Washington, Mar 3: A popular smoking cessation drug has been found to effectively reduce alcohol cravings, claim researchers.

The study led by researchers from Yale School of Medicine has shown that heavy-drinking smokers were much less likely to drink after taking the drug varenicline.

They found that the group taking varenicline, sold under the name, Chantix, reported fewer cravings for alcohol and less intoxicated when they did drink.

Washington, Mar 3: Young children who spend more than two hours glued to the TV every day double their risk of developing asthma, a UK study has found.

The study, published in the journal Thorax, was based on more than 3,000 children whose respiratory health was tracked from birth to 11.5 years of age.

The children were all participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), which has been following the long-term health of 14,000 children and their parents.

Washington, March 3 : Conducting experiments on mice, scientists in Canada have identified a novel mechanism whereby the brain responds to stress.

University of Calgary scientist Dr. Jaideep Bains, along with is researcher colleagues at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, have found that neurons in the hypothalamus-the brain's command centre for stress responses-interpret "off" chemical signals as "on" chemical signals when stress is perceived.

"It's as if the brakes in your car are now acting to speed up the vehicle, rather than slow it down," Nature magazine quoted Bains as saying.

Washington, Mar 3: A naturally occurring compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against respiratory inflammation that causes conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, says a new study.

Washington, Mar 3: In a novel study, an international team of researchers has identified a genetic variant linked to cocaine addiction and cocaine-induced paranoia.

They have discovered variant in gene called á-endomannosidase (MANEA) that contributes to cocaine dependence and related behaviours.

During the study, the researchers looked at 3,992 individuals from two family-based samples of European American and African American families, and were then genotyped for 11 markers spanning the MANEA gene.