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Multiple studies in humans and mouse models indicate that sleep disruptions raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by increasing the accumulation of disease-relevant proteins such as amyloid-beta (A-beta) in the brain. In the current study, a team discovered that restoring normal sleep by returning to normal the activity of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), a brain region involved in maintaining stable sleep, reduced the accumulation of A-beta plaques in the brain. The study suggests that TRN not only may play a previously unsuspected driving role in symptoms associated with Alzheimer's, but also that restoring its normal activity could be...

Summary Background Interest in the use of cannabis and cannabinoids to treat chronic non-cancer pain is increasing, because of their potential to reduce opioid dose requirements. We aimed to investigate cannabis use in people living with chronic non-cancer pain who had been prescribed opioids, including their reasons for use and perceived effectiveness of cannabis; associations between amount of cannabis use and pain, mental health, and opioid use; the effect of cannabis use on pain severity and interference over time; and potential opioid-sparing effects of cannabis. -SNIP- Interpretation Cannabis use was common in people with chronic non-cancer pain who had been...

How to Kill a Parasitic Worm Living Inside of You Parasitic worms are the stuff of nightmares — worms as big as twelve feet long can rummage through your intestines, and then leave in the middle of the night. Urban legends tell tales of tapeworms carried by diet pills. Some of the weird schemes for removing these parasites include a combination of duct tape, candy bars, and bodily orifices. What is the reality behind these parasites? And how can you really get rid of one, without the need for extreme measures? Tapeworms hide in your food Obtaining a beef or...

The myth is that marriage can make you mad, but psychologists have found that is really is good for your health. Clinical psychologist Dr Kate Scott from New Zealand's University of Otago conducted the study of more than 35,000 people across 15 different countries based on a decade of surveys by the World Health Organization. In pictures: Hollywood's longest surviving couples"We were able to look at what happens to mental health in marriage, both in comparison with never getting married, and with ending marriage," Dr Scott said in a media statement. The study found that getting married, as opposed to...

This article is about the health effects of using green tea. Since the days of Ponce de Leon, Americans have been fascinated with the search for the fountain of youth and the ever present concern about staying healthy. People are constantly looking for that next new product that will keep us in good health. One of the latest fads for helping to restore health is the use of green tea. Tea has long been known for its medicinal effects in many parts of the world, particularly in the Orient. Tea ceremonies have been a tradition in Japan for hundreds of...

LEBANESE Foreign Minister Fawzi Sallukh said today that the two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah were "in good health" and called on the UN or any other third party to help start negotiations for a prisoner exchange. "The Israeli soldiers are in good health and in a safe place," Mr Sallukh, who is close to the Lebanese Shiite militant Hezbollah, said. Sallukh called on "the United Nations or any third friendly party to engage in discussions for a prisoners' exchange." Hezbollah has demanded the release of Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails in return for the two servicemen whose capture...

ombined, three Red Hook buddies have smoked cigarettes for nearly 140 years, and two of them are still lighting up. Averaging a pack or more a day each, that's more than a million cigarettes. So it's no wonder the three pals — Herbert Garnett, 65, Colie Dunbar, 60, and Valentin Morales, 71 — recently decided they should all get their lungs examined. "A lot of smokers fear going to the doctor because they fear something will be wrong. But a test can help before things get too bad," said Garnett, who quit smoking in 1996. "The doctor said if I...