Health Highlights: Jan. 26, 2023

Autism diagnosis is getting better, but not for everyone. Autism cases are surging in the New York-New Jersey metro area, mainly fueled by the diagnosis of autistic children who don't have intellectual disabilities, a new study reports. Read more

Home exercise can help the aging brain, but group exercise may be even better. A good physical workout benefits an older brain. So does socializing. Put those two together and the payoff may be even bigger, research shows. Read more

Latest COVID booster is effective against XBB variant. The shots cut risk of infection nearly in half in adults up to age 49, according to the latest CDC data. Read more

Breathing in dirty air in pregnancy could harm a kid's development. Exposure to particle pollution during pregnancy is linked to lower scores at age 2 on thinking, motor and language skills, new research shows. Read more