Tag bbc news

Comedians have ‘high levels of psychotic traits’

Comedians have personality types linked with psychosis, like many other creative types, which might explain why they can entertain, researchers claim. They score highly on characteristics that in extreme cases are associated with mental illness, a study by Oxford University researchers suggests. Unusually, they have high levels of both introversion and extroversion. The team says the creative elements needed for humour are similar to traits seen in people with psychosis. The idea that...

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Men and women's brains are 'wired differently'

Men and women's brains are wired in completely different ways which may explain why the sexes excel at certain tasks, brain scans reveal. US researchers at the University of Pennsylvania scanned the brains of nearly 1,000 men, women, boys and girls and found striking differences. Male brains are wired front to back, with few connections bridging the two hemispheres. In females, the connections criss-cross between left and right. These differences might explain why men, in general,...

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Depression 'makes us biologically older'

Depression can make us physically older by speeding up the ageing process in our cells, according to a study. Lab tests showed cells looked biologically older in people who were severely depressed or who had been in the past. These visible differences in a measure of cell ageing called telomere length couldn't be explained by other factors, such as whether a person smoked. The findings, in more than 2,000 people, appear in Molecular Psychiatry. Experts already know that people...

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Heart attack risk identified by new scan

A new way of scanning the heart can identify those who may be at high risk of a heart attack, early tests suggest. It can identify dangerous plaques in the arteries which nourish the heart. If a fatty plaque ruptures, it can lead to a clot, blocking the flow of blood. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh said an effective tool for predicting a heart attack would make a "massive difference" to patients. Experts said it was an exciting start. More than 100,000 people...

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Baby steps to saving lives

 Each year, one in 10 babies around the world will be born prematurely and over a million of those will die. But could measuring the size of a baby's feet help save lives?   In the final weeks of pregnancy, the idea of going into early labour might not seem like such a bad thing.   But giving birth prematurely - officially classed as before 37 weeks gestation - can lead to long-term health effects.   Depending on quite how early the baby is born, infants can either...

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Women 'more prone to breathlessness'

 Women's lung muscles have to work harder than men's, making breathlessness more common after exercise, say scientists in Canada.   Their study in the journal Experimental Physiology examined the activity of the diaphragm - the muscle that drives lung function.   It had to work harder in women to compensate for smaller lungs, the research showed.   The research was conducted at McGill University.   Even with a man and a woman of equal size, the woman's lungs...

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Males more likely to be 'fat and 40'

 Middle-aged British men are more likely than women to be overweight, but less likely to diet, research suggests.   A study found more than two-thirds of men and around half of women in their early 40s were overweight or obese.   However, the men were much less likely to realise they were carrying excess weight, say researchers at the University of London.   The findings come from a study following 10,000 UK men and women born during one week in 1970.   Those...

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Spinal cord injury: Prosthetic bladder 'controls urine'

A device that could one day restore bladder function to patients with a severed spinal cord has been devised by UK researchers and tested in animals. Nerve damage can leave no sense of when the bladder is full or control over when the contents are released. A study, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed a device to read the remaining nerves' signals could be used to control the organ. The charity Spinal Research said this was "impressive and important"...

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Prostate cancer aggression test 'may avoid needless ops'

A prostate cancer test, which predicts how aggressive a tumour is, could spare men unnecessary operations, researchers suggest. Early data, presented at the National Cancer Research Institute conference, suggests a genetic test can tell apart aggressive and slow-growing tumours. A big challenge in treating the cancer is knowing whether surgery to remove the gland is needed. Cancer charities said a successful test would be a "game-changer". Prostate cancer is the most...

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Down's pregnancy blood test on trial

A simple blood test during pregnancy which can detect Down's syndrome in the developing foetus is to be trialled by the NHS. It could significantly reduce the number of women needing invasive testing, which can cause miscarriage. The study at Great Ormond Street Hospital will assess how and when the blood test could be introduced across the NHS. In the UK, 750 babies are born with Down's syndrome each year. All pregnant women in the UK are offered screening for Down's...

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