Washington, Jan 27 : Certain drugs used to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal problems may lead to cognitive decline in older adults, says a new study.

During the study, researchers from Yale University Department of Internal Medicine examined the effects of exposure to anticholinergic medications, on over 500 relatively healthy men aged 65 years or older with high blood pressure.

These drugs can affect neurotransmitters in the brain that are important to overall brain function.

Washington, Jan 27 : German scientists have found evidence that gene therapy reduces symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The study led by an investigator at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) was conducted on two patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Originally conceived as a means of treating genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and hemophilia, gene therapy involves implanting a normal gene to compensate for a defective gene in the patient.

Washington, Jan 27 : Omega-6 fatty acids found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds are good for your heart, says a new study.

The research has been published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The association has recommended that people aim for at least 5 percent to 10 percent of calories from omega-6 fatty acids.

Recommended daily servings of omega-6 depend on physical activity level, age and gender, but range from 12 to 22 grams per day.

Washington, Jan 27 : Cutting salt isn''t the only way to reduce blood pressure, for a new study has suggested that people should also boost their intake of potassium, which has the opposite effect to sodium.

Researchers from Loyola University Health System have found that the ratio of sodium-to-potassium in subjects'' urine was a strong indicator of cardiovascular disease than sodium or potassium alone.

Washington, January 27 : A new study has revealed that the gap between the happy and the not-so-happy among American people has narrowed significantly in the last three decades.

University of Pennsylvania economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers have revealed that their research, published in the Journal of Legal Studies, has also shown that the American population as a whole is no happier than it was three decades ago.

Washington, January 27 : Yale University researchers say that aspirin can protect against liver damage induced by overdoses of acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol.

The researchers came to this conclusion following a study on mice, which they claim cast new light on the mechanisms whereby acetaminophen causes liver damage.

Washington, Jan 27 : French researchers have identified a gene variant that may increase the risk of developing brain cancer at a young age.

The study has been published in the January 27, 2009, print issue of Neurology.

The study involved 254 people with brain tumors and 238 people with no cancers. All those with tumors had glioblastoma multiforme, the most common type of brain cancer.

Los Angeles  - A woman in southern California on Monday gave birth to eight babies, news reports said.

The six boys and two girls were delivered within five minutes by caesarean section, the Los Angeles Times reported, making the mother the only second person to have given birth to living octuplets.

Washington, January 26 : Scientists at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston have identified certain patient and tumour characteristics, which might help detect which of the breast cancer patients would be the most likely to benefit from preventive surgery to remove the unaffected breast.

Washington, Jan 26 : A new study is being conducted at the University of Leicester to find out if consuming caffeine during pregnancy affects the unborn baby''s risk of developing leukaemia in childhood.

According to lead author Dr Marcus Cooke, the study is a unique opportunity to determine the sources of chromosomal alterations during pregnancy, with the ultimate aim of reducing the risk of childhood leukaemias.

Leukaemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and white blood cells.