Author:  Marta Iraola Iribarren/Euronews

By Marta Iraola Iribarren/Euronews While the body is under anesthesia, the brain is not fully inactive; it continues processing language even when unconscious, according to a new study. Even under anesthesia, some parts of the brain remain active and can identify and process language, a study has found. The results, published in the journal Nature, found that neural circuits continue to encode and respond to stimuli even without consciousness. “Our findings show that the brain is far more active and capable during unconsciousness than previously thought,” said Sameer Sheth, co-author of the study at Baylor College of Medicine. “Even when patients…

By  Marta Iraola Iribarren/Euronews For people who have lost weight or are dieting, new research suggests that a simple daily step target could be the key to preventing weight regain People who are dieting for weight loss should walk around 8,500 steps a day to maintain the results and prevent weight regain, according to a new study by the European Association for the Study of Obesity. “Around 80% of people with overweight or obesity who initially lose weight tend to put some or all of it back on again within three to five years,” said Marwan El Ghoch, co-author of…

 By Marta Iraola Iribarren-Euronews Most passengers on board the hantavirus-hit cruise ship are back in their home countries, where they will undergo medical testing and follow an isolation period. The cruise ship, placed under emergency protocols following an outbreak of hantavirus – a rare and potentially fatal viral disease – reached the Canary Islands in Spain on Sunday with 147 people on board, passengers and crew, from 23 different nationalities, including 70 Europeans. In a coordinated operation between the Spanish government, the World Health Organization, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, all passengers were tested for symptoms…

By Marta Iraola Iribarren/Euronews Health Correspondent. The chronic condition could cost OECD countries billions per year, with the total comparable to the annual health budgets of the Netherlands or Spain, a new report shows. The long-term illness impacting some people who suffered a COVID-19 infection, known as long COVID, could cost OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries a total of $135 billion (almost €116 billion) per year over the next decade. This is “comparable to the entire annual health budget of the Netherlands or Spain,” a new report by the OECD noted. While this March marked six years since…

Sugar placed in a baby’s mouth before a needle procedure can reduce pain, according to a new scientific review. Sugar can help relieve pain for babies during hospital procedures, a new review has found. Babies, especially newborns and infants in intensive care units, routinely undergo multiple procedures, including vaccinations and blood tests. Because their pain regulation systems are still immature, infants experience pain differently from adults, often, more intensely. A new Cochrane review found that sucrose can reduce pain during and immediately after the needle injection. The authors also found that sucrose appeared to be more effective than pacifiers. “Parents may be…

Story By Marta Iraola Iribarren. India has confirmed two cases of Nipah virus in West Bengal, a region in the eastern part of the country bordering Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. Both infected patients are healthcare workers from the region, and are hospitalised in intensive care. The Indian government added that 196 contacts of the confirmed cases are all asymptomatic and have tested negative for the virus. The health ministry states that available data suggest that there is no need for the general public to be apprehensive about the safety of individuals and their family members. However, given the high potential mortality…