“Science Times” synthesis

Just as allergy season reaches its apex, this week’s “Science Times” synthesis offers news of the potential link between allergies and depression. So, stifle your sniffles and explore the latest research findings below. Of course, when you’re done reading, we encourage you to share your thoughts in our comments section.

Week of April 12:

Allergies can increase the risk of depression: Several studies suggest that individuals suffering from severe allergies are almost twice as likely to suffer from depression.

Risks: Focus on heart deaths in student-athletes: An article in Circulation suggests that one in every 43,770 National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes experience a sudden-cardiac death each year.

In macaques, familiarity breeds…more macaques? Experimental evidence suggests that a male macaque will demonstrate more interest in a fertile female if he already knows that female.

Week of April 19:

To tug hearts, music first must tickle neurons: Researchers have linked classical music’s emotional impact to subtle timing differences in the performance of the piece.

Eighty years along, a longevity study still has ground to cover: The Friedman/Martin/Terman study spent the last eight decades tracking participants in order to study longevity. Their research has led them to attribute longevity to a single factor: conscientiousness.

Come on, I thought I knew that: Research suggests that font size does not impact memory. Hard–to-read font type, on the other hand, increases memory and comprehension.

Drug that stops bleeding shows off-label danger: Complications resulting from the unapproved use of NovoSeven, a drug used to control bleeding in those who lack a certain blood-clotting protein, have caused renewed concern over the use of drugs for off-label purposes.