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The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted its first approval for a pacemaker-like device for the brain to ease symptoms of Parkinson's disease, which affects nearly 1 million people in the United States. (Goldman, 2/25)

Doctors often use antidepressants to manage the depression, anxiety and agitation that accompanies a diagnosis of dementia. Now, a new study suggests the use of antidepressants may hasten the cognitive decline of people with dementia. It’s a conclusion that some experts consider unwarranted. (LaMotte, 2/24)

Antioxidants that give fruits and flowers their vibrant colors seem to counteract some of the most dangerous reproductive system effects of exposure to microplastics, such as decreased fertility, and could ultimately be used in developing treatments, new peer-reviewed research shows. The paper focused on microplastics’ reproductive toxicity and plant compounds called anthocyanins, which are widely found in nuts, fruits and vegetables. The new review of scientific literature on anthocyanins found that the compounds are probably protective against a range of plastic-induced impacts on hormones, reductions in testosterone and estrogen, decreased sperm counts, lower sperm quality, erectile dysfunction and ovarian damage. (Perkins, 2/24)

A new study published in ACS Food Science & Technology, found that tea leaves naturally adsorb heavy metals, filtering out harmful water contaminants like lead, cadmium or arsenic. The metals become trapped on the surface of the tea leaves and can be removed by simply filtering out the leaves or tossing the tea bag. (Ajasa, 2/25)

Red-light therapy is getting the green light in some health circles, but it’s early yet to say whether that’s a good thing. The treatment, a type of light therapy called photobiomodulation that involves exposing the body to low levels of red or near-infrared light, purports to help users lose weight, look younger and balance mood. It’s popping up everywhere from hotel spas to European beehives. (Janin, 2/24)

There is something you can do that may help you live longer after a colon cancer diagnosis, and you can start it on your own, at your home or a gym. Exercise is associated with longer lives for patients with colon cancer, according to a new study published Monday in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society. (Holcombe, 2/24)

Despite concerns, there was no significant increase in sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) among young athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to national surveillance data. Comparing prepandemic and pandemic periods, the numbers of SCA and sudden cardiac death (SCD) logged in the UNC National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research (NCCSIR) database were not significantly different (203 vs 184, P=0.33), reported Jonathan Drezner, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues. (Lou, 2/24)

US outpatient prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, two unproven treatments touted as COVID-19 treatments during the pandemic, doubled and increased by 10-fold, respectively, from January 30, 2020, to June 30, 2023, according to a new study in Health Affairs. The 3 million prescriptions for the drugs resulted in $272 million estimated spending, and older adults were more likely to take these treatments, the study authors said. (Soucheray, 2/24)