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MONDAY, June 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- 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 and death.Both genetic and environmental factors can contribute to the development of ALS. About 15% of cases are familial ALS, meaning a person has more than one family member who also had the disease. Cases with no known genetic cause are called sporadic ALS.In this study, researchers looked at thousands of ALS patients and found that some had mutations in a...

MONDAY, June 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- It might have seemed harmless to while away hours stuck at home during the pandemic with extra wine and cocktails. But new research instead points to a troubling trend: Alcohol use and risky drinking rose among Americans over the last year. For the study, the researchers surveyed the same group of U.S. adults twice in 2020. The first poll was conducted in May and asked participants about drinking and related factors between February and April of 2020, before and after stay-at-home orders were implemented. The second survey was conducted in December and asked the participants about their drinking between July and November. "Our first survey showed overall increases in alcohol consumption and risky drinking in the early phase of the pandemic...

MONDAY, June 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A leading medical group is offering testing guidelines for children with autistic behaviors. The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health emphasized that certain measurements to test for exposure to chemicals are not helpful to guide treatment. The council pointed out that just because a chemical is found in the body doesn't mean it will cause harm. The council offered a list of five things doctors and patients should question in evaluating tests for kids with behavioral or developmental disorders, including autism. They include: Tests for metals and minerals: Routine testing for metals and minerals may be harmful if these results guide treatment, the council said, because exposures have not been conclusively linked to the...

SATURDAY, June 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Women who try to hold their pee during the day might want to rethink that strategy.It's time to "get up and go," according to the Urology Care Foundation, which is encouraging women to be proactive about their urological health.That, of course, means get up and go to the bathroom if you need to. But the foundation also suggests a number of activities a woman can get up and go do, to get in some self-care that can benefit their urological health."Our goal is to help women understand what steps they can take to improve not only their urologic health, but their overall health," Dr. Harris Nagler, president of the Urology Care Foundation --- part of the American Urological Association -- explained in a foundation news release.Several...