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There’s a reason we can spot a friend in a crowd—humans are wired to focus on faces. We’re incredibly skilled at recognizing small differences in a face, like a square jaw, arched brows, or high cheekbones. The uniqueness of faces inspires artists and poets. It also enables facial recognition technology. The distinct features of each face help to define who we are. “There’s a lot of information…, Molding the Face and Head, One way to decipher the underlying biology of the face and head is to gather data—lots of it. Scientists analyze genetic information, take images of people’s faces, and collect other biological information from both humans and animals. And they share this data with other scientists to enable discoveries. So far, researchers have linked over 300 areas of our DNA to facial features like nose height…, Tailoring Treatment, While scientists haven’t yet pinpointed all the factors that affect our faces, they do know that when craniofacial disorders arise, they generally begin before birth. These disorders occur when bones, nerves, and tissues in the face and head don’t form properly as a baby is growing in the womb. For example, cleft lip and palate is a birth defect that arises around the second or third month of…, Finding New Options, Surgeries for the face and head can be complex and tough on the body. Even after surgery, some children may have trouble eating, breathing, and speaking. Scientists are continuing to develop new surgical techniques to help patients speak better and improve how their faces look. Others are creating computer programs and artificial intelligence tools to plan surgery for cleft lip or palate.…

We’ve all heard that exercise is good for us. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. This can include brisk walking, biking, playing tennis, or even pushing a lawnmower. Strength training exercises, like lifting weights, push-ups, or sit-ups, are recommended at least two days a week. Many benefits of exercise are well-known. Aerobic…, [qtip:cognitive|Related to the ability to think, learn, and remember.],  abilities often start to decline. We may have difficulty with learning and memory. That’s because our brains undergo cellular changes as we get older. The protective barrier around the brain also changes, altering which substances can get into your brain. Some of these have potentially harmful effects. Studies in mice and rats have shown that exercise can partially offset these changes. And it…

Experts recommend that kids eat no added sugars before age 2. Yet most kids are exposed to added sugars at a very early age, even before birth through their mother’s bloodstream. Scientists studied the long-term health effects of sugar exposure in the womb and early childhood. To do this, they looked at the health of adults in the United Kingdom who were conceived or born around the end of sugar…

Chemicals called PFAS are sometimes in the news. PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFAS are widely used and long-lasting. They’re found in everyday items like carpets, clothes, and cookware. They have many uses. For example, they can help keep food from sticking to packages and prevent stains on fabrics. PFAS are even used in some fire-fighting foams. These chemicals…

From an early age, we learn that nutritious foods and physical activity can help us stay healthy. Growing evidence now suggests that social connections may also be key to good health. Socially connected people tend to live longer. They’re at lower risk for serious health problems. Social bonds are also linked to our mental health, eating habits, and much more. Despite the links between our social…, Social Bonds,  , Many factors can contribute to a person feeling lonely. These include the quality of your personal relationships, your community, and society in general. Your personal health, life stage, and personality can also have an impact. People who are socially isolated or feel lonely are more likely to have heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, depression, or anxiety. They’re also at increased…, [qtip:inflammation|Heat, swelling, and redness caused by the body’s protective response to injury or infection.], , which can have effects on cardiovascular health.” Long-lasting inflammation has also been linked to cancer and other health problems. And our ability to biologically respond to stressors weakens with age. Necka notes that there’s a difference between social isolation and loneliness, but the two are related. Social isolation means you have few connections or contacts with others. Loneliness has…, W, ho’s at Risk?, Everyone feels lonely now and then. But certain factors can raise the likelihood of persistent loneliness or social isolation. These include living alone, having trouble walking or moving, or having problems with vision or hearing. Other risk factors include financial struggles and mental health issues. Living in a rural, unsafe, or hard to reach neighborhood also raises your risk. So do major…, Coupling Up,  , “Marital status, or intimate relationships, are also an important feature of our social networks,” says Dr. David Sbarra, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Arizona. Married people tend to live longer and have other health benefits compared to the unmarried. But the quality of the relationship, whether supportive or fraught, can have an impact. “In a high-quality relationship,…, New Connections, “If you’re feeling lonely or socially disconnected, it can feel intimidating to try to form new connections,” Necka says. “High-quality connections are best. But even brief interactions can make a difference. It can be a first step.” For example, you might go to the grocery store at the same time every week and see the same clerk. You can smile and strike up a brief conversation. Or you notice…

Lots of diseases start silently. Conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even cancer may have no symptoms at the start. Screening refers to looking for signs of disease in seemingly healthy people. Finding problems early can help you start treatment and make helpful lifestyle changes as soon as possible. Some screening tests have been shown to improve health and are widely…

Medical advances are helping people around the world live longer. But longer life is linked to a gradual loss of physical abilities. Strength, balance, and walking skills may weaken. It’s been unclear how each of these features decline with age. To learn more, an NIH-supported research team assessed these abilities in 40 healthy people. Half were between ages 50 and 64. The rest were ages 65 or…

Kidney stones are common. They affect about 11% of men and 6% of women at least once in their lives. A sharp pain in your back, lower abdomen, or groin may be the first sign. Other signs include blood in your urine, pain while peeing, or a constant urge to pee. Kidney stones can arise when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. These minerals can create pebble-like fragments in one or…

Bones can become less dense as we age or if we develop certain medical conditions. This can lead to weak and brittle bones, called osteoporosis. Learn about medical tests that measure bone mineral density. Find out what the resulting numbers reveal about your bone strength and risk of fractures.

Your liver is one of the most important organs inside your body, and it’s also the largest. But do you know what it does or even where it’s located? One thing’s for sure: You can’t live without it. Your liver carries out hundreds of essential tasks every day. The liver is a reddish-brown wedge-shaped organ about the size of a football. It sits just under your ribs against the right side of your…, Spotting Liver Problems, There are many kinds of liver diseases and conditions. Unfortunately, many disorders go undetected for years because they don’t cause symptoms early on. About 4.5 million adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with a liver disease. Many more may have one but don’t yet know it. Some liver diseases are caused by viruses. Others can result from drug or alcohol misuse. Some people have inherited…, Fat in the Liver, An increasingly common type of liver disease arises when too much fat builds up in the liver. This condition was known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. But experts changed the name in 2023 to “, [qtip:metabolic|Having to do with metabolism, or the chemical changes in the body that create the energy and substances you need to grow, move, and stay healthy.], dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.” Steatotic is a technical term for fat buildup in an organ. The new name highlights the links between fat in the liver and metabolic conditions, like diabetes and obesity. “About 1 in 3 adults and maybe 1 in 5 adolescents in the United States has fatty liver, or steatotic liver disease,” says Dr. Norah Terrault, a physician and liver researcher at…, When Hepatitis Happens, The word “hepatitis” means, [qtip:inflammation|Heat, swelling, and redness caused by the body’s protective response to injury or infection.], or swelling of the liver. Most types of liver disease involve some sort of inflammation. Viruses, or viral hepatitis, is a leading cause of liver disease. “Several different viruses can infect the liver. The main three that cause chronic liver infections are hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hepatitis D,” Ghany says. These viruses usually spread through contact with an infected person’s blood or…, Preventing Problems, Since many liver diseases have no symptoms until they are very advanced, it’s important to get your liver checked at annual physical exams. Many problems can be detected by blood tests. “Be direct. Even if you have no symptoms, tell your doctor: I want my liver checked out,” Sanyal says. “It’s important that you feel free to ask questions of your doctor.” “If you have a liver disease, we have…