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New research out of Washington University has found that giving women free birth control does not increase risky sexual behavior. The analysis included...
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Obesity has increased dramatically in the United States over the past several decades.In Missouri, almost two-thirds of adults― and more than a quarter of…
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In separate studies both published on Wednesday, researchers at Washington University helped lead the genomic analysis of two types of cancer. As St.…
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The number of international students enrolled at Missouri colleges and universities has topped 16,000.An annual report by the Institution of International…
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Pediatric leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. There are about 3,000 new cases in the United States every year, typically in children…
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A new study led by Washington University confirms that the brains of people with a very rare, early-onset form of Alzheimer's disease begin to change long before they first show signs of dementia. The research brings us a step closer to early diagnosis of the more common type Alzheimer's that produces symptoms after age 60. Washington University neurologist Dr. Randall Bateman says researchers saw changes in the brain scans, spinal fluid, and blood of people with inherited Alzheimer's as much as 15 to 20 years before the onset of symptoms. Bateman says the next step is a clinical trial for those with the early-onset, inherited form of the disease. "The prediction is that, if we use the right drugs in the right amount, and at the right stage of the disease in the patient, that we would be able to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease in these individuals," Bateman said. Bateman says the hope is that the same biological markers can eventually be used to diagnose the much more common form of Alzheimer's that develops later in life. Dr. John Morris, the director of Washington University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and leader of the study, agrees. But, he says we're still a long way from using brain scans to diagnose Alzheimer's in the population at large. "If someone had a positive scan at age 60 could we say when they would develop dementia or even that they inevitably will develop dementia? We can't say that at this point," Morris said. "And plus, we have very little that we can do to modify the course, whatever the course is going to be." Morris says for now, the next step is to try to prevent or delay the debilitating symptoms of Alzheimer's in people with the rare, early-onset form of the disease. More: The study mentioned in this report was funded by the National Institute on Aging and a private, non-profit foundation. You can also find the full study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Follow Véronique LaCapra on Twitter: @KWMUScience
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The bacterium Enterococcus faecalis, which lives in the human gut, is just one type of microbe that was studied as part of the Human Microbiome Project…
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A new study out of Washington University suggests that women who use short-term birth-control methods like the pill are 20 times more likely to have an…
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More than half of cancer cases in the United States could be prevented.That’s according to a new article published recently by researchers at the Siteman…
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The already booming University City Loop is about to get a big infusion of money — an $80 million project by nearby Washington University.The St. Louis…