Brain’s reaction to stress key link to greater risk of heart attack

13th January 2017

US researchers have linked heightened activity in a person’s brain to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. As reported by BBC News, the study focused on almost 300 people and was led by researchers at Harvard Medical School.  A link between stress and a greater risk of cardiovascular disease has long been known, but the way ...

Dementia may be associated with traffic pollution

6th January 2017

Up to 11% of dementia cases in people living close to a major road may be related to traffic. As reported by BBC News, a Canadian study conducted by the University of Ontario followed nearly 2m people between 2001 and 2012.  The study found a correlation between the number of dementia cases and living close to ...

87% of middle-aged men are overweight, drink too much or exercise too little

30th December 2016

A new survey by Public Health England (PHE) shows that around 8 out of 10 people aged 40-60 in England are risking their health by drinking too much, exercising too little, or weighing too much. As reported by BBC News and the Guardian, men are slightly more likely than women – 87% to 79% – to ...

‘Transformative’ treatment for early stage prostate cancer announced

22nd December 2016

A new surgical approach has shown significant results in eliminating prostate tumours, as reported by BBC News. A pan-European trial involving 47 hospitals showed almost half of the 413 men treated had no cancer remaining following the treatment.  The technique involves use of a drug made from deep-sea bacteria, which become toxic when exposed to light. ...

Regular exercise beneficial for sperm quality

16th December 2016

Results from a recent study suggests that regular exercise is likely to improve sperm quality. As reported by Medical News Today, a research study from Uremia University in Iran sought to determine how varying exercise levels can affect men’s sperm quality.  Various previous studies on the impact of exercise have had differing findings, with some showing ...

Immune disorder may be cause of some psychosis cases

9th December 2016

A new study in Lancet Psychiatry has suggested that some patients who have developed psychotic conditions may have developed their symptoms due to problems with their immune system. As reported by BBC News, the UK-wide trial study involved taking blood samples from 228 people.  For some patients, the research suggested that their antibodies were attacking the ...

New experimental treatment believed to have ‘cured’ man of advanced prostate cancer

1st December 2016

An early trial of a new therapy for prostate cancer is believed to have cured one participant’s advanced prostate cancer by ‘shocking’ the tumour with high levels of testosterone. This is a novel treatment give that testosterone has been conventionally seen as ‘fuel’ for prostate cancer, and as such some treatments involve reducing levels of testosterone ...

Smoking responsible for hundreds of DNA mutations

11th November 2016

Researchers have found that a 20-a-day smoker will develop around 150 mutations in every lung cell each year, raising their risk of developing cancer. As reported by BBC News, an international group of scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Los Alamos National Laboratory sequenced thousands of tumour genomes to find a direct link between ...

New Alzheimer’s treatment raises prospect of slowing mental decline

4th November 2016

A new drug under development appears to ‘turn off’ the production of toxic materials in the brain which are believed to lead to Alzheimer’s symptoms. As reported in the Guardian, and published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers working with the pharmaceutical company Merck have created a tablet which appears to prevent the production of toxic proteins ...

National Stress Awareness Day – 2nd November

28th October 2016

The annual National Stress Awareness Day takes place this Wednesday, offering an opportunity for us to address causes of stress in our work and personal lives. Organised by ISMA, the International Stress Management Association, the event this year focuses on the workplace, encouraging employers to discuss stress prevention at work and address causes.  Other charities are ...