Disease may increase chance of Alzheimer’s. Blindness and circulatory problems are among the long-known complications associated with diabetes. But now a researcher says his recent findings show that the disease has a link to deterioration of the brain. University of Alberta psychologist Dr. Roger Dixon and his colleagues studied 41 diabetic adults and 424 healthy adults between 53 and 90, finding that deficits and20memory, critical thinking and speech were all greater among the diabetic group. In the past, speculation about the disease has suggested that it can increase the chances of dementia and even Alzheimer’s Disease. Dixon’s research, published in the journal Neuropsychology, revealed that the differences in cognition showed up in both the younger and older members of the diabetic group. Blacks are typically found to be among the higher-risk ethnic groups that may develop diabetes, largely due to diet and genetic factors.

Southern state has highest birth rate among teens. Black and Latino teenagers are among those who’ve boosted Mississippi’s teen pregnancy rate to the highest in America, new research shows. A federal review of 2006 birth certificates showed teen pregnancy rising in 26 states, with Mississippi at 60 percent greater than the national average. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Texas and New Mexico youth had a rate that was 50 percent above national numbers. The lowest teen pregnancy figures appeared in New England. Data from 2006 is said to be significant because it reportedly marked the first time in 15 y ears that American teen pregnancy rates noticeably increased.

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