Year-long use of a typical antiviral treatment for shingles was particularly impactful in reducing complications when the condition eventually affected the eye
Tag: NYU Grossman
Exposure to ‘Forever Chemicals’ Costs U.S. Billions in Health Costs
Daily exposure to a class of chemicals used in the production of many household items may lead to cancer, thyroid disease, and childhood obesity, a new study shows. The resulting economic burden is estimated to cost Americans a minimum of $5.5 billion and as much as $63 billion over the lifetime of the current population.
Patients with Lupus Benefit from COVID-19 Vaccine Booster
People with systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, who received a “booster” dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine after full vaccination are roughly half as likely to have a subsequent “breakthrough” COVID-19 infection, a new study shows.
Computer Tool Can Track Stroke Rehabilitation to Boost Recovery
A sensor-equipped computer program can accurately identify and count arm movements in people undergoing stroke rehabilitation, a new study shows.
Evidence Mounts for Alternate Origins of Alzheimer’s Disease Plaques
A breakdown in how brain cells rid themselves of waste precedes the buildup of debris-filled plaques known to occur in Alzheimer’s disease, a new study in mice shows.
Next-Generation Immunotherapy Drug Shows Continued Promise in Several Advanced-Stage Cancers
Initial study results show that an experimental drug, called nemvaleukin alfa, when used alone or in combination with another anticancer drug (pembrolizumab) may be effective in treating several types of late-stage cancers in some patients.
Boost in Nerve-Growth Protein Helps Explain Why Running Supports Brain Health
Exercise increases levels of a chemical involved in brain cell growth, which bolsters the release of the “feel good” hormone dopamine, a new study shows. Dopamine is known to play a key role in movement, motivation, and learning.
High Availability of Fast-Food Restaurants Across All U.S. Neighborhood Types Linked to Higher Rates of Type 2 Diabetes, New Study Finds
A new nationwide study led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine published online today in JAMA Network Open suggests that living in neighborhoods with higher availability of fast-food outlets across all regions of the United States is associated with higher subsequent risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Release of Chemical Dopamine in Infant Brains May Help Control Early Social Development
Changing levels of the chemical dopamine, a chemical most associated with motivation, may help explain why stressful experiences during infancy can lead to lasting behavioral issues, a new study in rodents shows.
Artificial Intelligence Tool Improves Accuracy of Breast Cancer Imaging
A computer program trained to see patterns among thousands of breast ultrasound images can aid physicians in accurately diagnosing breast cancer, a new study shows.
Many Mothers May Have Delayed or Abandoned Plans for Additional Children Because of COVID-19 Pandemic
Nearly half of New York City mothers who had been trying to become pregnant again before the coronavirus pandemic began stopped in the first few months of the outbreak, a new study shows.
OFF-TARGET IMMUNE RESPONSE COULD PREDICT COVID-19 SEVERITY
The presence of special immune system defense molecules, called autoimmune antibodies, has been strongly tied to how poorly people fare when hospitalized with COVID-19, a new study shows.
Decades After Toxic Exposure, 9/11 First Responders May Still Lower Their Risk of Lung Injury
Losing weight and treating excess levels of fat in the blood may help prevent lung disease in firefighters exposed to dangerous levels of fine particles from fire, smoke, and toxic chemicals on Sept. 11, 2001, a new study shows.
“EXPERIENCED” MOUSE MOTHERS TUTOR OTHER FEMALES TO PARENT, HELPED BY HORMONE OXYTOCIN
Watching a mother mouse gather her pups into the family’s nest trains other female mice without pups to perform the same parenting task, a new study shows. Furthermore, these observations lead to the production of oxytocin in the brains of virgin female mice, biochemically shaping their maternal behaviors even before they have pups of their own.
Drug Relieves Persistent Daydreaming, Fatigue, and Brain Sluggishness in Adults with ADHD
Tests of a drug known to stimulate brain activity have shown early success in reducing symptoms of sluggish cognitive tempo in 38 men and women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD.)
Study Sheds Light on Persistent Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer Care in the United States
Black men most likely to benefit from advanced prostate cancer therapies are 11 percent less likely to get them than non-Black men. This happens despite apparent equal opportunities in obtaining health care services, a new study in American veterans shows.
Implantable Brain Device Relieves Pain in Early Study
A computerized brain implant effectively relieves short-term and chronic pain in rodents, a new study finds.
New Treatment Stops Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease in Monkey Brains
A new therapy prompts immune defense cells to swallow misshapen proteins, amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles, whose buildup is known to kill nearby brain cells as part of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study shows.
Patients Taking Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Respond Less Well to COVID-19 Vaccine
One-quarter of people who take the drug methotrexate for common immune system disorders — from rheumatoid arthritis to multiple sclerosis — mount a weaker immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine, a new study shows.
Coronavirus Transmission in Queens Drove the First Wave of New York City’s Pandemic
The most populous boroughs in New York City, Queens and Brooklyn, likely served as the major hub of COVID-19 spread in the spring of 2020, a new study finds.
Reusable respirator could ease COVID-19 medical mask shortages
In addition to smoothing out wrinkles, researchers have found that the drug Botox can reveal the inner workings of the brain. A new study used it to show that feedback from individual nerve cells controls the release of dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in motivation, memory, and movement.
Study Maps Key Proteins Linked to Epilepsy, Revealing New Drug Targets
An analysis of adult human brain tissue reveals over 900 proteins tied to epilepsy. The brain disorder, estimated to afflict more than 3 million Americans, is mostly known for symptoms of hallucinations, dreamlike states, and uncontrolled, often disabling bodily seizures.
Study Reveals Details of Immune Defense Guidance System
At the beginning of an immune response, a molecule known to mobilize immune cells into the bloodstream, where they home in on infection sites, rapidly shifts position, a new study shows. Researchers say this indirectly amplifies the attack on foreign microbes or the body’s own tissues.
Gene-Based Blood Test for Melanoma Spread Evaluates Treatment Progress
A test that monitors blood levels of DNA fragments released by dying tumor cells may serve as an accurate early indicator of treatment success in people in late stages of one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, a new study finds.
Pre-COVID Subway Air Polluted from DC to Boston, But New York Region’s Is the Worst, Study Finds
New York City’s transit system exposes riders to more inhaled pollutants than any other metropolitan subway system in the Northeastern United States, a new study finds. Yet even its “cleaner” neighbors struggle with enough toxins to give health-conscious travelers pause.
Surgery to Heal Inflamed Gut May Create New Target for Disease
A surgical procedure meant to counter ulcerative colitis, an immune disease affecting the colon, may trigger a second immune system attack, a new study shows.
Schizophrenia Second Only To Age as Greatest Risk Factor for COVID-19 Death
People with schizophrenia, a mental disorder that affects mood and perception of reality, are almost three times more likely to die from the coronavirus than those without the psychiatric illness, a new study shows. Their higher risk, the investigators say, cannot be explained by other factors that often accompany serious mental health disorders, such as higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and smoking.
NYCHA Secondhand Smoke Policy Needs More Time and Effort To Show How Well It Works
One year into a smoking ban in buildings run by the nation’s largest public housing authority, tenant exposure to secondhand smoke in hallways, stairwells, and apartments has not declined, a new study shows.
New York City’s Coronavirus Outbreak Spread from More European Sources Than First Reported
The COVID-19 pandemic started earlier than previously thought in New York City and Long Island by dozens of people infected mostly with strains from Europe. A new analysis also shows that most of the spread was within the community, as opposed to coming from people who had traveled.
Study Helps Explain Declines in Death Rates from COVID-19
Fewer New Yorkers are dying from the coronavirus than health experts had anticipated, a new study shows. Regional death rates have dropped from the highs seen at the start of the outbreak, partially due to a shift in the population contracting the disease toward those who are more resilient.
Reduced Hormone Supply in Pregnant Mothers Linked to ADHD in Their Children
Low levels of key, body-regulating chemicals in mothers during the first three months of pregnancy may interfere with the baby’s brain development, a large American study shows.
FOCAL EPILEPSY OFTEN OVERLOOKED
Having subtler symptoms, a form of epilepsy that affects only one part of the brain often goes undiagnosed long enough to cause unexpected seizures that contribute to car crashes, a new study finds.
Experience and Instinct: Both Count When Recognizing Infant Cries
Caregivers learn to decipher differences in newborn cries through a combination of hard-wired instincts and on-the-job experience, a new study in rodents shows.
Excess Weight Among Pregnant Women May Interfere With Child’s Developing Brain
Obesity in expectant mothers may hinder the development of the babies’ brains as early as the second trimester, a new study finds.
Study Pinpoints Five Most Likely Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress in Police Officers
A combination of genetic and emotional differences may lead to post-traumatic stress (PTS) in police officers, a new study finds.
Study Reveals How Renegade Protein Interrupts Brain Cell Function in Alzheimer’s Disease
Dozens of molecules may tangle up with rogue bundles of tau, a protein that normally gives nerve fibers structure, to cause brain cell damage that contributes to neurodegenerative diseases, a new study shows.
Brain Cell Types Identified That May Push Males to Fight and Have Sex
Two groups of nerve cells may serve as “on-off switches” for male mating and aggression, suggests a new study in rodents.
As Evidence of “Hormone Disruptor” Chemical Threats Grows, Experts Call for Stricter Regulation
A growing number of chemicals in pesticides, flame retardants, and certain plastics have been linked to widespread health problems including infertility, diabetes, and impaired brain development, a set of reviews of hundreds of studies concludes.
Mental Health Benefits of Parks Dimmed by Safety Concerns
No matter how close parks are to home, perceptions of park-centered crime may keep New Yorkers from using them.
Common Fireworks Release Toxic Metals Into the Air
Some of America’s favorite Independence Day fireworks emit lead, copper, and other toxins, a new study suggests. These metals, which are used to give fireworks their vibrant color, also damage human cells and animal lungs.
Star-Shaped Brain Cells May Play a Critical Role in Glaucoma
After a brain injury, cells that normally nourish nerves may actually kill them instead, a new study in rodents finds. This “reactive” phenomenon may be the driving factor behind neurodegenerative diseases like glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.