Post Archive by Year

As we get older, our small blood vessels tend to leak. If these leaky blood vessels are in the brain, they can lead to stroke and vascular dementia. But could we devise a drug to plug the leaks and even prevent small vessel … Read More

There’s already some evidence that music therapy can help patients with stroke and ­aphasia – where they struggle to communicate. It can even improve memory and mood. However, a trial at University College London Hospital (UCLH) will be the first … Read More

Sometimes we don’t need a new drug. We’re better off with a new use for an old one. Such is the case for anastrozole, which has been used for many years as a breast cancer treatment, but recently it was licensed by … Read More

Another winner from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, the world-renowned medical ­research centre that’s been gathering information about who’s likely to get Alzheimer’s. Each new project provides another piece of the jigsaw and we’re creeping towards getting the full picture. This one reveals … Read More

Cambridge University scientists have taken a giant step forward in the treatment of a wide range of inflammatory diseases, including gout, heart failure, cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation. They propose using a cancer drug to overcome the inflammation at the root of many of these … Read More

For several decades I’ve been a declared fan of statins, ever since I was put on one, not to lower my cholesterol (which the drugs are mainly used for), but to keep my cholesterol normal. In other words to protect … Read More

The Karolinska Institute in ­Sweden is one of the most ­respected medical ­research centres in the world and when its scientists come up with new ­findings, everyone listens. And while its latest edict seems counterintuitive, we must take note of … Read More

We’re constantly looking for markers which may protect us from diseases such as heart disease and cancer. By the same token, discovering traits that worsen our risk of getting diseases as we age helps us to make plans to avoid them. Who would have thought … Read More

Women from Black ethnic backgrounds are four times more likely to die during pregnancy or in the six weeks after giving birth, compared to white women. This was the finding of an Oxford University report earlier this year that has … Read More

We have known about the risk factors of dementia for a while, such as high blood ­pressure, obesity, diabetes, low levels of good cholesterol and sleep disorders. But ­surprising research led by ­ University ­College London has found that these factors are ­magnified … Read More