Content by SPIS MedWire

A gene has been identified that could influence susceptibility to autism in humans.

Obesity is the single most important cause of cancer among non-smokers, concludes a major review of research carried out over the last 50 years. But the nature of the relationship remains unclear and the benefits of dieting are unknown.In 17 May Nature Julian Peto from the Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey points out that tobacco remains the biggest health risk by far, causing cancer in 60% of smokers. Other causes include alcohol, sunlight and air pollution, each responsible for about 1% of

As many as 10% of passengers on long-haul flights may have deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the calf, claim the authors of a paper in 12 May Lancet. But the study design is criticised and the findings called into question by experts writing in the same issue.Scurr et al studied 231 passengers over 50 years of age making long-haul flights of at least eight hours and returning within six weeks and who had no history of DVT. Half wore surgical compression stockings while half travelled normally. Withi

has been found more frequently in patients with anorexia nervosa than in controls.

Myelin sheaths are critical for efficient signal transmission along axons. Their inactivation could explain some of the neuropathological deficits associated with schizophrenia.In the April 10 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Yaron Hakak and colleagues of the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California used DNA microarray analysis to compare the gene-activation profiles in the postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of 12 schizophrenic and 12 no

Blood levels of a specific form of cholesterol are directly related to the severity of heart disease.

Commonly, people who suffer attention deficits following brain injury due to trauma or stroke are treated using cognitive exercises designed to directly restore impaired attention processes.But Norman Park (Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto) and Janet Ingles (Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia) found that an alternative and lesser-used therapy may be more effective. They compared two different approaches to treatment. "One is restoration-training-based approach, which assumes you can re

Retroviral genes inserted into the human genome may contribute to some cases of schizophrenia.

The National Health Service faces a substantial compensation bill from patients who contracted hepatitis C from infected blood supplies.

A UK survey on the use of the combined mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine reveals that four out of 10 GPs would like to see single vaccines available as an alternative.

Claims that cannabis is harmless have been disputed in a report that suggests the drug is becoming more powerful and could lead to long-term health damage.

The early onset of menopause and a condition called blepharophimosis, which causes drooping eyelids, seem to be caused by the same genetic defect.

Fertility experts have called for IVF clinics to limit the use of drugs to stimulate the production of eggs.

Regulators have given permission for a US biotechnology company to implant metal hearts in a handful of critically ill patients.

A treatment that could mean the end of daily insulin injections for diabetics is about to undergo trials in the UK.