People who eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, and fish may have bigger brains, according to a study published recently in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

By analyzing reported physical activity levels over time in more than 11,000 adults, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers conclude that increasing physical activity to recommended levels over as few as six years in middle age is associated with a significantly decreased risk of heart failure, a condition that affects an estimated 5-6 million people.

Smoking tobacco from a water pipe, also known as a hookah, accounted for over half of the tobacco smoke volume consumed by young adult hookah and cigarette smokers, a new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine analysis discovered.

Chikungunya virus is a growing threat to the world as the mosquito that carries the virus expands its reach. Telltale symptoms of chikungunya infection are fever and joint pain that lasts about a week. But in up to half of patients, the virus can cause a debilitating form of arthritis that persists for months or even years.

Cancer, like so many other overwhelming or life-altering situations, can really stick with a person. For many, the end of treatment is met with a flood of emotions that can make it difficult to get back to normal life. Learning how to recognize and live with a cancer diagnosis is a struggle that can last for years even after being given a clean bill of health. For Penn patient, Catherine Hagele, the end of treatment was simply the end of one chapter in her journey and the beginning of another.

For some people, particularly those who are elderly, even a light touch of the skin or contact with clothing can lead to unbearable itching. What’s worse, anti-itch treatments, including hydrocortisone, don’t provide much relief for this type of itching.