Depressed people who display “risky behaviour”, agitation and impulsivity are at least 50% more likely to attempt suicide, a study has found. Research by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) concluded that the behaviour patterns “precede many suicide attempts”. The study said effective prevention measures…

Brain cells in Parkinson’s disease exhaust themselves and die prematurely, burning out like an “overheating motor”, an early study suggests. Canadian researchers say the findings might help explain why only small parts of the brain are affected in the disease. Parkinson’s is caused by a…

Sierra Leone has released its last known Ebola patient, according to the World Health Organization.35-year-old Adama Sankoh was discharged from a treatment centre in the northern Bombali district on Monday morning. The country hasn’t reported a new infection for more than two weeks, according the…

Compared to other kinds of fat, extra virgin olive oil may have healthier effects on levels of blood sugar and bad cholesterol after meals, according to an Italian study. That may explain why a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil is linked to lower…

Tough experiences before age six, like family instability or abuse, are tied to changes in brain structure and to a higher risk of anxiety or depression, according to a study of mother-son pairs in England. “Early adversity increases later symptoms of depression or anxiety, which,…

The number of people living with diabetes has soared by nearly 60% in the past decade, Diabetes UK warns.The charity said more than 3.3 million people have some form of the condition, up from 2.1 million in 2005. The inability to control the level of…

Older people with a common lung disease are more likely to suffer from falls if they also have other medical problems, previous tumbles or a longer history of smoking, a recent study suggests. Researchers focused on 41 people around 71 years old with chronic obstructive…

Kent Stephenson, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, was a competitive motocross racer until one day in June 2009, when the motor on his bike locked up while going off the face of an 80-foot tabletop jump. A cascade of flips, twists and bends prefaced the spinal cord…