Targeting 9 Risk Factors Could Prevent 1 in 3 Dementia Cases: Study

THURSDAY, July 20, 2017 -- One-third of dementia cases worldwide might be prevented by paying attention to nine risk factors throughout life, researchers say.

These measures include: staying in school until you're at least over the age of 15; reducing hearing loss, obesity and high blood pressure in mid-life (ages 45 to 65); and reducing smoking, depression, physical inactivity, social isolation and diabetes in later life (65 and older).

Can Smartphone Use Bring on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

FRIDAY, June 23, 2017 -- People who spend lots of time on their smartphones may be scrolling, tapping and swiping their way to carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful wrist and hand disorder.

A small study found a link between extended use of smartphones and other hand-held electronic devices and a greater likelihood for experiencing the telltale wrist and hand pain of the syndrome.

Non-Opioid Drug More Effective for Migraines: Study

MONDAY, June 19, 2017 -- The drug prochlorperazine is more effective than the opioid hydromorphone in treating emergency room patients with acute migraine, a new study reports.

Acute migraine -- an intense, throbbing headache that may be accompanied by visual disturbances and sensitivity to light and sound -- is a disabling condition that results in 1.2 million visits to U.S. emergency rooms each year.

Seizure Control Eases Life for Young Adults With Epilepsy

FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 -- Young adults with uncomplicated epilepsy who remain seizure-free do as well as siblings without the disorder in education, employment, driving and independent living, a new study says.

The 15-year study included 361 people in Connecticut with childhood-onset epilepsy and 173 of their brothers and sisters.

New Drugs Show Promise as First to Prevent Migraine

FRIDAY, June 9, 2017 -- A host of new drugs that appear to prevent migraine headaches are in the final stages of testing and approval in the United States.

"What's really exciting about this is that until this development, we have not had a migraine-specific preventive at all," said Dr. Peter Goadsby, a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Compound in Pot Eases Severe Form of Epilepsy

WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 -- A landmark clinical trial has shown that a compound in marijuana can ease life-threatening seizures in children with a rare and devastating form of epilepsy.

Cannabidiol -- a non-intoxicating chemical -- reduced seizure frequency by 39 percent in patients with Dravet Syndrome, researchers report.