HealthDay (3/1, Preidt) reported researchers identified “five new gene mutations that make people more vulnerable to” Alzheimer’s disease. The findings were published in Nature Genetics.

Related Links:

— “Scientists Find 5 New Genes That Sway Alzheimer’s Risk, “Robert Preidt, HealthDay, March 01, 2019

Neurology Advisor (3/1, May) reported researchers found that “patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) who adhere to psychotherapy experience reductions in the frequency of PNES, improvements in quality of life, and decrease in emergency department visits.” The findings were published in Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Psychotherapy Associated With Reduced Frequency of Nonepileptic Seizures, “Brandon May, Neurology Advisor, March 01, 2019

MedPage Today (2/28, George) reports researchers found in a retrospective study that “medical cannabis was well-tolerated among elderly patients and provided significant symptomatic benefits.” The researchers found that older adults with “an average age of 81 experienced relief in chronic pain, sleep, neuropathy, and anxiety with medical cannabis.” The findings are scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in May.

HealthDay (2/28, Thompson) reports the researchers also found that “a third of” study participants “who took medical marijuana” reduced “their use of opioid painkillers.”

Related Links:

— “Medical Marijuana and Older Adults –
Well tolerated among elderly patients; nearly a third reduced opioids, “Judy George, MedPage Today, February 28, 2019

HealthDay (2/27, Gordon) reports a study found that when pregnant women who previously delivered a child with autism “took prenatal vitamins during the first month of pregnancy, their children had half the risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). And in children who did develop autism, early prenatal vitamin use was linked to less severe autism symptoms, and higher thinking and memory skills.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Healio (2/27, Demko) reports “researchers examined the connection between maternal prenatal vitamin intake and ASD recurrence risk in younger siblings of children with autism using data from a sample of youth and their mothers in the Markers of Autism Risk in Babies: Learning Early Signs (MARBLES) study.”

MedPage Today (2/27, Hlavinka) and Medscape (2/27, Subscription Publication) also cover the story

Related Links:

— “Prenatal Vitamins Might Lower Risk of Second Child With Autism, ” Serena Gordon, HealthDay, February 27, 2019

HealthDay (2/26, Norton) reports researchers found “women with jobs that demand long hours may be more prone to depression.” The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Related Links:

— “Long Work Weeks May Be Depressing, Especially for Women, “Amy Norton, HealthDay , February 26, 2019