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22 Mar
The Mystery to Beethoven’s Death May Be Over Thanks to Genetic Research
A team of scientists use 5 locks of Beethoven’s hair to uncover his genetic code and reveal clues to the composer’s health and death in 1827.
Health News Results - 319
Scientists Spot Gene Mutation Linked to Esophageal Cancer
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 22, 2023
- Full Page
Researchers have found a gene mutation linked to esophageal cancer, which could lead to better prevention and treatment strategies.
Investigators from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio found the mutation, potentially helping those at risk of what is a highly letha...
Many Women May Overestimate Risks From Genes Tied to Breast Cancer
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- September 19, 2023
- Full Page
Women who carry mutations in genes known as BRCA have an elevated risk of breast cancer. But a large, new study suggests that risk may be lower than generally believed -- especially if a woman has no close relative with the disease.
The study, of more than 400,000 Britis...
Gene Test Spots Those Vulnerable to Rare but Severe Side Effect of Drugs for MS, Other Conditions
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 13, 2023
- Full Page
A large number of drugs used to treat everything from multiple sclerosis to blood cancers to rheumatoid arthritis may cause a rare but often-fatal condition called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
But a simple genetic test can determine who has a 10-fold...
Were You a Big Baby at Birth? Your Infant May Be Also, Study Finds
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 7, 2023
- Full Page
If you were a big baby -- or your spouse or partner was -- your baby has a good chance of being big, too.
New research shows parents who were large babies are more likely to give birth to a large baby.
Knowing this has the potential to improve prenatal care and int...
Boys Who Smoke Could Be Harming Their Future Children's Health
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 5, 2023
- Full Page
Smoking may not only harm the smoker and those who breathe in the secondhand fumes, but also their future children.
New research suggests that boys who ...
Blood Test Might Help Diagnose Parkinson's Disease Much Earlier
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- August 31, 2023
- Full Page
As it stands, no one blood test or brain scan can definitively diagnose Parkinson's disease.
But researchers report this may soon change if a new blood test continues to show promise.
The test measures DNA damage in the mitochondria of cells, which is known to be h...
Scientists Decode the Y Chromosome, Key to Male Development
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 23, 2023
- Full Page
An international research team has achieved the first complete sequencing of the human Y chromosome, which is closely linked to male development.
This is the last of the human chromosomes to be fully sequenced, an effort that may shed light on everything from fertility t...
Gene Study Reveals Brain's Complex Organization
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 18, 2023
- Full Page
The brain is a complex organ, and a new study — believed to be the largest ever on the brain’s genetics — identifies more than 4,000 genetic variants linked to brain structure.
The research, involving some 36,000 brain scans, was led by a team at the University of ...
Improved Pig-to-Human Kidney Transplants Mark a Major Advance
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 16, 2023
- Full Page
Genetically engineered pig kidneys are nearing the point where they could provide a government-approved, sustainable supply of organs for sick humans awaiting a transplant, a pair of new studies argue.
A lightly modified pig kidney has continued to function more than a m...
Gene Could Lower HIV Levels in Some People of African Descent
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 2, 2023
- Full Page
A newly discovered genetic variant might explain why some people of African ancestry have naturally lower viral loads of HIV, an international team of researchers reports.
This variant, carried by an estimated 4% to 13% of people of African origin, reduces their risk of ...
Families With Multiple Cases Give Clues to Autism's Origins
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 1, 2023
- Full Page
In a study of families that have multiple children with autism, researchers have unearthed new insights into genes that might drive the disorder.
“Study design is critical, and not enough attention has been paid to studying families with more than one affected child,�...
Researchers Identify Genes That Influence What You Eat
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 24, 2023
- Full Page
You've likely heard that "you are what you eat,” but a new study suggests what you eat also has something to do with who you are — genetically speaking.
Researchers have identified nearly 500 genes that appear to directly influence what someone eats. These insig...
Could Your Genes Guard You From the Symptoms of COVID Infection?
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- July 19, 2023
- Full Page
In the world of COVID-19 infections, the majority of patients develop symptoms, while about one-fifth mysteriously don't develop a cough, sore throat or other tell-tale signs of illness.
Now, new research finds that these symptom-free super-dodgers are more than twi...
Is Alzheimer's Disease Genetic?
- Miriam Jones Bradley, RN HealthDay Reporter
- June 21, 2023
- Full Page
Alzheimer's disease is a devastating diagnosis, and if a close relative has had it you may worry whether you will be next.
According to the National Institutes of Health, it is estimated...
Could Loss of the Y Chromosome Help Speed Cancers in Men?
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 21, 2023
- Full Page
It's common knowledge that loss is a part of male aging — loss of hair, loss of muscle tone, loss of vision or hearing.
But men growing older also start losing the very thing that makes them biological males, their Y chromosome, and that can leave them more vulnerable ...
What Causes Alzheimer's? Genes, Environment & Lifestyle Play Roles
- Kirstie Ganobsik HealthDay Reporter
- June 20, 2023
- Full Page
Learning that your loved one has Alzheimer's disease can be frightening and leave you feeling lost and unsure.
To help you better understand the condition and what you can do to manage it, experts detail what causes Alzheimer's disease. In this guide, you'll learn about ...
Disease That Permanently Bends Fingers Could Have Origins in Neanderthal Genes
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 14, 2023
- Full Page
The so-called “Viking disease” causes the fingers of many aging northern European men to lock up in a bent position, and researchers now think they know why.
Genetic variants inherited from Neanderthal man appear to be the most powerful risk factors for developing Du...
Scientists Get Closer to a Better PSA Test
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 5, 2023
- Full Page
The most common screening test for prostate cancer so often returns a false positive result that it's no longer recommended for men older than 70, and it's offered as a personal choice for younger men.
But researchers think they've found a way to make the blood test for ...
Gene Changes Made This Season's Bird Flu More Severe
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 2, 2023
- Full Page
Genetic mutations caused this latest bird flu season to become more severe, increasing the risk it poses to humans and other mammals, a new study finds.
The H5N1 avian influenza virus gained the ability to severely infect the brains of mammalian test subjects like ferret...
Alzheimer's Genes Might Also Raise Odds for Epilepsy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 25, 2023
- Full Page
People with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease may have an increased risk of epilepsy, a new study says. And folks with a certain type of epilepsy may have higher odds of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Having Alzheimer's was linked to a 5.3% increased risk...
Biological Secrets of the Woman Who Can't Feel Pain
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 24, 2023
- Full Page
A unique genetic brew has benefitted a Scottish woman who lives virtually pain-free, heals more rapidly and experiences reduced anxiety and fear, researchers from University College London report.
Pain geneticists have been studying the woman, Jo Cameron, for a decade. S...
CT Scans Beat Gene Scores at Predicting Mid-Life Heart Risk
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 23, 2023
- Full Page
When it comes to predicting heart trouble down the road, the arteries may say a lot more than the genes do, according to a new study.
Researchers found that CT scans of the heart arteries were better than genetics at predicting middle-aged adults' risk of heart disease i...
New Insights Into Each Parent's Role in the Genetics of Autism
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 23, 2023
- Full Page
Researchers working to unlock the mysteries of autism report they have discovered differences among children when two in a family have the condition versus just one.
Scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York have been researching the genetic origins of au...
'Complex' Genetic Links Between Marijuana Use, Psychiatric Ills
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 23, 2023
- Full Page
A subset of people may be at high risk for both psychiatric disorders and for using marijuana, based on their genetics, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Oslo in Norway have found that some of the genetic variants associated with cannabis use ...
A Gene Shielded One Man From Alzheimer's for Decades. Scientists Are Figuring Out How It Works
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 15, 2023
- Full Page
MONDAY, May 15, 2023 -- Researchers have discovered a genetic mutation that should actively protect people from Alzheimer's, thanks to a man belonging to a Colombian family known to be susceptible to the degenerative brain disease.
Based on his family's genetics, this un...
Traces of Human DNA Are Everywhere in the Environment
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 15, 2023
- Full Page
Detailed remnants of human DNA can be found just about everywhere that people have been, a surprising finding that raises a host of ethical issues for researchers, a new study says.
Environmental samples of human DNA were found nearly everywhere, save for isolated island...
A More Diverse Human Genome: The 'Pangenome'
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 10, 2023
- Full Page
Last year, gene researchers made news by announcing the completion of the first complete sequence of the human genome.
That effort has now been expanded, with researchers using that success as a springboard to create a comprehensive and sophisticated collection of genome...
Should All U.S. Newborns Undergo Genomic Testing?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2023
- Full Page
While newborns are only screened for about 60 treatable conditions, there are hundreds of genetic disorders that have targeted treatments.
Now, a national survey of experts in rare diseases found the vast majority support DNA sequencing in healthy newborns.
Testi...
You May Have Neanderthals to Thank for Your Nose
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2023
- Full Page
The influence of Neanderthals is evident right in the center of the faces of modern humans.
New research finds that genetic material inherited from Neanderthals affects nose shape. A particular gene made the nose taller from top to bottom.
This may have been neces...
Genes or Lifestyle? How a Person Becomes Obese Could Influence Heart Health
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 6, 2023
- Full Page
It's well known that being overweight or obese can increase health risks.
But a new study finds that the reasons why a person is obese may have some impact on heart disease risk.
Specifically, being obese because of lifestyle carried higher risks than it...
Poor Sleep Plus Genes Might Raise Some Folks' Asthma Risk
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 4, 2023
- Full Page
A good night's sleep is important for everyone, and it may be especially sage advice for adults with a genetic susceptibility to asthma, a new study says.
Someone with poor sleep quality and a genetic link to asthma may double their chances of being diagnosed with the re...
Million-Person Study Finds Genes Common to Many Addiction Disorders
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 24, 2023
- Full Page
Breakthrough research shows genetic markers for substance abuse and could lead to more effective ways to prevent and treat drug and alcohol use disorders.
These findings could help people wh...
New Technique 80% Effective in Selecting a Baby's Gender
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- March 22, 2023
- Full Page
It's a controversial notion, but couples undergoing fertility treatments may soon be able to select the sex of their baby — with an 80% chance of success, doctors say.
Sperm-sorting techniques have been tried and offered before, but the new procedure — which sep...
From a Lock of Hair, Beethoven's Genome Gives Clues to Health, Family
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- March 22, 2023
- Full Page
Genetic analysis of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair has provided new clues into the cause of the great composer's death in 1827 — as well as evidence of a family scandal.
The analysis revealed that Beethoven suffered from a hepatitis B infection that could have contributed...
Just 2 Kids Worldwide Are Known to Have This Rare Genetic Disease. Their Parents United for a Cure
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- March 16, 2023
- Full Page
When Yoni Silverman, now 13, was a toddler, his parents fretted as he missed milestone after milestone. The New York City couple took their son to a host of specialists, searching for answers about why he wasn't speaking and had difficulty with balance, among other development...
Gene That Shielded Some Against Black Death May Be Helping, Harming People Today
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 8, 2023
- Full Page
Some people may have a gene that helps protect them from respiratory diseases like COVID-19 -- and helped their ancestors fight the plague.
It comes at a cost.
This same gene variation may be linked to an increased risk of autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid a...
Breast Cancer Genes Raise Risks for Older Women, Too
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 28, 2023
- Full Page
Though BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations are associated with breast and ovarian cancer in younger women, those over 50 continue to have a high risk of breast cancer.
Is Obesity Especially Dangerous for Women at Genetic Risk for Breast Cancer?
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- February 27, 2023
- Full Page
Certain gene mutations put women at high risk of breast cancer, and now an early study hints that obesity might make matters worse.
The findings come from a study of breast tissue samples from women who carried particular mutations in genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 — whi...
Gene Could Predispose Some Black Patients to Alzheimer's
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- February 22, 2023
- Full Page
A gene variant found almost exclusively among people of African descent appears to substantially raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds.
The variant is in a gene called ApoE3, and it's apparently only harmful when it exists in combination with the ApoE4...
21 Genes Could Link Midlife Obesity & Alzheimer's Risk
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 22, 2023
- Full Page
A new study links obesity with 21 Alzheimer's disease-related genes.
This may help explain why Alzheimer's is often more frequent among adults who experienced obesity in midlife, according to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Rare But Dangerous Form of Eating Disorder Could Run in Families
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- February 6, 2023
- Full Page
Genes may have a strong influence over whether kids develop an eating disorder marked by extremely limited food choices, a new study finds.
The study focused on a condition ...
Got an Extra Chromosome? It Could Harm You
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 27, 2023
- Full Page
Researchers have uncovered a serious risk for folks who have an extra X or Y chromosome.
Those with the genetic condition known as supernumerary sex chromosome aneuploidy have a risk for blood clots in a deep vein or lung that's four or five times higher than usual, a
Research Gives Clues to Why Cancer in One Breast Could Develop in the Other
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 24, 2023
- Full Page
Some women with cancer in one breast may have a greater risk of developing cancer in the other breast, new research suggests.
Those who carry a specific genetic change — a germline BRCA1, BRCA2 or CHEK2 mutation — have at least a twofold increased risk of cancer in b...
The Naked Ape: Science Unravels How Humans Lost Their Body Hair
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 6, 2023
- Full Page
In the mammalian world, there are the hairy, the less hairy and the hairless. But why that is has remained a mystery.
Until now.
In a new study that compared the DNA of 62 animals, researchers found that while humans appear to have the genes for a full coat of body...
People Are Still Evolving, Creating New Genes
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 21, 2022
- Full Page
Humans have continued to evolve after splitting from chimpanzee ancestors nearly 7 million years ago, according to a new study that found 155 new genes unique to humans that suddenly arose from tiny sections of DNA.
Some of the new genes date back to the...
4 Genes May Raise Risk for Suicide
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 14, 2022
- Full Page
Scientists have pinpointed four genes that seem to play a part in how vulnerable you are to suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
"It's important to note that these genes do not predestine anyone to problems, but it's also important to understand that there could be heightened...
'All of Us': Big U.S. Genetics Study Is Already Helping Participants
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 14, 2022
- Full Page
More than 155,000 people who have taken part in a massive genetic study orchestrated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) have already gotten something in return -- personalized DNA results that tell them whether they have an increased risk for certain health condit...
Patients' Genes Raise Odds for Rare Brain Infection When Using Certain Meds
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 12, 2022
- Full Page
For some people, dozens of U.S.-approved drugs can lead to a rare but often fatal brain infection.
Researchers have now confirmed a strong link between four genetic mutations and this illness, called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
Gene Test Might Help Some Breast Cancer Patients Skip Radiation After Lumpectomy
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- December 9, 2022
- Full Page
A new genetic test may help determine which people with breast cancer can safely skip radiation after breast-conserving surgery to remove their tumor.
Individuals with invasive breast cancer who had low scores on an investigational gene panel were just as likely to ...
Twins Study Shows Exercise Altering How Genes Behave
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 9, 2022
- Full Page
One might expect identical twins to have the same health outcomes.
But it's not just genetics that makes a notable difference in their weight and in how their genes behave, according to a new st...