As political leaders debate the merits of a future Medicare for All system in the U.S., some analysts predict that implementing universal coverage could cause a sharp, unaffordable increase in hospital use and costs, overwhelming the system. But new research by a team at Harvard Medical School and The City University of New York at […]
This Tick-borne Illness Can Cause Fatal Swelling of the Brain—and Can Be Transmitted in Just 15 Minutes
When you think about ticks and the illnesses they can carry, you probably think of Lyme disease—for good reason. Lyme disease is certainly the most common and widespread tick-borne illness, and it’s been reported in all 50 states. But it’s not the only one: In recent years, scientists have been warning about another, less common […]
Excess hormones could cause a condition that can lead to blindness in women, study finds
Research led by the University of Birmingham has found that increased levels of hormones including testosterone could cause a brain condition that can lead to blindness in women. Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension—also known as IIH—is caused by high pressure in the brain with consequences from blindness to incapacitating daily long-term headaches. IIH was originally identified over […]
Scientists first to pinpoint a cause of pigmentary glaucoma
An international team of researchers has identified a gene responsible for the onset of pigmentary glaucoma, which may lead to new therapies for the condition. “People who traditionally we wouldn’t think of having glaucoma—young males in their 20s and 30s—are at particular risk for this form of the disease and of losing their vision,” said […]
Discovery of novel mechanisms that cause migraines
Researchers at CNRS, Université Côte d’Azur and Inserm have demonstrated a new mechanism related to the onset of migraine. They found how a mutation that causes dysfunction in a protein which inhibits neuronal electrical activity induces migraines. These results, published in Neuron on December 17, 2018, open a new path for the development of anti-migraine […]
Age-related increase in estrogen may cause common men’s hernia
An age-related increase in estrogen may be the culprit behind inguinal hernias, a condition common among elderly men that often requires corrective surgery, according to a Northwestern Medicine study was published Oct. 15 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study, led by Dr. Serdar Bulun, chair and the John J. Sciarra Professor […]
Solving a medical mystery: Cause of rare type of dwarfism discovered
For children born with Saul-Wilson syndrome, and their parents, much of their lives are spent searching for answers. First defined in 1990, only 14 cases are known worldwide. And the cause of the syndrome—characterized by short stature, microcephaly (small head), hearing loss and early developmental delays—remained unknown. Today, these individuals have answers. “This is the […]
Researchers discover possible cause for Alzheimer’s and traumatic brain injury
Rutgers researchers have discovered a new mechanism that may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury. They now hope to launch a clinical trial to test the treatment in humans. What causes Alzheimer’s is unknown, but a popular theory suggests a protein known as amyloid-beta slowly builds up a plaque in the brains of […]
Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning can be very difficult to spot – and can cause brain damage
Carbon monoxide (CO), like many gases, cannot be detected by our human senses. We cannot see it, smell it or taste it. But unlike many gases, small amounts are extremely harmful to us. In 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 53 people in the UK died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. […]
BPA replacements in plastics cause reproductive problems in lab mice
Twenty years ago, researchers made the accidental discovery that the now infamous plastics ingredient known as bisphenol A or BPA had inadvertently leached out of plastic cages used to house female mice in the lab, causing a sudden increase in chromosomally abnormal eggs in the animals. Now, the same team is back to report in […]