The pelvis’ curved and basin-like shape is unique to humans. iStock Health What makes us human? It’s all in the hips Juan Siliezar Harvard Staff Writer September 28, 2022 4 min read New study shows how pelvis evolved for walking upright, allowing birth of offspring with larger brains If evolutionary biologist Terence D. Capellini were to rank the body parts that make us quintessentially human, the pelvis would be near the top. After all, its...

Health Parents are so wrong about teenage sleep and health Brigham and Women’s Communications September 28, 2022 4 min read Study upends common myths around melatonin, weekends, school start times As a new school year begins, Harvard-affiliated sleep health researchers have a message for parents and caregivers on teenage sleep: you’re wrong. A study by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital enlisted experts in adolescent sleep to identify myths. Researchers then surveyed parents and caregivers,...

Using virtual reality immersion to distract patients during surgery may minimize the need for sedatives. Health Forget the sedatives, I’ll take some VR Jacqueline Mitchell Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Communications September 26, 2022 5 min read Study of hand-surgery patients suggests ‘immersive experience’ can curb need for drugs, cut hospital stay With conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and osteoarthritis on the rise, U.S. hand surgeons perform more than half a million procedures each...

“Across every dimension of well-being that we looked at — happiness, health, meaning, character, relationships, financial stability … those who are 18 to 25 felt they were worse off,” said Tyler VanderWeele about a new study he authored. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer Health Why are young people so miserable? Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer September 15, 2022 8 min read They tally lowest life-satisfaction scores among all age groups of those 18 and older in...

Health Breast cancer findings ‘suggest a new set of criteria for avoiding radiation’ Maureen Salamon Harvard Health Blog September 15, 2022 3 min read Following surgery with medication may produce similar results for some early-stage patients Women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer often can choose to have a lumpectomy, which removes only cancerous tissue and a thin margin of surrounding healthy cells instead of the entire breast. Current cancer guidelines for most women under 65...

Studies show that about 9 percent of the population and nearly 28 percent of high school students are e-cigarette users. Diego Cervo/iStock by Getty Images Health Restricted airways, scarred lung tissue found among vapers MGH News and Public Affairs September 13, 2022 3 min read Small study looks at chronic e-cigarette users, seeing partial improvement once they stop Chronic use of e-cigarettes, commonly known as vaping, can result in small airway obstruction and asthma-like symptoms,...

Health Dramatic rise in cancer in people under 50 Kira Sampson Brigham and Women’s Hospital Communications September 8, 2022 4 min read Altered microbiome, sleep deprivation, increase in alcohol consumption among possible culprits in 30-year global trend A study by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital reveals that the incidence of early onset cancers — including breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, liver, and pancreas — has dramatically increased around the world, with the rise beginning around...

iStock by Getty Images Health How to reduce health risks from a gas stove Wynne Armand Harvard Health Blog Contributor September 7, 2022 2 min read You don’t have to remove the appliance to stay safe, but switching to electric recommended In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed health harms of outdoor air pollution and how to lower health risks by reducing your exposure. Increasing evidence suggests that we should also think about our indoor air...

Health Nurse practitioners fill care gaps amid surge in mental health demand Harvard Chan School Communications September 7, 2022 2 min read Chan School researchers analyzed prescriptions for Medicare patients from 2011 to 2019 The mental health system is increasingly reliant on psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) to meet the psychiatric needs of Medicare patients, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “We were surprised...

Vikram Khurana said researchers are looking at the first therapeutic trials for Parkinson’s targeting specific mutations. Courtesy of Anna Olivella and the Harvard Brain Science Initiative Health Demystifying Parkinson’s Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer September 2, 2022 9 min read Researcher details new findings as momentum builds behind treatment efforts: ‘Every problem looks intractable until it’s solved’ A team led by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School has taken a step...