Category: Health

Gambling and depression could develop hand-in-hand from the teenage years to early adulthood. Researchers have found that if a young man is a chronic gambler, the chances are extremely high that he also suffers from depression. Gambling problems should be treated together with depression, suggested researcher Frederic Dussault from University of Quebec at Montreal in…

Spending too much time playing video games may increase your risk of developing neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, says a new study. Playing too much video games could lower functional brain activity in the hippocampus that plays a major role in memory formation and spatial navigation, the researchers said. “People who spend a lot…

Certain flavourings used in the liquid for electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) may adversely affect the lungs by changing important cellular functions in their tissue, says a new study. Out of the 13 flavourings that the researchers tested, five of them were found to have adverse effects on the lungs. “The effects of the various chemical components…

Regular use of the common painkiller aspirin may help slow the progression of early emphysema, a lung disease that primarily causes shortness of breath, says a new study. “Other than smoking cessation and avoidance, there are no known methods for reducing the risk of developing emphysema,” said researcher Carrie Aaron from Columbia University Medical Centre…

Swollen lymph nodes are often the earliest signs of spread of cancer cells. Swedish researchers have now discovered how cancer cells can infiltrate the lymphatic system by “disguising” themselves as immune cells (white blood cells). The main reason why people die of cancer is that the cancer cells spread to form daughter tumours or metastases…

People who are having healthier diets with higher quantities of vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, soy products and moderate alcohol intake are at a reduced risk of cognitive decline as they get older, says new research. The team from Ontario-based McMaster University tracked the health and habits of 28,000 people who were taking part in two…

If you are depressed and feel that your thinking ability has become “fuzzy” or less sharp, you are right. A new study has shown that the effect is indeed real, adding that this condition falls in the category of mood disorders. For the study, researchers from the University of Michigan’s medical school and depression centre…

Parents who have been sleepwalkers in the past can expect their children to sleepwalk, say researchers. A new study among children born in the Canadian province of Quebec found that more than 60 percent of children developed sleepwalking when both their parents were sleepwalkers. Children with one parent who was a sleepwalker had three times…

Lack of potassium in the diet, not a little more salt than what is currently recommended, is linked to higher blood pressure (BP), new research says. The researchers found that adolescent girls, who consumed more dietary potassium had lower BPs in later adolescence. “In contrast, the data indicated no overall effect of sodium intake alone…

Turmeric, the familiar yellow spice common in Indian cooking, may also help treat oral cancers caused by a virus, says a study co-authored by an Indian-origin researcher. One of the herb’s key active ingredients – an antioxidant called curcumin – appears to have a quelling effect on the activity of human papillomavirus (HPV), the study…

 Daily consumption of capsaicin, the active compound of chilli peppers, can have a beneficial effect on liver damage, scientists reveal. Capsaicin was found to reduce the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in mice models. HSCs are the major cell type involved in liver fibrosis which is the formation of scar tissue in response to…