Genes in human embryos become active far sooner than once thought, according to a study that provides fresh insight into development.

Contrary to the old view that gene activity begins two to three days after conception when the embryo is made up of four to eight cells, researchers found that it actually begi...

French Bulldogs are incredibly cute, sporting adorable snub snouts, big round heads, bright wide eyes and large bat ears.

Unfortunately, the physical traits that make them one of the most popular breeds in the United States and United Kingdom also saddle them with a host of health problems, a new study shows.

Frenchies have significantly higher odds than other dog breeds of being di...

Have you just turned 60 and feel like you're in great health?

Well, new research suggests that unseen dangers lurk: Scientists found that cancer-free people older than 60 have at least 100 billion cells with at least one cancer-associated mutation.

But there's good news, too: The vast majority of these mutations won't do anything and most people (60%) will go their entire lives wit...

For certain leukemia patients, some welcome findings: New research confirms long remissions after treatment with the drug ibrutinib and chemotherapy.

The study involved 85 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). All were 65 or younger, and 46 had more aggressive, unmutated IGHV subtype of the d...

Children at risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) might find some protection from the disease by spending more time in the sun, a small study suggests.

Although MS is rare in children and young adults, those with relatives who have the condition have increased odds of developing the disease early. Exposure to sunlight may cut their risk in half, researchers say.

"In families where there'...

Traits particular to certain dog breeds -- the distinctive spots of a dalmatian or the stubby legs of a dachshund -- are often achieved through inbreeding.

But most breeds are now highly inbred, increasing a dog's risk of health problems, a new study confirms.

"It's amazing how inbreeding seems to matter to health," study leader Danika Bannasch said.

Her genetic analysis of 2...

Genetic testing can help guide management and treatment of unexplained epilepsy in children, new research suggests.

"A genetic diagnosis impacted medical management for nearly three out of four children in our study," said study author Dr. Isabel Haviland. She's a postdoctoral research fellow in neurology/neurobiology at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

In the ...

A rare gene variant discovered among Amish people may help lower "bad" cholesterol and protect against heart disease, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among nearly 7,000 Amish people, the gene variant was tied to reductions in both LDL cholesterol and fibrinogen -- a protein that is a marker of inflammation and linked to heart disease risk.

There was also evidence of pro...

A boy or a girl? New research suggests that the air pregnant women breathe or the water they drink could play a role in their baby's sex.

The finding stems from tracking hundreds of factors -- including pollution exposure -- surrounding the birth of more than 6 million Americans an...

A defect in the blood-brain barrier may play a role in Parkinson's disease, a groundbreaking research study suggests.

The blood-brain barrier acts as a filter to keep out toxins while still allowing the passage of nutrients to nourish the brain. This study found that in some people with Parkinson's, the b...

Researchers have identified a second HIV-positive person whose body might have naturally cleared the infection -- sparking hope that studying such exceedingly rare events will help lead to a cure.

The researchers cautioned that they cannot prove the woman has fully eradicated the virus from her body, in what's known as a "sterilizing" cure.

But in exhaustive tests of over 1.5 billio...

Whole genome sequencing of blood samples improves detection of rare genetic conditions called mitochondrial disorders, British researchers report.

These disorders are inherited and affect about 1 in 4,300 people, causing progressive, incurable diseases.

Though they are among the most common inherited disorders, mitochondrial disorders are tough to diagnose because they can affect ma...

Researchers may have unearthed a surprising risk factor for often-fatal brain bleeds: Sleepless nights.

In a study of about 70,000 adults, researchers found that people with a genetic predisposition to insomnia were at somewhat higher risk of a brain aneurysm. An aneurysm is a weak spot in an artery wall that bulges out and fills with blood. In some cases, it can rupture and cause life-th...

New research in mice may provide clues to age-related hair loss in men and women.

Scientists found that as hair stem cells in mice age, they lose the stickiness that keeps them secured inside the hair follicle. This allows the stem cells to drift away from the follicle.

"The result is fewer and fewer stem cells in the hair follicle to produce hair," said study lead author Rui Yi, a ...

Artificial intelligence (AI) might be able to spot the next virus to jump from animals to humans, Scottish researchers report.

Identifying diseases before they become a threat to humans is challenging, because only a few of the nearly 2 million animal viruses can infect humans. By developing machine learning models, researchers can analyze genetic patterns of viruses that might infect peo...

Parents and their children often share numerous traits -- including a dislike for broccoli and other veggies in the same family.

Noxious enzymes from bacteria in saliva may be the reason why, a new study suggests.

Levels of these compounds are similar in parents and children, which might be why these vegetables are turnoffs for both generations, especially when the levels are h...

Cholesterol made in the brain may spur development of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.

Cholesterol made by cells called astrocytes is needed for controlling production of amyloid beta, a sticky protein that builds up in the brain and accumulates into the plaques that are the tell-tale sign of Alzheimer's.

Researchers say these new findings may offer insight into how and wh...

Even when genetics and personality are working against you, having a strong network of supportive friends and family may help lower alcoholism risk, researchers say.

"Genes play an important role in alcohol use," stressed Jinni Su, an assistant professor of psychology at Arizona State University in Tempe, and lead author of a new study.

But "genes are not our destiny," she added.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to be somehow linked to risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, a new multigenerational study has found.

Parents and grandparents of people with ADHD have a higher risk of Alzheimer's and dementia than people with no ADHD in their family, Swedish researchers said.

Specifically, parents of an ADHD child have a 34% higher risk ...

Your favorite tabby cat may seem to have little similarity to her relatives in the wild, but all share a key gene that gives them their distinctive look.

Why cats' coats are decorated with stripes, spots and blotches has long been a mystery. Now, researchers have identified a specific gene that all domestic cats, wild big cat species and possibly even other mammals have that regulates dev...

Most parents want their children to live carefree lives, so a diagnosis of childhood cancer is devastating. Fortunately, pediatric cancers are rare.

Yet it doesn't hurt to be watchful for the warning signs, suggest experts in childhood cancer from Penn State Health.

The best screening most parents can do is to stay on track with well-child visits, the doctors said.

"For e...

Danish researchers have found genetic causes for epilepsy in half of children they studied and said half of those could be treated with targeted therapies.

That's the upshot of genetic testing of 290 children born between 2006 and 2011. Some had been diagnosed with epilepsy. Others had had seizures along with a high temperature; they were either long seizures or consciousness was not rega...

A new coronavirus variant called Mu that may be able to evade existing antibodies, including those from vaccines, is under close watch by U.S. health officials.

The variant hasn't taken extensive hold in the United States at this point, but the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is taking it "very seriously," according to its director, Dr. Anthony Fauci, CBS Ne...