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TUESDAY, May 30, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Age blunts the immune system’s ability to respond to spinal cord injuries, new animal research indicates.But researchers working with mice also found that the membranes surrounding the spinal cord play a key role in the immune response to spinal cord injury, a discovery that might help people with these devastating injuries. They often leave patients with lifelong effects, including paralysis and the inability to control their bowels.“Recently, it has been reported more aging individuals experience spinal cord injuries. Our findings suggest in aging, there is an impairment in how the immune response is initiated and resolved compared to young,” said researcher Andrea Salvador, who just received her PhD from the University of Virginia...

MONDAY, May 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Banning flavored tobacco products leads to fewer people using them, according to a new California study that found lower usage in areas that had a full ban.Residents in areas with a comprehensive sales ban had 30% reduced odds of using flavored tobacco compared to those without a ban, according to researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI).But the study did not find lower use when only a partial sales ban was enacted.Meanwhile, Prop 31, which upheld a 2020 state law to prohibit retail sales of certain flavored tobacco products, was recently passed in the state, and experts think this will lead to an even greater decline in use of flavored tobacco across California.Flavored tobacco products are particularly appealing to young...

MONDAY, May 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system and leaves patients suffering from a host of symptoms, and now new research finds life stressors can make those symptoms even worse.Poverty, abuse and divorce in childhood and adulthood can significantly impact the level of disability someone with MS experiences, according to researchers from Michigan Medicine.“MS is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability among young adults, and additional research is needed to identify these external drivers of disability that can be addressed or prevented, including stress, to improve functional outcomes,” said study co-author Dr. Tiffany Braley. She is director of the multiple sclerosis/neuroimmunology division and...

MONDAY, May 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Limited "heading" of a soccer ball in youth sports may not cause irreversible harm, as long as players are properly trained, a new study finds.This study from concussion researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) looked at the consequences of repeated head impacts shortly after the impact. They did this using six different tests.They found that having a small number of repeated soccer headers equivalent to a throw-in did not cause immediate neurophysiological problems for teens. “Soccer is a sport where intentionally using your head to hit the ball is an integral part of the game, and concern over its long-term effects has parents, caregivers and coaches understandably concerned,” said study co-author Colin Huber, a...