Experts Optimistic About Solving Puzzle of Alzheimer's

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Research into Alzheimer's disease has reached a point of significant potential, even as the disease's looming impact on society grows more and more dire, experts say.

Preterm Births Rarely Discussed With Doctors

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Even though one in eight babies in the United States are born preterm each year, most new or expectant mothers and their doctors don't discuss preterm birth, a new survey shows.

Health Tip: Help Tame Chronic Pain

(HealthDay News) -- If you still have pain more than six months after an injury or illness, it's said to be chronic.

Health Tip: Help Keep Baby Moving

(HealthDay News) -- Babies, just as their adult counterparts should, are encouraged to get lots of exercise.

Predicting Alzheimer's Risk in Patients With Cognitive Problems

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests the combination of a memory test and a brain scan may best predict the likelihood that an individual with mild cognitive problems will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Mouse Study Suggests Caffeine Boosts Athletic Performance

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- High doses of caffeine could increase muscle power and endurance during activities ranging from walking to running a marathon, British researchers report.

Three-Legged Dogs Aid in Robot Design

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- The movement of three-legged dogs is being studied to help scientists design robots that can adapt in the event of an "injury."

New Clues to Herniated Disc Pain

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- An immune cell known to cause inflammation in autoimmune disorders may play a role in back pain associated with herniated discs, says a new study.

Sleep Seems to Fuel Energy Surge in Rats' Brains

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Brain energy may replenish itself during sleep, a new study suggests.

Genes Tied to Hair Loss Disorder

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have implicated eight genes in the development of alopecia areata, a disorder that causes hair to thin and fall out.

Obesity Ups Cancer Death Risk in Asia-Pacific Region

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese people in the Asia-Pacific region have a significantly increased risk of dying from cancer compared to those of normal weight, finds a new study.

Fetal Genes May Be Linked to Certain Heart Disease in Adults

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Research on both mice and frozen human heart tissue has turned up evidence that a key enzyme involved in fetal heart development may also help trigger the onset of a serious heart disease in adulthood.

Testosterone Gel Could Raise Heart Risks in Frail, Older Men

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Older men in poor health who use testosterone gel to boost their mobility may raise their odds of high blood pressure or heart attack, new research suggests.

Parkinson's Transplant Mystery Solved, Researchers Say

WEDNESDAY, June 30 -- Researchers believe they know why Parkinson's disease patients who received fetal cell transplants in the 1990s developed uncontrolled, involuntary movements, and they think they can prevent the troublesome side effect.

Exercise May Guard Girls Against Dementia in Senior Years

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- If you want to help your young daughter avoid dementia much later on in life, a new study suggests it might be a good idea to send her outside to play.

Health Highlights: June 30, 2010

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Clinical Trials Update: June 30, 2010

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

PSA Test Does Cut Prostate Cancer Deaths, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Adding to the ongoing debate on the usefulness of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test for prostate cancer, new research from Sweden finds the screen cuts lives lost to the disease by almost half.