WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Going vegetarian is trendy and popular, along with being a healthy choice, but a large portion of those who say they want to stick with a plant-based diet don't.

It might come down to your DNA, suggests new research that has uncove...

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- New research has discovered 12 gene variants that may be tied to an increased risk of attempting suicide.

These genes also may have links with physical and mental health woes, including chronic pain, attention-deficit/hyperactivit...

Researchers have found a gene mutation linked to esophageal cancer, which could lead to better prevention and treatment strategies.

Investigators from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio found the mutation, potentially helping those at risk of what is a highly lethal cancer. Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a cancer of your food pipe.

“With this discovery, we will be able t...

Women who carry mutations in genes known as BRCA have an elevated risk of breast cancer. But a large, new study suggests that risk may be lower than generally believed -- especially if a woman has no close relative with the disease.

The study, of more than 400,000 British adults, found that women who carried mutations in either of two genes -- BRCA1 or BRCA2 -- had a higher-than-average r...

A large number of drugs used to treat everything from multiple sclerosis to blood cancers to rheumatoid arthritis may cause a rare but often-fatal condition called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).

But a simple genetic test can determine who has a 10-fold higher risk for developing this condition, which means those patients could discuss safer treatment options with their ...

If you were a big baby -- or your spouse or partner was -- your baby has a good chance of being big, too.

New research shows parents who were large babies are more likely to give birth to a large baby.

Knowing this has the potential to improve prenatal care and interventions by identifying which pregnancies have higher risk of labor and delivery complications.

To study this, r...

Smoking may not only harm the smoker and those who breathe in the secondhand fumes, but also their future children.

New research suggests that boys who smoke in their early teens risk passing on harmful genetic traits to future children. The study probed the genetic profi...

As it stands, no one blood test or brain scan can definitively diagnose Parkinson's disease.

But researchers report this may soon change if a new blood test continues to show promise.

The test measures DNA damage in the mitochondria of cells, which is known to be higher in people with Parkinson’s disease. Earlier research from the same group also showed there is an accumulation of...

An international research team has achieved the first complete sequencing of the human Y chromosome, which is closely linked to male development.

This is the last of the human chromosomes to be fully sequenced, an effort that may shed light on everything from fertility to disease.

The work was led by the Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) Consortium, which is a team of researchers funded by...

The brain is a complex organ, and a new study — believed to be the largest ever on the brain’s genetics — identifies more than 4,000 genetic variants linked to brain structure.

The research, involving some 36,000 brain scans, was led by a team at the University of Cambridge in England.

Brains are quite varied in terms of overall volume, how the brain is folded and how thick th...

Genetically engineered pig kidneys are nearing the point where they could provide a government-approved, sustainable supply of organs for sick humans awaiting a transplant, a pair of new studies argue.

A lightly modified pig kidney has continued to function more than a month in a brain-dead human donor kept alive on a ventilator, according to an ongoing study conducted at NYU Langone Heal...

A newly discovered genetic variant might explain why some people of African ancestry have naturally lower viral loads of HIV, an international team of researchers reports.

This variant, carried by an estimated 4% to 13% of people of African origin, reduces their risk of transmitting the virus and slows the progress of their own illness.

It's the first new genetic variant related to ...

In a study of families that have multiple children with autism, researchers have unearthed new insights into genes that might drive the disorder.

“Study design is critical, and not enough attention has been paid to studying families with more than one affected child,” said lead author Dr. Daniel Geschwind<...

You've likely heard that "you are what you eat,” but a new study suggests what you eat also has something to do with who you are — genetically speaking.

Researchers have identified nearly 500 genes that appear to directly influence what someone eats. These insights could help improve personalized nutrition to boost health or prevent disease, they said.

“Some genes we iden...

In the world of COVID-19 infections, the majority of patients develop symptoms, while about one-fifth mysteriously don't develop a cough, sore throat or other tell-tale signs of illness.

Now, new research finds that these symptom-free super-dodgers are more than twice as likely as others to carry a genetic mutation that seems to obliterate COVID-19.

“The mutation is a version...

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating diagnosis, and if a close relative has had it you may worry whether you will be next.

According to the National Institutes of Health, it is estimated that over 6 million Americans over 65 suffer from Alzheimer's. Since this is primarily a disease that comes with age, t...

It's common knowledge that loss is a part of male aging — loss of hair, loss of muscle tone, loss of vision or hearing.

But men growing older also start losing the very thing that makes them biological males, their Y chromosome, and that can leave them more vulnerable to cancer, a new study says.

The loss of the Y chromosome can help cancer cells evade detection by the body's immu...

Learning that your loved one has Alzheimer's disease can be frightening and leave you feeling lost and unsure.

To help you better understand the condition and what you can do to manage it, experts detail what causes Alzheimer's disease. In this guide, you'll learn about the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that scientists think may interact to contribute to the development of ...

The so-called “Viking disease” causes the fingers of many aging northern European men to lock up in a bent position, and researchers now think they know why.

Genetic variants inherited from Neanderthal man appear to be the most powerful risk factors for developing Dupuytren's contracture -- called the Viking disease because it mainly affects men descended from northern Europeans.

The most common screening test for prostate cancer so often returns a false positive result that it's no longer recommended for men older than 70, and it's offered as a personal choice for younger men.

But researchers think they've found a way to make the blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) accurate enough to significantly reduce overdiagnosis and better predict dangerous cance...

Genetic mutations caused this latest bird flu season to become more severe, increasing the risk it poses to humans and other mammals, a new study finds.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus gained the ability to severely infect the brains of mammalian test subjects like ferrets, researchers with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found.

That's a notable departure from previous strains ...

People with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease may have an increased risk of epilepsy, a new study says. And folks with a certain type of epilepsy may have higher odds of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Having Alzheimer's was linked to a 5.3% increased risk of generalized epilepsy, researchers report in the journal Neurology. This involves seizures that occur from b...

A unique genetic brew has benefitted a Scottish woman who lives virtually pain-free, heals more rapidly and experiences reduced anxiety and fear, researchers from University College London report.

Pain geneticists have been studying the woman, Jo Cameron, for a decade. She came to their attention when her doctor noticed that she experienced no pain after major surgeries on her hip and han...

When it comes to predicting heart trouble down the road, the arteries may say a lot more than the genes do, according to a new study.

Researchers found that CT scans of the heart arteries were better than genetics at predicting middle-aged adults' risk of heart disease in coming years.

In fact, people's genes gave little useful information over and above low-tech methods, such as me...

Researchers working to unlock the mysteries of autism report they have discovered differences among children when two in a family have the condition versus just one.

Scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York have been researching the genetic origins of autism for two decades. Their discoveries have included thousands of genes that, when damaged, may cause a child to be bor...

A subset of people may be at high risk for both psychiatric disorders and for using marijuana, based on their genetics, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Oslo in Norway have found that some of the genetic variants associated with cannabis use are also linked to psychiatric disorders.

“These findings are important as they show that the complex links betw...

MONDAY, May 15, 2023 -- Researchers have discovered a genetic mutation that should actively protect people from Alzheimer's, thanks to a man belonging to a Colombian family known to be susceptible to the degenerative brain disease.

Based on his family's genetics, this unnamed patient should have started showing signs of Alzheimer's in his 40s.

“They start getting impaired at age 4...

Detailed remnants of human DNA can be found just about everywhere that people have been, a surprising finding that raises a host of ethical issues for researchers, a new study says.

Environmental samples of human DNA were found nearly everywhere, save for isolated islands and remote mountaintops where people have never visited, researchers said. While sequencing this DNA offers researcher...

Last year, gene researchers made news by announcing the completion of the first complete sequence of the human genome.

That effort has now been expanded, with researchers using that success as a springboard to create a comprehensive and sophisticated collection of genome sequences that more accurately captures human diversity.

The new “pangenome” includes the genome sequences of...

While newborns are only screened for about 60 treatable conditions, there are hundreds of genetic disorders that have targeted treatments.

Now, a national survey of experts in rare diseases found the vast majority support DNA sequencing in healthy newborns.

Testing, surveillance and treatment options exist for over 600 genetic conditions. This includes a growing number of devastat...

The influence of Neanderthals is evident right in the center of the faces of modern humans.

New research finds that genetic material inherited from Neanderthals affects nose shape. A particular gene made the nose taller from top to bottom.

This may have been necessary as ancient humans adapted to colder climates.

“In the last 15 years since the Neanderthal genome has been s...

It's well known that being overweight or obese can increase health risks.

But a new study finds that the reasons why a person is obese may have some impact on heart disease risk.

Specifically, being obese because of lifestyle carried higher risks than it did if the extra weight was due to genetic predisposition, researchers found.

“The link between obesity and ca...

A good night's sleep is important for everyone, and it may be especially sage advice for adults with a genetic susceptibility to asthma, a new study says.

Someone with poor sleep quality and a genetic link to asthma may double their chances of being diagnosed with the respiratory condition, researchers said. But they found a healthy sleep pattern was linked to lower risk, according to a r...

Breakthrough research shows genetic markers for substance abuse and could lead to more effective ways to prevent and treat drug and alcohol use disorders.

These findings could help people who face addiction to varied substances, including those who have more than one addiction at a time.

The findings al...

It's a controversial notion, but couples undergoing fertility treatments may soon be able to select the sex of their baby — with an 80% chance of success, doctors say.

Sperm-sorting techniques have been tried and offered before, but the new procedure — which separates sperm cells based on weight — appears much more accurate and safe, according to a new study.

In the study...

Genetic analysis of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair has provided new clues into the cause of the great composer's death in 1827 — as well as evidence of a family scandal.

The analysis revealed that Beethoven suffered from a hepatitis B infection that could have contributed to his death from liver disease.

Researchers found DNA evidence of hepatitis B virus in a lock of hair taken from...

When Yoni Silverman, now 13, was a toddler, his parents fretted as he missed milestone after milestone. The New York City couple took their son to a host of specialists, searching for answers about why he wasn't speaking and had difficulty with balance, among other developmental issues.

Fast forward a few years later, and a Boston couple was going through something similar with their now ...

Some people may have a gene that helps protect them from respiratory diseases like COVID-19 -- and helped their ancestors fight the plague.

It comes at a cost.

This same gene variation may be linked to an increased risk of autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, according to British researchers.

“This gene essentially chops up prote...

Though BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations are associated with breast and ovarian cancer in younger women, those over 50 continue to have a high risk of breast cancer.

That's true even if they didn't have breast cancer earlier, new research shows.

“What is striking about our results is that ...

Certain gene mutations put women at high risk of breast cancer, and now an early study hints that obesity might make matters worse.

The findings come from a study of breast tissue samples from women who carried particular mutations in genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 — which convey much higher-than-normal risks of both breast and ovarian cancers.

The researchers found that among women...

A gene variant found almost exclusively among people of African descent appears to substantially raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds.

The variant is in a gene called ApoE3, and it's apparently only harmful when it exists in combination with the ApoE4 gene — a well-known risk factor for Alzheimer's.

That gene duo was present in only 1% of the nearly 32,000 ind...

A new study links obesity with 21 Alzheimer's disease-related genes.

This may help explain why Alzheimer's is often more frequent among adults who experienced obesity in midlife, according to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

To

Genes may have a strong influence over whether kids develop an eating disorder marked by extremely limited food choices, a new study finds.

The study focused on a condition called avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). It's a relatively new diagnosis that describes people who seve...

Researchers have uncovered a serious risk for folks who have an extra X or Y chromosome.

Those with the genetic condition known as supernumerary sex chromosome aneuploidy have a risk for blood clots in a deep vein or lung that's four or five times higher than usual, a new study

Some women with cancer in one breast may have a greater risk of developing cancer in the other breast, new research suggests.

Those who carry a specific genetic change — a germline BRCA1, BRCA2 or CHEK2 mutation — have at least a twofold increased risk of cancer in both breasts, also called contralateral breast cancer, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer C...

In the mammalian world, there are the hairy, the less hairy and the hairless. But why that is has remained a mystery.

Until now.

In a new study that compared the DNA of 62 animals, researchers found that while humans appear to have the genes for a full coat of body hair, evolution has disabled that DNA. The same thing has happened in mammals at least nine times, including in the anc...

Humans have continued to evolve after splitting from chimpanzee ancestors nearly 7 million years ago, according to a new study that found 155 new genes unique to humans that suddenly arose from tiny sections of DNA.

Some of the new genes date back to the ancient origin of mammals, according to the researchers. They suspect a few of these “microgenes” have links to hum...

Scientists have pinpointed four genes that seem to play a part in how vulnerable you are to suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

"It's important to note that these genes do not predestine anyone to problems, but it's also important to understand that there could be heightened risks, particularly when combined with life events," said study co-author