Asthma is caused by a temporary narrowing of the airways. Special mast cells on the surface of the breathing tubes react to certain triggers, which can include pollens, cold air, exercise or even anxiety. The mast cells release substances called histamine and leukotrienes which cause the smooth muscles in the airways to contract and mucus […]
Autism brings into sharp focus what it is to be human. I’d summarise autism as being a different way of living. Autism is a lifelong disorder affecting some 700,000 people in the UK. Many (55 per cent) are below the historic cutoff point of 70 IQ. Others, often described as having Asperger’s Syndrome, are highly […]
There are over 330,000 men in the UK living with or after prostate cancer. Over 47,000 are diagnosed every year and over 11,000 die from the disease – the equivalent of one man every hour. It’s the most common cancer in men but there is still no national screening programme for the disease and the […]
Human parvovirus 4, ‘PARV4’, is a tiny, robust DNA virus. In the decade since it was first reported – the result of a trawling expedition by a North American virology group who went hunting for this unknown trophy [1] – we have uncovered enough to make certain robust statements, but also plenty to perplex and […]
Around 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, but the number of people who actually have the condition without being given a formal diagnosis is thought to far exceed this. People who have undiagnosed dementia are much less likely to receive the specialist help they need, and they deteriorate more quickly than those […]
‘Many of the people who call our helpline are distressed and anxious. We welcome anyone affected by pancreatic cancer and lots of callers are relatives who are quite protective of family members who have just been diagnosed and will try to shield them from some of the statistics that may be discovered on websites. They […]
People who enjoy rewarding sexual relationships live happier, longer and healthier lives than those who lack intimacy. But many relationships lose their spark after just one year, according to a study, and 40 per cent of couples who have been together for four years have sex just twice a month. A 2014 study commissioned by […]
Mouth cancer kills nearly 2000 people in the UK each year. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) of which there are over 100 different types, is more commonly associated with cervical cancer and genital warts, but it can also cause oral cancer, particularly of the back of the tongue and tonsils. The virus incorporates itself into the […]
There was a time when infertility was seen as a women’s problem. Not anymore. Older dads are more likely to pass on genetic mutations to their offspring than older mums, according to research. And studies show that male infertility is behind half of all cases where couples fail to conceive after one year. Sperm counts […]
The holy grail in oncology is ‘how do you cure cancer that as spread?’ At the moment, all types of cancer, except a few rare malignancies, cannot be cured after they have spread beyond the original site. Chemotherapy can wipes out vast swathes of cancer cells and keep them at bay, but is usually used […]