Big Head May Protect Against Dementia

According to research carried out at Munich University, having a big head may help protect against the worst ravages of dementia.

Researchers found that people with Alzheimer's with the largest craniums had better memory and thinking skills than patients with smaller skulls.

For more information about how having a big head may protect against demenita, follow this link

Equity and Excellence - Liberating the NHS

Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley has set out the Government's ambitious plans to reform the NHS during this Parliament and for the long-term.

The White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ published today, details how power will be devolved from Whitehall to patients and professionals.

Professionals will be free to focus on improving health outcomes so that these are amongst the best in the world. Improving the quality of care will become the main purpose of the NHS.

Patients will get more choice and control, backed by an information revolution, so that services are more responsive to patients and designed around them, rather than patients having to fit around services. The principle will be "no decisions about me without me".

For more information about the liberation of the NHS follow this link

Researchers Say Depression May Double Dementia Risk

Having depression may nearly double the risk of developing dementia later in life, new research suggests.

Experts know that the two conditions often co-exist, but it is not clear if one actually leads to the other.

Now two studies published in the American journal Neurology suggest depression does mean dementia is more likely, although they do not show why.

For more information about how depression and dementia may be linked click here

"Patients Should be at the Heart of Everything We Do" Says Secretary of State for Health

In one of the most radical shake ups within the NHS in years, Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, sets out his vision for the future of the NHS where the "patient is at the heart of everything we do".

Just last week the Department of Health published a revised Operating Framework to move towards scrapping the 18 week target for hospital waiting times, the 4 hour A & E target and the 48 hour target for GP access.

What effect will this have on the NHS? And what effect will it have on your the nation's health?

For more information about Andrew Lansley's vision for the new NHS, follow this link and let us know what you think

Gene Mutation May Make Some People More Prone to Asthma

People with asthma appear to have subtle differences in a gene that encodes a protein responsible for deciding whether particular immune cells live or die, new research reveals.

A Johns Hopkins team examined the gene controlling the protein -- known as Siglec-8 -- by analyzing DNA samples taken from nearly 1,000 adults and children, half of whom had asthma and have of whom did not.

All the samples were taken from African-American individuals who had participated in a group of U.S. National Institute of Health studies called the Genomic Research on Asthma in the African Diaspora.

The team found that a single genetic code mutation in Siglec-8 -- an abnormality called rs36498 -- appears to be linked to a higher risk for asthma.

For more information about asthma and genetic pre-disposition follow this link

Life Expectancy Gap is Widening with Poorest Losing Out

According to a National Audit Office report published today, the gap between average life expectancy and that of the poorest in England is widening despite efforts to close it.

Life expectancy is now 77.9 years for men and 82 years for women but in poor areas it falls to 75.8 and 80.4 years.

For more about how the life expectancy gap is widening, follow this link

Swine Flu Vaccine Contracts Lacked 'Get Out Clauses'

According to an independent review, the contracts negotiated by the UK government for a swine flu vaccine should have had get-out clauses to protect taxpayers' money, experts say.

More than 30m doses are thought to be left over after one of the manufacturers, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), refused requests for the contract to be torn up.

For more about how the swine flu vaccine has cost the taxpayer millions follow this link

Test to Predict Menopause Age

Doctors are closer to being able to predict the age that a woman will hit the menopause.

A study of 266 Iranian women in a 12 year study found it was possible to pinpoint the age of menopause by measuring levels of a hormone called AMH. This hormone controls the development of follicles in the ovaries from which eggs develop and could potentially help identify women who may have an early menopause.

For more information about the new test that can predict menopause age click here