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… A hot cup of coffee or tea is a highlight of the morning for some people. It can make you feel awake and alert. Caffeine is the chemical that causes these … If you take away the caffeine, extra adenosine in the body can cause feelings of withdrawal for a while. These include headaches and increased sleepiness. Caffeine also interacts with other … she says. “That contributes to our brain’s ability to retain information. That might lead to improvements in long-term cognitive function.” Her team is exploring new ways to measure the …

… programs. “Some people even require the use of a wheelchair because they can’t stand or walk for long periods.” POTS is an abbreviation for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Postural means it’s linked to your body’s … beats a minute without a major blood pressure change could signal POTS. Symptoms may quickly improve by lying down. Treatment often involves increasing salt intake and drinking plenty of …

… them apart? Twins are similar in ways you can’t see, too. That makes twins a powerful tool for studying health and disease.  Many health conditions run in families. If your parents or … health history is important for your health. It can help your health care team provide better care for you. Talk to your provider about how to lower your risk for diseases that run in …

… on your skin; they also carry the risk of disease. NIH-funded scientists are working to find better ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent mosquito-borne illnesses. And we can all take simple … blood-sucking insects. Most mosquito bites are relatively harmless. The itchy bumps often last for just a day or 2 after a mosquito has punctured your skin. But if the mosquito is carrying …

… A tumor in the brain isn’t like tumors in other parts of your body. It has limited room for growth because of the skull. This means that a growing tumor can squeeze vital parts of the … about the tumor and remove it more safely. NIH researchers are continuing to look for ways to better detect and treat brain tumors. Treatments differ depending on the type and location of the …

… travels through your bloodstream to reach the cells that need it. Your cells use cholesterol for many important functions, like making hormones and digesting fatty foods. But too much … risk for heart disease and stroke. But recent research suggests that HDL cholesterol works better in some people than others. And clinical trials haven’t found that medicines aimed at …

… against invading viruses, bacteria, and other microscopic threats.] … are at much higher risk for infections that could become serious (see the Wise Choices box). Diagnosing a fungal … as early as possible. “If you’re being treated for a virus or bacteria and you’re not getting better, that might indicate it’s time to ‘think fungus,’” Andes says. …

… of DNA you inherit from your parents that define features, like your risk for certain diseases.]. But in most cases, the cause isn’t known. People with FTD have a buildup … caregiver burnout. Boeve’s team and other NIH-funded researchers are working to develop better tests and treatments for FTD. Recently, a study by Boeve and others found that exercise …

… talk with your doctor about the possible benefits and harms to help you decide what’s best for your health. Screening tests are given to people who seem healthy to try to find unnoticed … in many forms. Your doctor might take your health history and perform a physical exam to look for signs of health or disease. They can also include lab tests of blood, tissue, or urine … harmful tests and treatments that you don’t need. Even correctly finding a disease may not improve your health or help you live longer. You may learn you have an untreatable disease long …

… light levels. These problems can usually be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or improved lighting. But some changes can be a sign of disease. A condition called age-related … AMD at age 55 and older. Smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure increase your risk for AMD. So does having a family history of the disease. There are two types of AMD. Dry AMD, …