Renters May Age Faster Than Homeowners, Study Finds

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• October 11, 2023
• Full Page

Renting a home, rather than owning it outright, may speed up the body's aging process, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that when compared with people who owned their home outright (no mortgage), those who rented showed signs of faster "biological aging" -- which ...

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...

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 t...

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...

Smoking or Vaping? The DNA Damage May Be the Same

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• February 16, 2023
• Full Page

A new study builds upon earlier evidence that vaping isn't any healthier than smoking.

In analyzing epithelial cells taken from the mouths of vapers, smokers and people who had never vaped or smoked, researchers found that vapers and smokers had more than twice the amoun...

Your Dog's Behavior Is in Its DNA

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 9, 2022
• Full Page

Is your pooch a herder or a hunter? You can try taking them to a trainer, but new research shows much of their behavior is hardwired in their DNA.

For the new study, researchers analyzed DNA samples from more than 200 dog breeds and surveyed 46,000 pet-owners to try to s...

Unrelated Folks Who Look Alike Share Similar DNA

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• August 23, 2022
• Full Page

A person's unrelated lookalike, commonly known as a doppelganger, may actually share genes that affect not only how they appear, but also their behavior.

In a new study, scientists did DNA analysis on 32 sets of virtual twins -- people with strong facial similarities -...

Major Gene Study Spots DNA Tied to Autism, Other Disorders

• By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• August 19, 2022
• Full Page

More than 70 genes are very strongly associated with autism and more than 250 are linked to the condition, a major new genetic analysis has revealed.

The analysis is the largest of its kind ...

Ancient DNA Points to Oral Herpes' Beginnings

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 28, 2022
• Full Page

While the herpes virus that causes lip sores is common today, it has been difficult for scientists to find traces of it among ancient remains.

Now, researchers report they h...

Could an Experimental Cancer Drug Help Treat Spinal Injury?

• By Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling HealthDay Reporter
• July 18, 2022
• Full Page

A drug in development as a cancer therapy may also help the body regenerate damaged nerves after spinal injuries, new research suggests.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom report that they used cell and animal models to show that the drug, d...

Gene Test Lets Some Colon Cancer Patients Safely Skip Chemo

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• June 7, 2022
• Full Page

A blood test could save some colon cancer patients from getting unnecessary chemotherapy following surgery, while making sure that those who would benefit from the treatment get it, researcher...

Nerve Gas Sarin Probably Caused Gulf War Syndrome

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• May 12, 2022
• Full Page

After 30 years, researchers believe they finally have definitive evidence of the primary cause of Gulf War syndrome: exposure to low levels of the nerve gas sarin.

Gul...

Your Dog's Breed Has Little Influence on Behavior, Study Finds

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• April 29, 2022
• Full Page

For the past couple of centuries, humans have been breeding dogs to meet specific physical characteris...

Genetic Sign of Aging Linked to Risk of Fatal COVID

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• April 25, 2022
• Full Page

It's known that certain chronic health conditions up the odds of death from COVID-19. Now, new research identifies another risk factor.

Shorter telomeres are associated with an increased likelihood of death from COVID-19, particularly in older women, researchers say.

More DNA Errors Seen in Brain Cells of Alzheimer's Patients

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• April 22, 2022
• Full Page

Genetic mutations build up faster in the brain cells of Alzheimer's disease patients than in other people, new research reveals.

The discovery could point the way to new Alzheimer's t...

Job Done: Scientists Fill in Missing Gaps to Complete Map of Human Genome

• Dennis Thompson
• March 31, 2022
• Full Page

The Human Genome Project produced the most complete map of human genetics ever assembled in 2003 - but that map still held many uncharted territories.

It did not contain about 8% of the human genome, representing crucial regions and large gaps that have remained hidden f...

Did Your Gene Screen Turn Up Dangerous DNA? Study Finds Real Risk Is Low

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• January 27, 2022
• Full Page

Most gene variants that have been labeled "pathogenic" may make only a small difference in a person's risk of actually developing disease, a new study suggests.

Scouring genetic data on more than 72,000 individuals,