Mental woes more common in infertile couples

January 2, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Depression, anxiety and certain other mental health conditions are more common among infertile couples than those who are able to conceive on their own, a small study suggests.

Preemies face some risk of psychiatric disorders

January 2, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Results of a Swedish population-wide study hint that children born prematurely have some risk of developing anxiety, depression or other psychiatric disorder in adolescence and young adulthood.

Home as good as hospital for cardiac rehab

January 1, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Home-based rehabilitation is no worse than hospital-based programs for helping patients get better after a heart attack or surgery to clear blocked heart arteries, and may be more accessible for patients, research from the UK shows.

Naltrexone shots boost alcoholics' quality of life

January 1, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Monthly injections of an extended-release version of the alcohol dependence drug naltrexone improve quality of life for alcohol-dependent patients, a study shows.

Diabetes can slow the brain, study finds

January 1, 2009 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Diabetes can slow the brain, causing trouble with two types of mental processing in adults of all ages, Canadian researchers reported on Wednesday.

Binges take about one third of food budgets

December 31, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with bulimia may spend thousands of dollars a year on food used in binge episodes and on bingeing aids such as laxatives and diet pills, according to the first-ever study to look at the direct cost of the eating disorder to patients.

'Drunk' doesn't capture experience of intoxication

December 31, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Scientists who rely on the word "drunk" and the antiquated term "high" to evaluate young people's subjective feelings of alcohol intoxication are probably missing the boat, new research shows.

Depression, age linked to post-prostatectomy pain

December 31, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Younger age, symptoms of depression, and severe pain during the immediate post-operative period are significant predictors of severe pain during recovery from radical prostatectomy, study findings indicate.

China dairy boss pleads guilty in melamine case

December 31, 2008 — BEIJING (Reuters) - The chairwoman of a Chinese dairy company went on trial on Wednesday over a tainted milk scandal that has killed at least six children and made thousands ill.

Most families want doctors to be candid

December 29, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Doctors are often reluctant to discuss a seriously ill patients' uncertain prognosis with family members, but a new study suggests that most families want doctors to address the patients' uncertain outlook openly and candidly.

Honey bees get a real buzz from cocaine

December 29, 2008 — SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - An Australian scientist is doping up honey bees with cocaine to study how their brains react to the drug, and possibly find a way to stop addiction in humans.

Depression, pain may accompany chronic Lyme disease

December 26, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Depression and the chronic pain syndrome fibromyalgia are common in patients who suffer from chronic Lyme disease and seem to correlate with poor functional outcomes, results of a study indicate.

Heavy toilet seats can be hazardous to little boys

December 26, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents of newly toilet-trained boys should take a few simple steps to keep their sons' penises safe when they go to the bathroom, a team of UK urologists advises.

Heart health for the holidays

December 26, 2008 — TORONTO (Reuters) -- Dropping temperatures and eggnog won't create new heart problems, but cold weather and some holiday-related behaviors can exacerbate existing conditions, and deaths from heart disease hit their peak every December and January, with spikes on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, according to a University of California-San Diego study.

Sibling with mental illness may up depression risk

December 25, 2008 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adults with a sibling who's suffered from a mental disorder may themselves be at risk of depression, a new study suggests.