Twins News and Research

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Unemployment can be deadly

Being unemployed can up your risk for an early death, according to study of 875 female and 1,309 male twins.

29 Nov 2004

Brain inflammation is a sign of autism

A new study by scientists at Johns Hopkins shows that brain inflammation is a sign of autism. The findings are reported in the online edition of Annals of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Neurological Association.

15 Nov 2004

Some allergic conditions could increase your risk of suffering from blood cancer

Some allergic conditions could increase your risk of suffering from blood cancer as an adult, according to a new study published in the November 2004 issue of BMC Public Health. This is important news for the increasingly large numbers of allergy sufferers worldwide.

4 Nov 2004

Infection plays a larger role than lack of oxygen in premature infants with brain injury

Johns Hopkins researchers have dispelled the widespread belief among obstetricians that, in premature infants, brain injury results from a lack of oxygen, also called hypoxia, when, in fact, infection plays a larger role.

24 Oct 2004

Greater risk for children of mothers over 40 to die in the womb or as a newborn

Women who give birth after 40 run a greater risk of experiencing pregnancy complications than younger women. Moreover, there is an increased risk of the child dying in the womb or in close connection with delivery.

13 Oct 2004

24 per cent of the mothers said the thought of pregnancy again put them off wanting another child

When it comes to having more children, Australian parents need increased personal support as much as they need paid maternity leave and money from the government, according to a study by a PhD researcher at the University of Adelaide, South Australia.

22 Sep 2004

Autism may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and epigenetics

Autism, a serious developmental disorder in children, may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and alterations in the factors that regulate genes (epigenetics) that may be inherited or occur as a new event, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine.

8 Sep 2004

New genetic hypothesis for the cause of autism

Researchers have proposed a new hypothesis on the cause of autism, suggesting a mixed epigenetic and genetic and mixed de novo and inherited (MEGDI) model.

8 Sep 2004

Twin research reveals gene that may play a crucial part in the development of myopia

New research carried out by doctors in the Twin Research Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, indicates that a gene called PAX6 may play a crucial part in the development of myopia.

31 Jul 2004

Major campaign victory will create safer environments for children with food allergies

About 11 million people - roughly 1-in-25 Americans - are now believed to be affected by one or more food allergies, a disease triggered by the ingestion or contact with certain foods that may cause life-threatening reactions, or anaphylaxis, according to a recent Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network nationwide survey.

21 Jul 2004

First strokes now bone health, moderate alcohol consumption good for women

Moderate drinking seems to keep brittle bones at bay in women, a new study of identical twins suggests.

1 Jul 2004

Report published on IVF mix-up that led to mixed-race twins being born to a white couple

The Department of Health today published its report into the circumstances surrounding the IVF mix-up that led to mixed-race twins being born to a white couple.

23 Jun 2004

Application from the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life to make human embryonic stem cells

The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) is currently considering a licence application from the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life to make human embryonic stem cells using cell nuclear transfer - a technique also known as therapeutic cloning.

16 Jun 2004

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority reviews the first request by British scientists to clone human embryos today

The Newcastle University team plans to use stem cells from cloned embryos to treat diabetes. The pending decision could potentially open up new possibilities for the treatment of incurable diseases, as well as dividing the British scientific community as many believe therapeutic cloning to be unethical.

16 Jun 2004

More likely that older IVF mothers will suffer a pregnancy loss

It is a widely known that, as women age, it becomes more difficult for them to become pregnant. In a study from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, researchers documented that it is also increasingly more likely that older IVF mothers will suffer a pregnancy loss, most often due to cytogenetic abnormalities of the fetus.

27 May 2004

Good evidence that genes play an important role in causing schizophrenia

There is good evidence that genes play an important role in causing schizophrenia. The disease prevalence is higher among blood relatives than non-related people and males are affected more frequently than females.

26 May 2004

Genes and family support can buffer children against behavioral problems for which poverty puts them at risk

According to a new study, the genes and warm support received from parents also can buffer these children against many of the cognitive and behavioral problems for which poverty puts them at risk. The findings are published in the May issue of the journal Child Development.

26 May 2004

Some people more at risk of obesity due to genetic makeup

Some people may have a higher risk of obesity because they are genetically predisposed to overeat or lead a sedentary lifestyle, a leading Cancer Research UK scientist will told conference delegates last week.

24 May 2004

Study helps to visualize how brain develops with age

The brain's center of reasoning and problem solving is among the last to mature, a new study graphically reveals. The decade-long magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of normal brain development, from ages 4 to 21, by researchers at NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shows that such "higher-order" brain centers, such as the prefrontal cortex, don't fully develop until young adulthood.

18 May 2004

Having an alcoholic stepfather increases risk of behavior problems in girls more than boys

Living with an alcoholic stepfather is associated with a significantly higher risk of behavior problems in girls than boys, according to a new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.

10 May 2004