Health

How Cindy Eckert Fought For Women’s Desire—And Continues To Win

How Cindy Eckert Fought For Women’s Desire—And Continues To Win

Cindy Eckert first learned about hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD)—the most common type of sexual dysfunction in women—while attending a conference as a cofounder of Slate Pharmaceuticals, a male-hormone company. (At the time, Slate’s main drug was a testosterone treatment.) During a presentation, scientists showed brain scan images comparing how women with normal desire and women with HSDD reacted to …

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Medicaid cuts in tax bill projected to generate spike in opioid deaths

Medicaid cuts in tax bill projected to generate spike in opioid deaths

The Republican tax bill signed into law earlier this month could result in a significant death toll for people seeking treatment for opioid addiction, according to a group of health economics researchers.  Specifically, cuts to Medicaid could result in large numbers of the program’s beneficiaries losing access to medications for opioid use disorder, per the new estimate, which was published …

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Bay Area COVID levels now higher than winter peak

Bay Area COVID levels now higher than winter peak

Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today? A Covid-19 testing kit. Credit: AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi If it feels like several people you know are complaining of feeling sick with what they assume is an “awful summer cold” — perhaps with a painful sore throat — there’s a good chance it could be COVID-19. Again. COVID-19 levels …

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“My body my choice”: After woman voluntarily starved herself to death, support group breaks silence

“My body my choice”: After woman voluntarily starved herself to death, support group breaks silence

As more and more countries consider legalizing medically assisted euthanasia, the debate continues over how, when and who should be considered for the procedure, and what other options exist.  Most recently is the story of Emma Bray, a terminally ill English woman who passed away after choosing to voluntarily stop eating and drinking as a way to take control over …

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Rare, painful skin condition sends multiple kids to WakeMed hospital :: WRAL.com

Rare, painful skin condition sends multiple kids to WakeMed hospital :: WRAL.com

Multiple children have been treated in Wake County emergency rooms for a rare, but painful skin condition in recent weeks. Holly Rund shared her five-year-old daughter Lexi was in so much pain last weekend that it caused Lexi to scream when she was touched. “At first I thought it was hand-foot-and-mouth, and I noticed she had a blister,” Holly recalled. …

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Neurons Store Backup Energy to Power the Brain Under Stress

Neurons Store Backup Energy to Power the Brain Under Stress

Summary: New research has uncovered that neurons store their own glycogen, acting as “backup batteries” to keep the brain functioning during energy stress. Using worms and advanced biosensors, scientists found that neurons can tap into glycogen reserves, especially when oxygen or mitochondrial function is limited. This metabolic flexibility, termed “glycogen-dependent glycolytic plasticity,” shows neurons are more self-sufficient than previously believed. …

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Sleep to Consciousness: How the Brain Transitions from Dreams to Reality

Sleep to Consciousness: How the Brain Transitions from Dreams to Reality

Summary: Each morning, your brain undergoes a precise sequence to shift from sleep to wakefulness, reorienting you to the world. A study using high-density EEG recordings found that awakening begins in frontal regions and spreads backward, with distinct patterns depending on whether you wake from REM or non-REM sleep. In non-REM sleep, slower waves precede faster wake-like activity, while REM …

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