WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Breathing in air pollution can lead to toxic particles entering the brain -- and not just through the nose. New research suggests they have a direct pathway through the bloodstream, potentially contributing to brain disorders and neurological damage. "There are gaps in our knowledge around the harmful effects of airborne fine particles on the central nervous system. This work sheds new light on the link between inhaling particles and how they subsequently move around the body," said study co-author Iseult Lynch, a professor at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom."The data suggests that up to eight times the number of fine particles may reach the brain by traveling, via the bloodstream, from the lungs than pass directly via the...

WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- After decades where millions of Americans who were at risk for cardiovascular trouble were told a daily low-dose aspirin would guard against strokes and heart attacks, new guidelines issued this spring recommend that the strategy is not worth the bleeding risks in those over 60.That's been plenty confusing for patients who aren't sure what is the safest course forward.Diane Manzella, a Southern California resident, is among them. Manzella, now 80, had a transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a "mini stroke," about 20 years ago. These attacks can be a harbinger of a future major stroke. Then she had a second TIA last month -- after stopping her daily dose of aspirin several months ago.Experts at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles have heard...

WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- After years of decline, infertility rates among U.S. women have held steady in the past decade or so, a new study finds.The reasons behind the stall are unclear. But researchers said rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and unequal access to reproductive health care could be factors.The study found that from 2006 to 2019, infertility rates among U.S. women aged 15 to 44 fluctuated between roughly 6% and 8%.That's in contrast to prior years, which saw a trend of declining infertility rates nationally, despite the fact that more women were delaying childbirth."Infertility is still an issue for women in the U.S. It has not gone away," said Dr. Maria Trent, the senior researcher on the study and a professor at Johns Hopkins University...

WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Could the way a senior handles his or her money offer clues about their risk for Alzheimer's disease?Yes, according to a new study involving dozens of elderly men and women that found a higher likelihood to give away money to anonymous individuals correlated with a poorer performance on the kinds of tests that screen for dementia.The study did not, however, assess the mental state of seniors who might decide to more freely donate to a recognized charitable cause, stressed lead researcher Gali Weissberger, who conducted her work while a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. She is now a senior lecturer with the interdisciplinary department of social sciences at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat...