Resources & Information

Medical News Today
February 14, 2025
Stroke remains a major health challenge in the United States, ranking as one of the leading causes of and long-term disability. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 795,000 people experience a stroke annually, with someone dying from a stroke nearly every 3 minutes. Alarmingly, nearly one in four strokes are recurrent, affecting individuals who have already suffered a previous stroke. Preventing strokes and mitigating their impact on individuals and families is crucial. A new study offers hope, highlighting the potential of salt substitutes as a promising strategy to reduce stroke recurrence and mortality.

JAMA Network
February 7, 2025
When the VOICES of Black Women pilot study launched in late 2023, its coprincipal investigator Lauren McCullough, PhD, MSPH, was the first participant to enroll. The study, which the American Cancer Society (ACS) launched nationally last May, aims to explore environmental and behavioral factors that influence cancer risk and outcomes in a cohort of more than 100,000 Black women, making it the largest ever research initiative involving this population.

In the coming years, the study will enroll tens of thousands of Black women between the ages of 25 and 55 years who do not have a history of cancer. The goal: to better understand the specific drivers of cancer in this group and to inform approaches to address cancer disparities. The study will take place across 20 states and the District of Columbia, where collectively more than 90% of Black women in the US live.

American Heart Association
January 30, 2025
Flossing your teeth at least once a week may be linked to a lower risk of stroke caused by a blood clot blocking brain blood flow and irregular heartbeats, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025. The meeting is in Los Angeles, Feb. 5-7, 2025, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

“A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases — such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease — affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions,” said study lead author Souvik Sen, M.D., M. S., M.P.H, chair of the Department of Neurology, Prisma Health Richland Hospital and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina. “We aimed to determine which oral hygiene behavior — dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits — has the greatest impact on stroke prevention.”

Medical News Today
January 25, 2025
It is becoming increasingly obvious that sleep plays a range of crucial roles in helping our bodies maintain various aspects of health, including brain health and mental health. A new study from the Universities of York and East Anglia in the United Kingdom — whose findings appear in PNAS — now looks at an even more intriguing aspect of the relationship between sleep, the brain, and mental health. The study found that disrupted sleep affected the brain’s ability to restrict intrusive memories, which could contribute to conditions including anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Earth.com
01/21/2025
Sunburn is painful skin damage that we’ve all experienced after spending a bit too much time outdoors without protection from UV rays. Whether it’s from a lazy beach day or an exhilarating hike, the aftermath tells a singular tale – crimson skin and a nagging sting. When it comes to sunburn, the prevailing wisdom suggests that DNA damage triggers inflammation and subsequent cell death. However, this recent research suggests that the real offender might be RNA, not DNA.

Medical News Today
January 14, 2025
Although doctors recommend that adults over the age of 18 get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night, the most recent data suggest that many may face consistent sleep issues, such as insomnia and sleep apnea. Data from 2022 suggest that, in the United States alone, 39% of adults over the age of 45 were not getting sufficient sleep. Past studies report that not getting enough sleep each night can increase a person’s risk for several health concerns, including brain-related conditions, such as cognitive decline and dementia.