Here are some of the latest health and medical news
developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Brain Reward Area Larger in Video Gamers
An area of the brain associated with addiction is larger than
normal in teens who regularly play video games, a new study
finds.
But it's not clear if playing video games changes the brain or
if preexisting brain differences make teens more likely to play
video games,
BBC News reported.
The study of 154 14-year-olds found that those who played more
than nine hours a week had a larger ventral striatum, the hub of
the brain's reward system.
This part of the brain is typically activated "when people
anticipate positive environmental effects or experience pleasure
such as winning money, good food, sex," said researcher Dr. Simone
Kuhn, from Ghent University in Belgium,
BBC News reported.
Previous research has also linked this part of the brain to drug
addiction.
The study appears in the journal
Translational Psychiatry.
-----
Britain Should Ban Smoking in Cars, Medical Group Says
Smoking in cars should be banned, says the British Medical
Association.
The influential group released research Wednesday showing that
smoking in cars exposes drivers and passengers to 23 times more
toxins than smoky bars. Children are especially at risk because
their bodies absorb more pollutants,
CBS News and the
Associated Press reported.
The British government should take the "bold and courageous
step" of implementing a ban on smoking in cars, said the BMA's Dr.
Vivienne Nathanson.
The U.K. has no law against smoking in private cars. In parts of
Australia, Canada and the United States, smoking is banned in cars
when children are in the vehicles,
BBC News reported.
-----
Drug Slows Prostate Cancer Spread to Bones: Study
A new drug called denosumab delays the spread (metastasis) of
prostate cancer to the bones, according to a new study funded by
drug maker Amgen.
The study of more than 1,400 patients found that the drug seemed
to increase bone-metastasis-free survival by an average of four
months, compared to a placebo. But it did not increase overall
survival,
ABC News reported.
The findings were published in
The Lancet.
"Prostate cancer patients who develop bone metastases usually have poor outcomes, so preventing the development of metastasis has been a major unmet clinical need," study author Dr. Matthew Smith, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who serves as a consultant for Amgen, said in a news release, ABC News reported.
Denosumab has U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for
treatment of osteoporosis and prevention of fractures in patients
with bone metastases from solid tumors.
-----
Healthier School Lunches Challenged by Congress
Nutritionists and other health experts are outraged that the
U.S. Congress is fighting the Obama administration's efforts to
make school lunches healthier.
The final version of a spending bill released by Congress Monday
would block or delay Department of Agriculture efforts to remove
pizza and french fries from school lunches, the
Associated Press reported.
For example, the bill would allow tomato paste on a pizza to be
considered a vegetable, as it is now. It's expected that the House
and Senate will vote on the bill this week and send it to President
Obama for signing.
Despite the bill, the USDA says it will continue its efforts to
make school lunches healthier.
"While it's unfortunate that some members of Congress continue to put special interests ahead of the health of America's children, USDA remains committed to practical, science-based standards for school meals," spokeswoman Courtney Rowe said in a statement, the AP reported.
"We are outraged that Congress is seriously considering language that would effectively categorize pizza as a vegetable in the school lunch program," Amy Dawson Taggart, director of a group called Mission: Readiness, said in a letter to lawmakers before the final bill was released. "It doesn't take an advanced degree in nutrition to call this a national disgrace."
Mission: Readiness is a group of retired generals who have been
advocating for healthier school lunches. They believe poor
nutrition in school lunches is a national security issue because
obesity is the leading reason for medical disqualification for
military service, the
AP reported.
-----
Few Baby Boomers Have End-of-Life Legal Documents
A new survey finds that 64 percent of American baby boomers
don't have end-of-life legal documents such as a living will or
health care proxy.
A living will outlines a person's wishes for medical care if he
or she is unable to communicate with doctors. A health care proxy,
also called a health care power of attorney, appoints a trusted
person to make decisions about medical care if a patient becomes
incapacitated, the
Associated Press reported.
The
AP-LifeGoesStrong.com poll involved online interviews with
1,416 adults, including 1,078 baby boomers -- those born between
1946 and 1964.
One reason why so few baby boomers have end-of-life legal
documents is because they feel healthy and young, the
AP reported.
-----
Nearly 5 Million More Contact Lenses Recalled by
CooperVision
An expanded recall of nearly 5 million contact lenses was
announced Tuesday by CooperVision Inc. of California.
Avaira Sphere contact lenses have been added to an August recall
of nearly 780,000 Avaira Toric lenses. The products may be
contaminated with silicone oil residue and linked to blurred
vision, eye injuries and severe pain,
msnbc.com reported.
The company produced 6.6 million Avaira Sphere lenses affected
by the recall but only 4.9 million were actually shipped to
consumers, according to CooperVision spokeswoman Denise Powell.
The recall of the Avaira Sphere and Toric lenses followed a U.S.
Food and Drug Administration Class 1 warning, which is the most
serious type and is issued when there is a reasonable chance of
serious adverse health consequences or death,
msnbc.com reported.
For more information, consumers can contact the company at
1-855-526-6737.