August 2012 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

Kids Of Older Fathers Likelier To Have Genetic Ailments

Icelandic scientists have found solid evidence that older men have more random mutations in their sperm cells. They're warning that can cause autism, schizophrenia and a long list of other genetic diseases in their offspring. Their findings are reported...

Published Wed, Aug 22 2012 3:57 PM by Shots - Health Blog

So You Want To Be A Disease Detective?

A team of doctors and scientists, known as disease detectives, fly around the world on a moments notice to investigate mystery illnesses or contain outbreaks. These Sherlock Holmes of medicine chatted on Twitter about what it's like to be a disease...

Published Fri, Aug 31 2012 8:46 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Can You Learn While You're Asleep?

An experiment that paired sounds with smells suggests basic forms of learning are possible while snoozing. The key seems to be a phenomenon known as conditioning — a form of simple learning made famous by Ivan Pavlov and his dog. Read More...

Published Tue, Aug 28 2012 12:27 AM by Shots - Health Blog

An Unloved Subject During Doctor Visits: Men's Sexual Health

A national study found less than half of young men had received any sexual or reproductive health services in the previous year. Of those, the most commonly reported service was a testicular exam. Read More...

Published Tue, Aug 28 2012 7:09 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Health Law Gives Medicare Fraud Fighters New Weapons

Criminals who defraud public health care programs to the tune of billions of dollars a year are now up against sophisticated computer systems designed to catch them. But the new efforts may yield far more leads than the current team of investigators and...

Published Tue, Aug 21 2012 12:28 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Why Can Some People Recall Every Day Of Their Lives? Brain Scans Offer Clues

People with extraordinary autobiographical memories also tend to have obsessive tendencies, researchers are learning. Brain scans reveal structural differences in the brains of these people, including a larger-than-normal caudate, a brain area linked...

Published Mon, Aug 20 2012 12:23 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Family's Fight Against Bipolar Disorder Leads To Shock Therapy Success

A psychiatrist's use of electroconvulsive therapy came as a huge surprise to a mother whose daughter was bipolar. "I honestly did not know people still did ECT, or if they did, it was not to people like my daughter," she says. Read More...

Published Tue, Aug 14 2012 11:50 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Small 'Button Batteries' Pose Big Risks For Kids

An estimated 40,400 kids under 13 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for battery-related injuries from 1997 to 2010, according to an analysis just out from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Consumer Product Safety Commission...

Published Thu, Aug 30 2012 12:53 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Yoga On Commission: More Employers Pay For Good Health Habits

Though more employers are encouraged to offer health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, bad employee health habits, like poor diet and smoking, are causing health care costs to skyrocket. To combat this expensive trend, many employers are using...

Published Fri, Aug 10 2012 9:39 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Scientists See Progress In Alzheimer's Despite Growing List of Drug Failures

Pfizer's research on an experimental drug that attacks plaques in the brain has been discontinued. But scientists say they're hopeful that new treatments that attack a specific protein in plaques will have better success. Read More...

Published Tue, Aug 07 2012 1:36 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Health Care Overhaul Creates Gaps In Maternity Coverage For Some Women

Women's health advocates hope that the law's coverage requirements will encourage large companies to step up to the plate and provide maternity benefits for dependents. Read More...

Published Tue, Aug 07 2012 8:12 AM by Shots - Health Blog

The Science Of Ritual: Why We Seek Help And Healing In Repetition

Psychologists are learning why we rely on rituals when there's something we want but don't know how to get. In a new paper, they say we're more likely to believe a ritual will work if it involves repetition and lots of steps. Read More...

Published Thu, Aug 02 2012 1:04 PM by Shots - Health Blog

West Nile Virus Makes A Comeback This Summer

An unusual number of severe West Nile cases has prompted a warning from federal health officials. Most of the cases have occurred in just three states — Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. But cases are occurring throughout the country. Read More...

Published Thu, Aug 02 2012 2:04 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Dire Health Conditions In South Sudan Prompt Airdrops

More than 100,000 people have fled to refugee camps in South Sudan to escape fighting in Sudan and find food. Heavy rains have depleted supplies and raised mortality rates above emergency levels. The United Nations has launched emergency airdrops of food...

Published Fri, Aug 24 2012 10:04 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Failure Of Lilly Drug Is Latest Alzheimer's Setback

It's the latest setback in a field marked by failure. Earlier this month, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson said they were dropping development of a similar experimental drug after big clinical studies showed it wasn't working. Read More...

Published Fri, Aug 24 2012 11:30 AM by Shots - Health Blog

August 2012 - NPR Health Blog

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