Why do some people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have either no or negligible symptoms, while others sicken and die?

Scientists who've pinpointed several genetic markers associated with severe COVID-19 say their findings could provide answers to that important question -- and targets for future treatments.

The investigators spotted 13 locations in human DNA that are strongly associated w...

The notion of parents picking out genetically perfect babies may seem like science fiction, but bioethicists warn in a new report that some companies have already started to offer couples going through in vitro fertilization (IVF) the means to pick better embryos through polygenic scoring.

Polygenic scores are a "weighted average of the contributions of all of the genes we have informatio...

A gene therapy aimed at freeing the heart's capacity for self-repair has shown early promise in an animal study.

The study -- done in pigs -- found that the treatment approach was not only feasible, but also improved the animals' heart function after they sustained heart attack damage.

There is a long way to go before a similar gene therapy could be applied to human heart attac...

A gene variant may be driving high rates of unnecessary bone marrow biopsies in Black Americans, researchers say.

The variant is responsible for lower white blood cell levels in some healthy Black people, the investigators said.

"We've essentially created this racial health disparity by not fully considering how genetic variation affects white blood cell levels," said study co-autho...

Could a new one-and-done blood test designed to detect as many as 50 different types of cancer become a diagnostic game changer?

Yes, say researchers, who report the method appears accurate and reliable at identifying and locating cancer, including some kinds for which there are now no effective screening methods.

"[The test] sets the stage for a new paradigm of screening individual...

Researchers say they've identified a new gene associated with an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) -- and that their discovery could lead to improved treatments for the deadly disease.

ALS -- also called Lou Gehrig's disease -- is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. It typically leads to paralysis ...

Researchers are using mice to study a potential new treatment that could help patients who have sickle cell disease, without some of the risks and side effects of existing therapies.

The investigators reported using genetic-based editing on mice to convert a disease-causing hemoglobin gene to a benign variant that would enable healthy blood cell production.

Sickle cell disease (SCD...

That third or fourth cup of coffee may do more than make your heart race: New research suggests it could significantly increase your risk of glaucoma if you're genetically predisposed to the eye disease.

The study included more than 120,000 British people, aged 39 to 73, who provided information about their caffeine consumption and their vision, including whether they had glaucoma or a fa...

Antibiotics do not reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in patients with a lethal lung disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a new study finds.

"We were certainly disappointed in the results," said study co-author Dr. Imre Noth, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at UVA Health in Charlottesville, Va. "But we remain hopeful that in further downstream analyses, w...

A newly approved lung cancer drug shows promise in improving survival in patients whose tumors carry a common and tough-to-treat genetic mutation, researchers say.

Sotorasib - brand name Lumakras - was approved May 28 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a targeted therapy for non-small cell lung cancer patients with tumors that express the G12C mutation in the KRAS gene, ...

A twice-daily pill can dramatically reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in women who are genetically prone to the disease, researchers report.

The pill - olaparib (Lynparza) - works by blocking a natural enzyme called PARP that normally fixes DNA damage in healthy cells, but in these women actually promotes the growth of cancerous cells.

Early high-risk breast cancer patient...

Could getting out of bed just one hour earlier every day lower your risk for depression?

Yes, claims new research that found an earlier start to the day was tied to a 23% lower risk of developing the mood disorder.

The study of more than 840,000 people found a link "between earlier sleep patterns and reduced risk of major depressive disorder," said study author Iyas Daghlas.

T...

A new form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that affects children has been discovered by an international team of researchers.

They used advanced genetic techniques to identify 11 such cases in children who had mysterious neurological disorders.

Most cases of ALS -- also known as Lou Gehrig's disease -- are diagnosed in people between the ages of 50 and 60, and it progresses s...

Researchers who pinpointed 178 gene variants linked to major depression say their findings could improve diagnosis and treatment of a disorder that affects 1 in 5 people.

The study draws on a huge database, analyzing the genetic and health records of 1.2 million people from three databanks in the United States, the U.K. and Finland, and another databank from the consumer genetics company ...

The virus fueling the COVID-19 pandemic could become just an ordinary sniffle-causing nuisance within the next 10 years, a new study suggests.

Researchers stressed that the projection is based on mathematical models, and not a crystal-ball prediction.

But, they say, given what's known about the human immune response to SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- it is possible t...

Mutations in a certain gene may increase a person's risk for an aggressive asbestos-related cancer called malignant mesothelioma, a new study claims.

The gene is called LRRK2 and is involved in regulating responses in immune cells in the brain. Mesothelioma can affect the lungs, stomach or heart.

The small study included 13 malignant mesothelioma patients who were exposed to asbesto...

Scientists report they have pinpointed 64 regions in the DNA of humans that increase a person's risk of bipolar disorder, more than twice the number previously identified.

The researchers, who called this the largest investigation of bipolar disorder to date, also discovered overlap in the genetic roots of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric disorders. They said it adds to evidence tha...

Not only have humans and their ancient ancestors been eating carbs for longer than was realized, but a new study finds these starchy foods may actually have played a part in the growth of the human brain.

A new study researching the history of the human oral microbiome found that Neanderthals and ancient humans adapted to eating starchy foods as far back as 100,000 years ago, which is mu...

TUESDAY, May 11, 2021 (HealthDay News) - - After examining DNA from remains in an ancient mass grave in Germany, scientists think that genetic immunity from bubonic plague may have developed in the wake of the disease.

"We found that innate immune markers increased in frequency in modern people from the town compared to plague victims," said researcher Paul Norman.

"This suggests ...

That growling dog may actually be terrified of you.

Fear and age-related pain are among the reasons why dogs are aggressive toward people, a new study suggests.

The findings could help two-legged folks better understand and prevent aggressive behavior, such as growling, barking, snapping and biting, according to Finnish researchers.

"Dogs' fearfulness had a strong link to aggr...

Having close relatives with colon polyps -- which can be precursors of cancer -- could mean that you have a higher risk for colon cancer, researchers say.

Colon cancer is the second deadliest form of cancer in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

Being overweight and inactive increases the risk, but genetics also play a role, researchers in Sweden and Boston said ...

Certain blood types may increase a person's risk of different health problems, a new study suggests.

The research confirms some previous findings and reveals new links between blood types and diseases, according to the authors of the study published April 27 in the journal eLife.

"There is still very little information available about whether people with RhD-positive or RhD...

COVID-19 infections may last longer in young people with weakened immune systems, and that extended period could lead to more mutations in SARS-CoV-2, according to the authors of a new case study.

The study included two children and a young adult who had weakened immune systems due to treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. For months, they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus th...

Could your genes be to blame for your hot flashes?

New research suggests that's so, with genetics playing a role in both the severity and frequency of those hallmarks of menopause.

While hot flashes are common, they don't affect all women to the same degree and the reasons for those differences are unclear.

Genetics have been been suspected, because Black women tend to have gr...

There's no evidence of genetic damage in the children of parents who were exposed to radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Ukraine, researchers say.

Several previous studies have examined the risks across generations of radiation exposure from events such as this, but have yielded inconclusive results.

In this study, the investigators analyzed the genomes...

Autism appears to develop differently in girls and boys, so the findings of research conducted mainly with boys might not apply to girls, a new study suggests.

Autism spectrum disorder is four times more common in boys, which may help explain why there's far less research about autism in girls.

"This new study provides us with a roadmap for understanding how to better match current ...

Most people know obesity can lead to diabetes or heart disease, but excess weight can play a role in cancer, too, researchers say.

A new study found that breast cancer survivors who are overweight have a statistically significant increased risk of developing a second primary cancer - one not connected to their previous cancer.

The risk likely owes to shared risk factors between the ...

A nutritious diet, regular exercise and other components of a healthy lifestyle may reduce the odds of lethal prostate cancer in men with a high genetic risk for it, researchers report.

"The excess genetic risk of lethal prostate cancer could be offset by adhering to a healthy lifestyle," concluded co-lead author Anna Plym. She's a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospi...

Once Black Americans reach age 40, their blood pressure often begins a rapid climb, putting them at significantly higher risk of stroke than their white counterparts, a new study warns.

Middle-aged Black people have roughly four times the stroke risk faced by white Americans, according to the analysis of data from nearly 5,100 patients.

"High blood pressure is the single most import...

When people die some cells in their brains go on for hours, even getting more active and growing to gargantuan proportions, new research shows.

Awareness of this activity, spurred on by "zombie genes," could affect research into diseases that affect the brain.

For the study, researchers analyzed gene expression using fresh brain tissue collected during routine surgery and found that...

People really do vary in how fast they age, and the divergence starts in young adulthood, a new study suggests.

The researchers found that by the tender age of 45, people with a faster pace of "biological aging" were more likely to feel, function and look far older than they actually were. And that relative sprint toward old age began in their 20s.

The findings, the study authors sa...

Researchers have identified 44 new genetic variants associated with glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness. They say their findings could provide new targets to treat the common eye disease.

In their study, the international team compared the genes of more than 34,000 people with glaucoma and more than 349,000 people without the incurable eye condition.

In addition to pinpointing th...

Researchers may have uncovered a key reason some people remain sharp as a tack into their 80s and 90s: Their brains resist the buildup of certain proteins that mark Alzheimer's disease.

The study focused on what scientists have dubbed "super agers" -- a select group of older folks who have the memory performance of people decades younger.

Compared with older people who had average b...

The DNA ties that bind: Marriage satisfaction may lie in your genes, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the University of Arkansas looked at 71 newly married couples, asking them to complete a survey three months after marriage and again every four months for four years. They also tested their DNA.

Recent research indicates that a variation called "CC" in the gene CD38 is associ...

Gene variants associated with a rare autoimmune disorder called Addison's disease have been pinpointed, according to researchers.

"By studying the single largest collection of samples from patients with Addison's disease, we've been able to carry out the first genetic study of the disease that spans the entire human genome," said study co-leader Daniel Eriksson, a researcher in the experi...

If you like to take a snooze in the afternoon, your genes may explain your love of daytime naps, researchers say.

For their study, investigators analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which contains genetic information from nearly 453,000 people who were asked how often they nap during the day.

The genome-wide association study identified 123 regions in the human genome that are associa...

Certain genetic factors in people with Down syndrome may increase their COVID-19 risks.

Previous studies have found that people with Down syndrome are 10 times more likely to die from COVID-19, and experts have said they should be among those given priority for vaccination.

In this new study, Spanish researchers examined genetic differences in people with Down syndrome that might af...

Like influenza, could COVID-19 evolve to wax and wane with the seasons? New research suggests it might.

Early in the pandemic, some experts suggested that SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- may behave like many other coronaviruses that circulate more widely in fall and winter.

To find out if that could be true, researchers analyzed COVID-19 data -- including cases, deat...

An experimental gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy shows promise, a small study suggests.

The severe form of muscular dystrophy -- which affects about one in 3,500 males born each year in the United States -- causes muscles to progressively weaken and lose the ability to regenerate after an injury.

Muscle tissue is eventually replaced by fat and collagen. Many children wit...

People who've recovered from severe COVID-19 may have stronger long-term immune protection from reinfection than those with milder illness, researchers report.

They examined blood samples from 39 COVID-19 patients and 10 people who hadn't been exposed to the virus (their blood samples were given pre-pandemic). In all, they analyzed the expression of individual genes of more than 80,000 CD...

The relationship between humans and man's best friend is an enduring one.

New research suggests that not only did dog domestication likely happen sometime before 23,000 years ago, but the first people to enter the Americas more than 15,000 years ago probably brought their dogs with them.

"When and where have long been questions in dog domestication research, but here we also explore...

New research reveals why Black Americans might be more vulnerable to colon cancer than white people are.

The researchers examined age-related "epigenetic" changes in colon tissue. These changes affect how genes work.

The investigators found that in both Black and white people, one side of the colon ages biologically faster than the other. But the side that ages faster is different, ...

Everyone has heard the scary reports about the new, more infectious coronavirus variants that are circulating in countries around the world, but scientists aren't pushing the panic button at this point.

Why? Because the new COVID-19 vaccines should still work on these viral interlopers.

Luckily, the new variants still rely on the coronavirus' "spike protein" to infect cells, and the...

Biomarkers in sperm may help identify men at risk of fathering children with autism, researchers say.

For the study, investigators examined sperm epigenetics -- the molecular processes that affect gene expression -- in 13 men who fathered sons with autism and 13 who had children without the disorder.

The American and Spanish researchers focused specifically on DNA methylation, a che...