Health Tip: Ways to Keep Your Memory Sharp

(HealthDay News) -- Though you can't always ward off memory problems, studies have shown there are things you can do to help keep your mind sharp.

Health Tip: Stop Toddler Tantrums Before They Start

(HealthDay News) -- It's usually tough to stop a toddler's tantrum once it starts, so the Nemours Foundation suggests how to avoid one altogether:

New Lupus Genes Identified

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Three new genes linked to the chronic autoimmune disease lupus have been identified by an international team of researchers.

Witnessing, Experiencing Traumatic Events May Worsen Heart Disease

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Large amounts of lifetime exposure to traumatic stress -- even when it doesn't result in post-traumatic stress disorder -- boosts inflammation levels in heart disease patients, a new study suggests.

HPV-Related Head, Neck Cancers on the Rise

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of head and neck cancers related to the human papillomavirus (HPV) is rising in the United States, with the greatest increase among middle-aged white men, a new study finds.

Obese White Women Shying Away From Colon Cancer Screening

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Obese white women are less likely than normal-weight white women or blacks of any weight or gender to seek potentially life-saving colon cancer screenings, according to a new study.

No Added Cancer Risk From Hip Replacement Materials: Study

TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- People with metal-on-metal hip replacements do not have an increased risk of cancer during the first seven years after they receive the device, according to a new study.

Early Study Finds Some Promise for Lung Cancer Vaccine

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new therapeutic vaccine appears to lengthen the lives of patients with a certain type of lung cancer, according to results of a small phase 2 trial.

Physician Groups Call for Fewer Medical Tests

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Nine physician specialty groups have created lists of common tests or procedures that they believe are often overused or unnecessary, to help doctors and patients make wiser decisions about care.

Better Safeguards Needed for Imported Food, Drugs: Report

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new report urges the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other government agencies to play a stronger part in poor countries to ensure the safety of food and medications coming into the United States.

From a Failed Vaccine, New Insights Into Fighting HIV

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new study offers insight into why an HIV vaccine failed to protect most people who received it, but it also points to promising new targets for future vaccine efforts.

Brain Falters Near End of Life, but Games, Puzzles Might Slow Decline

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- New research offers insights into the mysterious phenomenon of rapid cognitive decline in the two or three years before death, and confirms that intellectually challenging activities can help keep your mind sharp.

Doctors Detail High Costs of Fighting Malpractice Claims

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- For doctors defending medical malpractice claims, costs vary widely across specialties and can run into the tens of thousands, even when a patient did not receive a payout, new research shows.

Berries, Tea May Cut Men's Odds for Parkinson's: Study

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Regularly consumption of food and drink rich in substances called flavonoids, such as berries, apples, tea and red wine, can lower a man's risk of developing Parkinson's disease by 40 percent, new research suggests.

Health Highlights: April 4, 2012

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Researchers Find Gene Mutations That May Be a Key to Autism

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic mutations that arise spontaneously, as opposed to being passed through generations, could play an important role in the development of autism, new research suggests.

Cancer Diagnosis May Raise Odds for Suicide, Heart Attack Death

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- When people learn they have cancer, they might face a heightened risk of suicide or a fatal heart attack in the days and weeks that follow, according to a large new study.

More Fake Avastin Found in U.S., FDA Says

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has confirmed another counterfeit version of the cancer drug bevacizumab, most commonly known as Avastin, is being sold in the United States.

Narcissists Often Ace Job Interviews, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Really, really liking yourself may give you the edge in your next job interview, a new study suggests.

Depo-Provera Birth Control Might Raise Breast Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- There appears to be a link between an injectable form of progestin-only birth control, best known as Depo-Provera, and an increased risk of breast cancer in young women, new research suggests.