(September 9, 2009 - Insidermedicine)

From New York - According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a missing protein in the brain's reward center may be responsible for symptoms associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using positron emission tomography, researchers compared the brain scans of 53 adults with ADHD to 44 adults without the condition. Those with ADHD had lower levels of dopamine in their brain--proteins that are responsible for stimulation of reward and motivation.

From Seattle - Smoking, obesity and alcohol consumption significantly increase a woman's risk of developing a second breast cancer, according to a report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Researchers studied over 1,000 women who were diagnosed with primary estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer; 365 of these women developed a second breast cancer. Obese women had an increased risk of 50%; women who drank at least one alcoholic drink a day had an increased risk of 90%; and finally, current smokers were at an increased risk of 120%.

And finally, from Washington - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people who get the flu this season will not require drugs. In an effort to prevent overuse of Tamiflu and Relenza, CDC officials are advocating that those with the flu should be carefully watched. Only those with severe illnesses or risk factors such as asthma and obesity are to be treated with antiviral medications.