April 7, 2011
Results published this week in the journal Nature Genetics identified five more genes associated with risk of developing Alzheimer’s, doubling the total number of genes known to be linked to the devastating disease. The two studies — one led by Paul Hollingworth and Julie Williams in Europe and the other [...]
February 23, 2011
Obesity is an enormous public health concern in the United States, affecting about 33% of adults and 20% of children and adolescents. While lifestyle and environmental factors play an undeniable role in whether an individual becomes obese, researchers have also uncovered common genetic variants that influence [...]
February 16, 2011
Mammography is a common imaging method used to screen for breast cancer, the second most common cancer in women. The result of a mammogram is a simple black and white image of the tissues that make up the breast. But even an image displaying apparently healthy breast tissue may still show signs that could be [...]
February 8, 2011
Imagine if the simple act of eating triggered your immune system to mistakenly mount an attack inside your own body. Nearly three million people with Crohn’s or celiac disease face this distinct possibility every day in the United States, and they quickly learn that specific foods lead to a debilitating [...]
January 13, 2011
2010 was a big year in more ways than one! Research uncovered more genetic variants associated with common diseases, fascinating portraits of our early ancestors, and new insights into the genetic diversity of modern populations. And on top of all that, 23andMe published its first research discoveries, [...]
November 22, 2010
If you’ve ever stubbed your toe, given yourself a paper cut, or burned yourself on a hot stove, you’re very familiar with the intense -- but temporary -- feelings of acute pain. Chronic pain, on the other hand, can persist for years, usually precipitated by a significant injury. Older people and those [...]
November 5, 2010
When is the best time to start a family? In making this decision, each woman must weigh external factors against her internal biological clock. In Caucasian women, menopause occurs around 51 years of age, with a normal range between 40 and 60 years. Although post-menopausal infertility is widely recognized, [...]
October 26, 2010
Coughing, wheezing, lungs encased in steel (or so they seem) ... asthma makes breathing a challenge for nearly 25 million Americans of all ages. Despite the overwhelming number of people affected, this disease continues to be difficult to understand and to treat. Asthma is divided into two main categories [...]
October 19, 2010
You’ve probably heard about the fruit-based analogies to describe body shape. “Apples” tend to carry more weight around their waist whereas “pears” tend to be heavier around the hips and thighs. But the differences between apples and pears extend beyond simple appearance. Studies have shown that [...]
September 23, 2010
In 2009, 27% of Americans met the clinical criteria for obesity—a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater—7 percentage points higher than a mere 9 years earlier. Even this staggering 27% estimate may be too low. A large National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) study estimated the prevalence [...]
