A variant of the TLR3 gene may guard against "dry" age-related macular degeneration, a top cause of vision loss, Chinese and U.S. scientists report.

Glitches in the BDNF gene cut levels of a brain chemical and may make obesity more likely, report scientists at the National Institutes of Health.

Using the drug magnesium sulfate to stop preterm labor may make moderate to severe cerebral palsy less likely, new research shows.

When it comes to getting older, is there a point when your mental functions start to wane?

The finding that fat cells from obese people behave differently from those in normal-weight people could help explain how obesity leads to diseases like diabetes.

Children develop altruism and the desire for things to be fair by the time they are 7 or 8, according to a Swiss study.

Six patients taking the type 2 diabetes drug Byetta (exenatide) are now reported to have died after developing pancreatitis.

45.7 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2007 -- but thanks to Medicaid and SCHIP, 1.3 million fewer were uninsured than in 2006.

People in low-income countries may be less informed about cancer risks such as smoking, according to a survey by the International Union Against Cancer.

About one-fifth of Ayurvedic medicines sold online to Americans contain metals, including lead, according to a new study by Boston University researchers.

If you have skin cancer, are your chances of getting another type of cancer greater?

Nuts, popcorn, and corn don't increase the risk of diverticulitis, a study shows.

The drug allopurinol (Zyloprim), often prescribed to lower uric acid levels in adults who suffer the painful arthritic condition known as gout, also appears to help lower high blood pressure in teens, according to a new study.

Cymbalta, a drug used to treat depression, anxiety, and fibromyalgia, may ease chronic low back pain, according to study funded by Cymbalta's maker.

Bacteria and fungi in amniotic fluid may contribute to many premature births, a study shows.

A new study shows that California’s state-funded anti-smoking campaign has saved billions of dollars in personal health care costs since its inception in 1989.

Researchers report success in early lab tests of a vaccine against Candida albicans, a cause of yeast infections.

An Alabama plan that calls for obese state employees to pay more for health insurance if they don't lose weight has stirred controversy.

Certain types of breast cancer may be rarer among women who breastfeed their babies for at least six months, Washington study shows.

People who breathe burning incense over long periods have an increased risk of developing mouth, tongue, and certain lung cancers, even if they don’t smoke cigarettes, a new study shows.

Is there really a link between the cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin and cancer? This WebMD FAQ tells you what is and isn't known.

Researchers are confirming what serious athletes have long believed: Swedish massage immediately after intense exercise helps muscles recover.

A new study shows that DEET works as a mosquito repellent because it smells bad to mosquitos.

Nestle Prepared Foods is recalling certain 54-ounce, 12-pack cartons of its Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza stuffed sandwiches, which may contain foreign materials.

The erectile dysfunction drugs Cialis and Viagra are joining a third ED drug, Levitra, in noting rare reports of transient global amnesia.

The FDA is investigating a report from the SEAS trial of a possible association between use of the drug Vytorin and increased cancer risk.

Childhood risk factors, including exposure to dogs and respiratory infections, can boost the chances of snoring later in life, according to a team of researchers.

Studies tracking the progress of two patients who had face transplants show the surgeries had positive results.

Spinach and iceberg lettuce can now be irradiated at a level that will kill bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella.

Flavanols in some chocolates are showing promise in promoting blood flow to the brain.

Despite eradication of homegrown measles in 2000, the CDC worries that outbreaks among unvaccinated kids signal resurgence of the serious disease.

Researchers say that people who think they are undecided about who they will vote for often have already made up their minds at an unconscious level.

A burst aneurysm that led to the death of Ohio Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones is typically linked to risk factors such as family history and high blood pressure.

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs do not increase cancer risk, says Tufts University's Richard Karas, MD, who last year warned of a possible risk.

The vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer, will be most cost-effective in the U.S. with universal vaccination of 12-year-old girls and catch-up efforts to vaccinate girls and women ages 13 to 21, researchers say.

A variant gene causes more than 60% of cases of a serious side effect of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs -- muscle pain and weakness.

Dogs can smell skin cancer, and so might an "electronic nose." Monell Chemical Senses researchers say the device can sniff out skin cancer by its "odor profile."

NYU researchers say their new MRI test can detect arthritis early, when treatments are most helpful. The technique also detects spinal disc degeneration.

Underage or drunken fans are often able to buy alcohol at sports stadiums, especially if it's purchased from a vendor in the stands, according to a study.

Today U.S. women are having fewer babies, with more women choosing to be childless.

Christina Applegate has gotten a preventive double mastectomy to keep her breast cancer from returning and will get reconstructive surgery.

New discoveries surrounding a type of "good" fat that promotes the burning of calories could one day lead to better treatments for obesity, researchers say.

Vigabatrin, now being tested as a treatment for cocaine addiction, lessens obese rats' craving for food. They lose about 20% of their body weight.

A study shows that adults are easily fooled when a child says a real event did not happen, while adults are better at detecting when a child is creating an event and making up the details.

The Alexander technique, a little-known type of physical therapy designed to reduce chronic pain, is more effective at reducing back pain than exercise alone or massage therapy, according to a new study.

The U.S. obesity epidemic is gaining speed, with adult obesity rates up in 37 states and down in none. In 28 states, more than 1 in 4 people are obese.

Study shows that Cialis, a popular drug for erectile dysfunction, helps ease common urinary symptoms associated with enlarged prostate.

If you have heart disease, don't count on folic acid pills, with or without vitamin B6 and B12 supplements, to help you cut your cardiovascular risk, a study shows.

Inorganic arsenic may be a factor in diabetes, according to a new study. Thirteen million Americans are exposed to unsafe levels of inorganic arsenic through their drinking water.

Medicare's web site isn't easy for many computer-savvy adults to use, University of Miami researchers report.

Did your child walk and talk early? Does she have a brain like a sponge? Scribble magnificently? Love learning? Ask questions that leave you marveling (and scrambling to Google an answer)? Wow, clearly she's a genius! Or, um, maybe not.

A nagging injury almost kept 41-year-old Dara Torres from competing in her fifth Olympics in Beijing, China. Instead she swam through the pain to capture three silver medals.

Read full story for latest details.

Read full story for latest details.

Read full story for latest details.

Read full story for latest details.

If your water bottle travels with you everywhere, sip on this thought: Drinking water isn't the only way to stay hydrated. Food can significantly affect your daily fluid needs.

Participation in government health insurance programs -- particularly those aimed at children -- increased from 2006 to 2007, leading to a decrease in the number of Americans lacking insurance, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday.