News from the world of medicine:
People who exercise regularly not only can reduce their odds of becoming obese, but also cut their risk of developing about two dozen physical and mental health problems, a new review of more than 40 studies indicates. Exercise reduces the risk of some cancers, dementia, sexual problems like erectile dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, and hypertension, among many other diseases, according to the review.
Estrogen is an elixir for the brain, sharpening mental performance in humans and animals and showing promise as a treatment for disorders of the brain such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. But long-term estrogen therapy, once prescribed routinely for menopausal women, now is quite controversial because of research showing it increases the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Northwestern Medicine researchers have discovered how to reap the benefits of estrogen without the risk.
An experimental drug, anacetrapib, which boosts levels of "good" HDL cholesterol has cleared a major safety hurdle, renewing hopes of fighting heart disease in a new way. "Our jaws dropped when we saw the 138% increase in HDL [over placebo]. And our jaws dropped even more when LDL went down by 40%," compared with placebo, says study leader Christopher P. Cannon, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
For parents who grow frustrated with their children's seeming inability to understand others who have different points of view, here's hope from the scientists: As children mature, the regions in a specific brain network known as the default-mode network or DMN begin to work together, and parents are likely to notice a difference in the children's ability to look outside themselves, according to new research.
Good news for women who love chocolate: Frequently eating chocolate was associated with a lower risk for atherosclerosis, as well as for hospitalization and premature death from heart disease or heart failure.
Widely prescribed for their cholesterol-lowering properties, recent clinical research indicates that statins can produce a second, significant health benefit: lowering the risk of severe bacterial infections such as pneumonia and sepsis.
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