Smoking’s effects on women’s brain functions. How fear of cancer affects deaths among various ethnic groups. Coffee’s health benefits. These and other interesting stories from the world of health and medicine in this week’s Medical News Notes…
Smoking May Affect Brain Function in Women
Women with a long-term history of cigarette smoking may find thinking and memory functions dim faster than normal as they age, according to an article published in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. In the study, researchers compared the long-term cognitive effects of drinking and smoking in 287 men and women age 31 to 60. They found that while the effects of alcohol wore off quickly for both sexes, women smokers still showed signs of impaired brain function even when they quit cigarettes. Why just women? The researchers note that nicotine suppresses levels of the female hormone estrogen in the blood, which normally has a positive effect on brain cells. Conclusion: If you’re a woman, here’s another reason to avoid cigarettes. In fact, you could say it’s a no-brainer.
Brain Scans Show Bias for ‘Status Quo’
Researchers using sophisticated brain-scanning technology have observed a biological preference for “the status quo.” When faced with difficult choices, the brain naturally prefers to do nothing. In a series of experiments in which participants were asked to make increasingly difficult judgments, researchers at University College London (UCL) were able to observe and track brain activity that compelled the subjects to accept “default” solutions rather than make new decisions. So, when faced with hard choices, if you would rather do nothing, it’s not a weakness. In fact, it’s perfectly natural!
Fear of Cancer Differs Among Ethnic Groups
In America, different ethnic groups have strikingly different feelings about personal cancer risk, according to a new study by the University of Buffalo. Surveys revealed that as a group, African-Americans believe they are less likely to get cancer than any other ethnic group, even though they actually tend to get — and die from — cancer more than other ethnicities. Hispanics and Asians also feel less vulnerable to cancer than do Caucasians, according to the study. This disparity is important because false feelings of invulnerability can cause people to engage in unhealthy behaviors as well as forego procedures like mammograms, pap smears and colonoscopies, which can be critical in finding tumors early when the disease is still curable. Income and education levels had no impact on the overall results, according to the researchers.
2 New Studies Show Coffee’s Health Benefits
Like to start your day with a fresh cup of joe? You may be doing your body a favor, according to two studies published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Using controlled experiments, researchers found new evidence to support long-held beliefs that coffee not only contains beneficial nutrients like calcium, but its active compounds can lower chronic inflammation (linked to heart disease) and increase HDL (“good” cholesterol). Caffeine’s help kick-starting your morning is just an added plus!
Hand Bacteria May Be New CSI Tool
When you touch an object, you usually leave behind more than just fingerprints; you also leave behind bacteria unique to you. Forensic scientists at the University of Colorado (Boulder) have demonstrated that they can isolate bacteria left on computer keyboards and mice and match them to their previous user. Although not as accurate as DNA evidence, this bacterial identification could prove useful in crime scene investigations when DNA samples are weak or not available. So, in the future, if you’re considering committing a crime, be sure to wash your hands first!
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