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Sensitive People More Vulnerable To Mood Disorders

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Sensitive people tend to have a higher risk of developing a mood disorder, a new evidence review says. In particular, highly sensitive souls are more likely to develop depression or suffer from anxiety, researchers report in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. “This is the first meta-analysis providing robust evidence that highly sensitive people are more prone to common mental health problems,” said senior researcher Michael Pluess, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Surrey in the U.K. “However, it is important to remember that highly sensitive people are also more responsive to positive experiences, including psychological treatment,” he added in a news release. For the review, researchers pooled data from 33 prior studies looking at the mental health of nearly 12,700 people. The team focused on sensitivity, a personality trait that reflects a heightened ability to perceive and process stimuli like bright lights, subtle changes in surroundings and other people’s moods. About 31% of the general population are considered highly sensitive, researchers said in background notes. “This is the most extensive systematic review on sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and is the first ever meta-analysis on the topic to estimate the impact of this relationship,” lead researcher Tom Falkenstein, a psychotherapist and doctoral student at Queen Mary University of London, said in a news release. Sensitivity is often…  read on >  read on >

Sensitive People More Vulnerable To Mood Disorders

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Sensitive people tend to have a higher risk of developing a mood disorder, a new evidence review says. In particular, highly sensitive souls are more likely to develop depression or suffer from anxiety, researchers report in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. “This is the first meta-analysis providing robust evidence that highly sensitive people are more prone to common mental health problems,” said senior researcher Michael Pluess, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Surrey in the U.K. “However, it is important to remember that highly sensitive people are also more responsive to positive experiences, including psychological treatment,” he added in a news release. For the review, researchers pooled data from 33 prior studies looking at the mental health of nearly 12,700 people. The team focused on sensitivity, a personality trait that reflects a heightened ability to perceive and process stimuli like bright lights, subtle changes in surroundings and other people’s moods. About 31% of the general population are considered highly sensitive, researchers said in background notes. “This is the most extensive systematic review on sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and is the first ever meta-analysis on the topic to estimate the impact of this relationship,” lead researcher Tom Falkenstein, a psychotherapist and doctoral student at Queen Mary University of London, said in a news release. Sensitivity is often…  read on >  read on >

Tight Blood Pressure Control Both Healthy And Cost-Effective, Projections Say

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Tight control over blood pressure is not only good for patients, but is also cost-effective health care, a new study says. Controlling blood pressure to below 120 systolic prevents more heart attacks, strokes, cases of heart failure and other heart-related health problems, compared with higher targets, researchers report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It’s also cost-effective, with tight blood pressure control increasing treatment expenses only slightly, researchers found. “This study should give patients at high cardiovascular risk and their clinicians more confidence in pursuing an intensive blood pressure goal,” lead researcher Karen Smith, an investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. “Our findings suggest the intensive less than 120 mm/Hg target prevents more cardiovascular events and provides good value, and this holds true even when measurements aren’t perfect,” she said. Current blood pressure guidelines define high blood pressure at 130 systolic or higher. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure within blood vessels during a heartbeat. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic, and blood pressure between 120 and 129 systolic is considered elevated, according to the American Heart Association. For the new study, researchers combined data gathered between 2013 and 2018 by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the groundbreaking Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), and other published studies. The team used this data to…  read on >  read on >

Tight Blood Pressure Control Both Healthy And Cost-Effective, Projections Say

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Tight control over blood pressure is not only good for patients, but is also cost-effective health care, a new study says. Controlling blood pressure to below 120 systolic prevents more heart attacks, strokes, cases of heart failure and other heart-related health problems, compared with higher targets, researchers report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It’s also cost-effective, with tight blood pressure control increasing treatment expenses only slightly, researchers found. “This study should give patients at high cardiovascular risk and their clinicians more confidence in pursuing an intensive blood pressure goal,” lead researcher Karen Smith, an investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. “Our findings suggest the intensive less than 120 mm/Hg target prevents more cardiovascular events and provides good value, and this holds true even when measurements aren’t perfect,” she said. Current blood pressure guidelines define high blood pressure at 130 systolic or higher. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure within blood vessels during a heartbeat. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic, and blood pressure between 120 and 129 systolic is considered elevated, according to the American Heart Association. For the new study, researchers combined data gathered between 2013 and 2018 by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the groundbreaking Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), and other published studies. The team used this data to…  read on >  read on >

Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Now Available for At-Home Use

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For the first time, people can get their annual flu vaccine without leaving the comfort of home. FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine made by AstraZeneca, is now available for at-home use through a service called FluMist Home, the company announced. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved FluMist in 2003 for use in doctors’ offices and pharmacies. Last year, the FDA expanded approval, making it the first flu vaccine that can be self-administered, CBS News said. FluMist Home allows customers to order the same nasal spray available at clinics, shipped directly to their homes. It will be offered in 34 states during the 2025-2026 flu season. The cost of FluMist is covered by most commercial insurance, though there is an $8.99 shipping and processing fee, according to the online ordering platform. To order, customers provide personal information, medical history, insurance details and a payment. FluMist is approved for people ages 2 to 49. Caregivers should administer the vaccine to children ages 2 to 17, according to the FDA. The vaccine should not be used in people with severe allergies to its ingredients, eggs or other flu vaccines, according to the company. Full safety information and administration instructions are provided on the product website. FluMist Home will launch in these states for the 2025-26 flu season: Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia…  read on >  read on >

Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Now Available for At-Home Use

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For the first time, people can get their annual flu vaccine without leaving the comfort of home. FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine made by AstraZeneca, is now available for at-home use through a service called FluMist Home, the company announced. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved FluMist in 2003 for use in doctors’ offices and pharmacies. Last year, the FDA expanded approval, making it the first flu vaccine that can be self-administered, CBS News said. FluMist Home allows customers to order the same nasal spray available at clinics, shipped directly to their homes. It will be offered in 34 states during the 2025-2026 flu season. The cost of FluMist is covered by most commercial insurance, though there is an $8.99 shipping and processing fee, according to the online ordering platform. To order, customers provide personal information, medical history, insurance details and a payment. FluMist is approved for people ages 2 to 49. Caregivers should administer the vaccine to children ages 2 to 17, according to the FDA. The vaccine should not be used in people with severe allergies to its ingredients, eggs or other flu vaccines, according to the company. Full safety information and administration instructions are provided on the product website. FluMist Home will launch in these states for the 2025-26 flu season: Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia…  read on >  read on >

Volunteering Slows Brain Aging

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Want to keep your brain healthy as you age? Regularly volunteer some of your time to your community, neighborhood, friends or family, a new study suggests. People who regularly lend a hand slow their rate of aging-related brain decline by 15% to 20%, researchers report in the October issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine. This benefit was consistently observed when people devoted two to four hours a week helping others, researchers said. “Everyday acts of support — whether organized or personal — can have lasting cognitive impact,” said lead researcher Sae Hwang Han, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. “What stood out to me was that the cognitive benefits of helping others weren’t just short-term boosts but cumulative over time with sustained engagement, and these benefits were evident for both formal volunteering and informal helping,” Han said in a news release. “And in addition to that, moderate engagement of just two to four hours was consistently linked to robust benefits.” For the study, researchers tracked more than 31,000 adults in the U.S. age 51 and older who participated in the federal Health and Retirement Survey between 1998 and 2020. Results showed that age-related cognitive decline slowed among people who started volunteering, either as part of an organized effort or informally among their neighbors,…  read on >  read on >

Volunteering Slows Brain Aging

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Want to keep your brain healthy as you age? Regularly volunteer some of your time to your community, neighborhood, friends or family, a new study suggests. People who regularly lend a hand slow their rate of aging-related brain decline by 15% to 20%, researchers report in the October issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine. This benefit was consistently observed when people devoted two to four hours a week helping others, researchers said. “Everyday acts of support — whether organized or personal — can have lasting cognitive impact,” said lead researcher Sae Hwang Han, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. “What stood out to me was that the cognitive benefits of helping others weren’t just short-term boosts but cumulative over time with sustained engagement, and these benefits were evident for both formal volunteering and informal helping,” Han said in a news release. “And in addition to that, moderate engagement of just two to four hours was consistently linked to robust benefits.” For the study, researchers tracked more than 31,000 adults in the U.S. age 51 and older who participated in the federal Health and Retirement Survey between 1998 and 2020. Results showed that age-related cognitive decline slowed among people who started volunteering, either as part of an organized effort or informally among their neighbors,…  read on >  read on >

Acetaminophen Linked To Autism/ADHD, Evidence Review Argues

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Taking acetaminophen while pregnant might increase a child’s risk of autism or ADHD, a new evidence review says. Analysis of 46 prior studies involving more than 100,000 participants found “strong evidence” that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen could increase the risk of developmental brain disorders like autism and ADHD, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal BMC Environmental Health. “Our findings show that higher-quality studies are more likely to show a link between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD,” said lead researcher Diddier Prada, an assistant professor of population health science and policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. This potential link could explain the ongoing surge in developmental disorders among children, the research team said. “As acetaminophen has become the recommended pain reliever for pregnant mothers, the rates of ADHD and ASD have increased more than  20-fold over the past decades,” the researchers concluded in their paper. “Given the widespread use of this medication, even a small increase in risk could have major public health implications,” Prada added in a news release. However, he said expecting mothers should consult with their doctor before they stop taking acetaminophen. “Untreated pain or fever can also harm the baby,” Prada said. “Our study highlights the importance of discussing the safest approach with health care providers and considering non-drug…  read on >  read on >

Acetaminophen Linked To Autism/ADHD, Evidence Review Argues

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Taking acetaminophen while pregnant might increase a child’s risk of autism or ADHD, a new evidence review says. Analysis of 46 prior studies involving more than 100,000 participants found “strong evidence” that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen could increase the risk of developmental brain disorders like autism and ADHD, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal BMC Environmental Health. “Our findings show that higher-quality studies are more likely to show a link between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD,” said lead researcher Diddier Prada, an assistant professor of population health science and policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. This potential link could explain the ongoing surge in developmental disorders among children, the research team said. “As acetaminophen has become the recommended pain reliever for pregnant mothers, the rates of ADHD and ASD have increased more than  20-fold over the past decades,” the researchers concluded in their paper. “Given the widespread use of this medication, even a small increase in risk could have major public health implications,” Prada added in a news release. However, he said expecting mothers should consult with their doctor before they stop taking acetaminophen. “Untreated pain or fever can also harm the baby,” Prada said. “Our study highlights the importance of discussing the safest approach with health care providers and considering non-drug…  read on >  read on >