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FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- State and local health officials have detected the poliovirus in New York City's wastewater, a finding that indicates the virus has spread widely since first being discovered in the wastewater of a neighboring county last month.The New York State Department of Health and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene both advised New Yorkers to get vaccinated now if they have not already completed their series of polio shots. The discovery of poliovirus in sewage samples suggests there is already community transmission of the virus that can lead to permanent paralysis of the arms and legs, as well as death in some cases. “For every one case of paralytic polio identified, hundreds more may be undetected,” said State Health...

FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Preparing your taxes is a purely mental activity, but one that leaves many exhausted by the end of the effort.The same goes for reading a dense report, picking apart reams of spreadsheet data, or writing a fact-laden paper.That feeling of exhaustion following a bout of intense thinking isn’t all in your head, a new study argues.Lab experiments show that work requiring a lot of thought can cause potentially toxic byproducts to build up in a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, French researchers reported Aug. 11 in the journal Current Biology.This, in turn, alters your control over decisions, making you more apt to choose easier or quicker options as your brain grows weary, researchers argue. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the...

FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The Inflation Reduction Act is expected to bring out-of-pocket drug costs down for many U.S. seniors, but most of its benefits aren't immediate.Under the law, Medicare will now be allowed to negotiate the cost of some drugs. That should eventually bring down out-of-pocket costs for seniors with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, according to John Clark, a clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. Previously, Medicare was not allowed to negotiate drug prices.Under the law — which goes to President Joe Biden after it clears the U.S. House of Representatives — the number of medications will be phased in, beginning in 2026 with 10 drugs. Beginning next year, drug companies will be required to pay...

FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Reading, doing yoga and spending time with family and friends might help lower your risk of dementia, a new study suggests."Previous studies have shown that leisure activities were associated with various health benefits, such as a lower cancer risk, a reduction of atrial fibrillation, and a person’s perception of their own well-being," said study author Lin Lu, of Peking University Sixth Hospital in Beijing, China. "However, there is conflicting evidence of the role of leisure activities in the prevention of dementia. Our research found that leisure activities like making crafts, playing sports or volunteering were linked to a reduced risk of dementia," Lu added.For the new study, Lu and his team reviewed 38 studies that included more than 2...