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TAMPA, United States (AFP) — In an effort to speed research toward a cure for the most common form of dementia, experts urged a new framework Tuesday to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease using biological clues, rather than symptoms of memory loss. Alzheimer’s affects some 44 million people around the world, but remains poorly understood, with no effective treatments despite billions of dollars spent on research. Clinical trials have stumbled, with recent research showing that up to […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Some 300 million people worldwide are living with the deadly hepatitis B virus (HBV), but only one in 20 received adequate treatment, researchers reported Tuesday. For expectant mothers carrying the virus — which can be transmitted to their children — that percentage drops to one in 100, they reported in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology medical journal. If left untreated, HBV can cause serious diseases of the liver, including cancer. An […]
by Marlowe Hood Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Feeling lonely contributes less to the risk of cardiovascular disease than recent research suggests, scientists said Tuesday, but social isolation really does up the odds of dying after a heart attack or stroke. The alleged link between loneliness and heart disease essentially disappears once other well-known risk factors — smoking, drinking, poor diet, lack of exercise — are factored in, according to a study that […]
by Patrick Galey Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — British scientists on Wednesday unveiled a next-generation wearable brain scanner that can be donned like a helmet and allows patients to move freely while being scanned, potentially revolutionizing neural care for children and the elderly. Researchers hailed the “transformative” imaging set-up, which for the first time gave them access to brain activity while patients make natural movements, including nodding, stretching and even playing ping pong. […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Being overweight or obese does pose a risk of heart disease, despite claims to the contrary, a study of nearly 300,000 British adults suggested Friday. While it is generally accepted that being overweight increases a person’s disease risk, some researchers have recently suggested that carrying extra weight does not actually boost death rates for some, particularly the elderly. A number have even suggested that being overweight may protect against disease, […]
by Ulises Ruiz with Jennifer Gonzalez Covarrubias in Mexico City Agence France-Presse GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AFP) — The folds of flesh on Juan Pedro Franco’s back sway heavily as he cranks the pedals of a modified bicycle with his arms, exercising to boost his already jaw-dropping weight-loss total of 250 kilos (550 pounds). Franco, who comes from northern Mexico, used to be the world’s fattest man. Guinness World Records certified the title after he weighed in […]
by Marlowe Hood Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Chronic heavy drinking is a major risk factor for all types of dementia, especially early onset of the disease, according to a study published Wednesday in The Lancet Public Health. Researchers examining more than 57,000 cases of early-onset dementia in France found that well over half were either alcohol-related, or accompanied by an additional diagnosis of alcohol abuse. Overall, alcohol use disorders were associated with […]
by Marlowe HOOD Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — A few hours a week of light exercise — walking the dog, puttering about in the garden — lower the risk of death in older men, even if workouts are brief, researchers said Tuesday. Their findings, reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, challenge two long-held assumptions about the benefits of physical activity for the elderly. To improve health and reduce the risk of […]
by Mariëtte Le Roux Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — People who wolf down their food could lose weight simply by chewing longer and pausing between bites, study results suggested Tuesday. Research involving nearly 60,000 Japanese people showed a link between eating slower or faster, and losing or gaining weight. “Changes in eating speed can affect changes in obesity, BMI and waist circumference,” a research duo from Japan’s Kyushu University wrote in the journal […]
by Louis Genot © Agence France-Presse Rio de Janeiro, Brazil AFP Fears of spreading yellow fever are behind the illegal killing of scores of monkeys in Rio de Janeiro, complicating efforts to fight the virus, authorities say. Locals, mistakenly believing that the animals can spread yellow fever to humans, are blamed for the surge in killings. Just this year, 238 monkeys have been found dead in Rio state, compared to 602 in all of 2017, said the city […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Virtual reality-based therapy combined with standard treatment reduced paranoia and anxiety in people with psychotic disorders, scientists reported Friday. In clinical trials involving 116 patients in the Netherlands, virtual reality exercises led to less fraught social interactions, a team wrote in The Lancet Psychiatry. More research is needed to confirm the long-term benefits of such technology, which gave the impression of being in an alternate reality populated by life-like avatars. Up […]
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization chief Wednesday said a deadly plague epidemic appeared to have been brought under control in Madagascar, but warned the next outbreak would likely be stronger. “The next transmission could be more pronounced or stronger,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, insisting that “the issue is serious.” An outbreak of both bubonic plague, which is spread by infected rats via flea bites, and pneumonic plague, […]
