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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 ...
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.
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.
Scientists ID Genes That Make Your Fingerprints
- Cara Murez
- January 12, 2022
- Full Page
Your fingerprints may be more than a surefire way to identify you: New research suggests their patterns may be linked to genes that guide limb development.
"People may wonder why our team is working on fingerprints," said co-senior study author Sijia Wang, a geneticist a...
Zoo Study Finds Animal DNA Floating in Air
- Cara Murez
- January 7, 2022
- Full Page
Take a whiff of the air in a zoo and you could breathe in the animals' DNA -- not just the smell of the food they eat or their waste, a new study suggests.
Sampling the air from local zoos, two teams of researchers collected enough DNA to identify the animals nearby. The...
Love Black Coffee & Dark Chocolate? It Could Be in Your DNA
- Cara Murez
- December 30, 2021
- Full Page
If you like your coffee black, it could be that your grandpa or your great-aunt did, too.
A preference for black coffee and also for dark chocolate seems to lie in a person's genes, scientists report.
It's not the taste that these individuals actually love, but it...
Blood Test Spots Biological Markers for Schizophrenia
- Robert Preidt
- August 12, 2021
- Full Page
Schizophrenia is a debilitating disease that can make navigating daily life a massive challenge, but a new blood test could flag it in its early stages, researchers say.
Their analysis of blood samples identified epigenetic markers -- part of your DNA -- that differ betw...
Cats Might Be Purrfect Model for Human Genetics Research
- Cara Murez
- July 29, 2021
- Full Page
Dogs may be man's best friend, but cats may hold critical keys to humans' health.
Our feline friends have the potential to become a valuable model for genetic research, because their genome is similar to that of people, according to Leslie Lyons of the Feline Genetics La...
Global Consortium Finds Genes That Drive Severe COVID-19
- Robert Preidt
- July 9, 2021
- Full Page
Why do some people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have either no or negligible symptoms, while others sicken and die?
Scientists who've pinpointed several genetic markers associated with severe COVID-19 say their findings could provide answers to that important question -- and...
No Genetic Damage to Kids of Those Exposed to Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster: Study
- Robert Preidt
- April 23, 2021
- Full Page
There's no evidence of genetic damage in the children of parents who were exposed to radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Ukraine, researchers say.
Several previous studies have examined the risks across generations of radiation exposure from...
You've Got Tens of Thousands of Virus Species Living in Your Gut
- Robert Preidt
- February 23, 2021
- Full Page
Researchers have identified more than 140,000 viruses that live in the human gut, including half that were previously unknown.
The number and variety of viruses found in more than 28,000 gut microbiome samples gathered from different parts of the world are surprisingly h...
Genes Could Raise COVID Risks for People With Down Syndrome
- Robert Preidt
- February 11, 2021
- Full Page
Certain genetic factors in people with Down syndrome may increase their COVID-19 risks.
Previous studies have found that people with Down syndrome are 10 times more likely to die from COVID-19, and experts have said they should be among those given priority for vaccinati...
Neanderthal Poop Provides Clues to Modern Humans' 'Microbiome'
- Cara Murez
- February 9, 2021
- Full Page
What can poop from ancient Neanderthals tell us?
It turns out that it harbors valuable information about modern-day gut health.
An international research group led by the University of Bologna in Italy analyzed ancient DNA samples extracted from 50,000-year-old sed...
The Germs on Your Toothbrush Can Reveal Your Health
- Robert Preidt
- February 8, 2021
- Full Page
The microbes on your toothbrush mostly come from your mouth -- not your toilet -- and provide insight into your oral health, researchers say.
Their study was inspired by people's concerns that flushing a toilet might create a cloud of aerosol particles that end up on too...
Sperm Samples May Help Predict Autism Risk in Offspring
- Robert Preidt
- January 14, 2021
- Full Page
Biomarkers in sperm may help identify men at risk of fathering children with autism, researchers say.
For the study, investigators examined sperm epigenetics -- the molecular processes that affect gene expression -- in 13 men who fathered sons with autism and 13 who had ...
Do Genes Doom Some Kids to Obesity? Probably Not, Study Finds
- Cara Murez
- December 21, 2020
- Full Page
While childhood obesity is a significant challenge, German researchers have uncovered some hopeful news while investigating the impact of genes.
Though some "obesity genes" do play a minor role in the success of weight loss interventions, environmental, social and behavi...
Gene Therapy Shows No Long-Term Harm in Animals: Study
- Cara Murez
- December 11, 2020
- Full Page
Results from a long-term study of a gene therapy technique to prevent inherited mitochondrial disease show promise, researchers say.
Studies of the technique at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland show no adverse health effects in rhesus macaque monkeys and th...
DNA Analysis Might Reveal Melanoma Risk
- Steven Reinberg
- October 8, 2020
- Full Page
DNA mutations in skin cells may signal a risk for melanoma long before it's visible to the eye, a new study suggests.
Exposure to sun damages skin and DNA, and this damage can be measured. Using a new method for analyzing DNA harm, researchers say they can estimate ...
Scientists Move Closer to Mapping Entire Human Genome
- Steven Reinberg
- July 14, 2020
- Full Page
Although much of the genetic makeup of humans has been mapped, hundreds of missing DNA sequences remain.
Until now.
Scientists from the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute report they have produced the complete DNA sequence of a single human chrom...
Blood Test Could Spot 50 Different Cancers
- Steven Reinberg
- March 31, 2020
- Full Page
A simple blood test for dozens of cancers is in the works.
Researchers say their test can detect more than 50 kinds of cancer at early stages and pinpoint their location in the body.
"If these findings are validated, it will be feasible to consider how thi...
Do Gene Mutations Explain COVID-19 Cases in the Young?
- Robert Preidt
- March 30, 2020
- Full Page
Genetic mutations that put some younger people at high risk for severe illness from the new coronavirus will be investigated in an international study.
Plans call for enrolling 500 patients worldwide who are under age 50, have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitte...
Coronavirus Isn't Even 'Alive,' But Expert Explains How It Can Harm
- Robert Preidt
- March 26, 2020
- Full Page
It has spread across the globe in just a few short months, sickening hundreds of thousands, but the new coronavirus has the dubious distinction of not really being a living organism, biologists say.
"Viruses aren't considered alive -- in class, I call them pseudo-ali...
Racism Linked to Faster Aging Among Blacks
- Steven Reinberg
- January 23, 2020
- Full Page
The racism black Americans face may age them prematurely, a new study suggests.
This aging is occurring at the cellular level -- specifically, the shortening of telomeres, researchers say.
Telomeres are the repetitive sequences of DNA that sit at the tips ...
New DNA Blood Test May Help Guide Breast Cancer Treatment
- Serena Gordon
- August 8, 2019
- Full Page
Could the DNA from a patient's breast tumor help doctors spot whether stray cancer cells are still in her blood?
That's what a small, new study suggests is possible. If the findings are replicated in a larger study, such a test might help determine whether a treatme...
How to Protect Your DNA for Big Health Benefits
- Len Canter
- July 16, 2019
- Full Page
You might think that stress affects you only emotionally or that a lack of sleep simply leaves you feeling cranky. But these are among the many lifestyle factors that can lead to health problems because of changes that they cause within your body's cells.
Packed insi...
Your Mom Plays a Role in Age at Menopause, Longevity
- Steven Reinberg
- June 18, 2019
- Full Page
For women, predicting when they'll reach menopause is anyone's guess. But if you want to get some foresight, you should ask your mother.
For most women, menopause begins at around 52. But for thousands of women it starts much later, and for some, a lot earlier. Those...
Gene Test Might Someday Gauge Your Heart Attack Risk
- Alan Mozes
- June 11, 2019
- Full Page
Can a DNA test predict a person's future heart health? Perhaps, researchers say.
A team of Canadian researchers found that by analyzing a person's entire genome, it might be possible to predict their future heart disease risk.
The so-called "polygenic risk...
Sperm DNA Damage May Lead to Repeat Miscarriages: Study
- Robert Preidt
- March 25, 2019
- Full Page
When couples experience recurrent pregnancy loss, it's natural for them to want to know why. Now, a new study suggests that sperm DNA damage could be a factor.
Recurrent pregnancy loss is defined as the consecutive loss of three or more pregnancies before 20 weeks' g...
After Chinese Infant Gene-Editing Scandal, U.S. Health Officials Join Call for a Ban
- Robert Preidt
- March 13, 2019
- Full Page
The controversy over a Chinese scientist who claimed he created gene-edited babies has prompted the U.S. National Institutes of Health to join an international moratorium on such research.
"Today, leading scientists and ethicists from seven countries have called for ...
Scientists Find 5 New Genes That Sway Alzheimer's Risk
- Robert Preidt
- March 1, 2019
- Full Page
The largest study to date of the genetic underpinnings of Alzheimer's has uncovered five new gene mutations that make people more vulnerable to the memory-robbing disease.
The international team of scientists analyzed the DNA of more than 94,000 people collected by t...
Could Invasive Lung Cancer Biopsies Be Replaced by Blood Tests?
- Steven Reinberg
- February 28, 2019
- Full Page
A blood test may one day replace invasive tissue biopsies as a pain-free way to guide treatment in lung cancer patients, new research suggests.
The so-called "liquid biopsy" can quickly identify tumor gene mutations that match targeted drug therapies -- potentially b...
'Apple-Shaped' Body? 'Pear-Shaped'? Your Genes May Tell
- Amy Norton
- February 18, 2019
- Full Page
A large, new study has uncovered 24 genetic variations that help separate the apple-shaped people from the pear-shaped ones.
Researchers said the findings help explain why some people are prone to carrying any excess weight around the belly. But more importantly, the...
Hands Don't Spread HPV, Study Finds
- Steven Reinberg
- February 15, 2019
- Full Page
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is easily transmitted during sex, but it is unlikely to be passed by the hands, Canadian researchers report.
The virus, which infects the skin and genitals, is a cause of several types of cancer in both men and women, including cervical can...
Decoding Newborn's DNA Could Pinpoint Hidden Risks
- Steven Reinberg
- January 4, 2019
- Full Page
A program that maps out the genes of newborns has allowed researchers to identify risks for some inherited childhood conditions, many of which can be prevented.
The so-called BabySeq Project discovered that slightly more than 9 percent of infants carry genes that put...