, according to new...
Blood pressure drug may boost effectiveness of lung cancer treatment
A blood pressure drug may make a type of lung cancer treatment more effective, suggests a new study.The early-stage research, conducted on human cells in...
New switch decides between genome repair, death of cells
The genetic information of every cell is encoded in the sequence of the DNA double helix. Double strand breaks in the DNA, which can be...
Experimental imaging agent reveals concussion-linked brain disease in living brain
An experimental positron emission tomography (PET) tracer can effectively diagnose concussion-related brain degeneration while a person is still alive, according to a proof-of-concept study conducted...
Suffering from headaches? You may be at increased risk for a thyroid condition
Sufferers of migraines, cluster headaches, tension headaches or other headache disorders are at greater risk of developing a thyroid condition called hypothyroidism, according to a...
Lights, camera, action: New catheter lets doctors see inside arteries for first time
Removing plaque from clogged arteries is a common procedure that can save and improve lives. This treatment approach was recently made even safer and more...
Surprising findings on deadly diarrhea suggest ways to save children’s lives
New research offers unprecedented insights into the causes of childhood diarrhea, the second-leading cause of death of children worldwide, and suggests that the role of...
The ‘worm’ holds the key to treating epilepsy
Current methods to control epilepsy, which affects 1 in 26 Americans, are not only inefficient but haven’t improved in more than 150 years when the...
Measurement helps craniofacial surgeons better evaluate children with skull deformity
A baby’s skull is made of several plates of bone that fuse together over time to form a single structure. Previous research has shown that...
