Animals help children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) interact better; they show increased positive social behaviors when an animal is present. The finding came from a new study by researchers, led by Marguerite E O'Haire, from the University of Queesland, Australia and was published in the journal PLOS ONE...

Five common psychiatric disorders - bipolar disorder, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia - have been found to have the same genetic risk factors. Specifically, two variations in genes play a role in the balance of calcium in brain cells and are a common factor in a few of these disorders, and may be a goal for new treatments...

Everyone has acne-causing bacteria living on their skin, but researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have identified that there are "good" and "bad" strains of the bacteria, which determine the frequency and severity of developing pimples...

A 29-year-old entrepreneur from India has developed a smartphone app that can analyze your urine for the presence of up to 10 markers covering 25 different medical conditions. uChek is the brainchild of Myshkin Ingawale, who showed off his new invention at the TED (Technology, Education and Design) 2013 conference in Los Angeles this week...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced it has stopped all pediatric clinical trials of the drug Sensipar, following the death of a 14 year old patient who took part in one of the studies. Sensipar is a drug, developed by Amgen Inc, that reduces the levels of calcium in the blood by decreasing the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH) from the parathyroid gland...

Sports-induced head injuries are a rising concern, while new studies suggest that even less powerful actions - like heading a soccer ball - could cause changes in performance on specific cognitive tasks...

A person whose sibling has died is at increased risk of suffering a fatal heart attack. The finding came from a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association which suggests that a healthy approach can help people cope with their loss and sadness. For the purpose of the research, health records of 1...