Hi-tech medical scanners could be used to probe causes of death, reducing the need for invasive autopsies that can upset bereaved families, a study published in The Lancet on Tuesday says. In Britain, post-mortems are ordered in about a fifth of deaths, notably where crime is suspected. The procedure has changed little over the past century, entailing evisceration and then dissection of the major organs. Keen to find whether a non-invasive alternative … full story

Computer analysis of brain scans could help predict how serious or long term a psychotic patient's illness may become and help doctors make more accurate decisions about how best to treat them, researchers said on Monday. In a study in the journal Psychological Medicine, scientists from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry and University College London's computer science department found that using computer algorithms to analyze MRI (magnetic … full story

Playing video games for hours on end may not be that bad after all. It could perhaps prepare your child to become a skilled surgeon one day. Playing video games gives one an advantage not only in the games themselves but also in performing other tasks requiring visuomotor skills – connections between visual and motor processes in the brain. Motor processes are linked with acquiring skills or skilled movements as a result of practice. Researchers … full story

Drinking beetroot juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults, potentially halting the progresses of dementia. “There have been several studies showing that drinking beet juice can lower blood pressure, but we wanted to show that drinking beet juice also increases perfusion, or blood flow, to the brain,” said Daniel Kim-Shapiro, director of Wake Forest University’s Translational Science Center. “There are areas in the brain that … full story

It is New Year’s Eve. You have one drink, then another, then a third. You used to be able to chug down 6 drinks without consequences. But lately, you’ve noticed that things are a bit different. Before dinner is over, you are wobbly; your speech slurs. Before the night is over, you are spread out on the floor. You’ve only had 3 drinks. What happened? Research shows alcohol has a much stronger effect in the senior population than in younger people. … full story