Memory Enhancement: Deep-brain stimulation — already used to treat ailments including Parkinson’s disease and chronic pain — also seems to enhance memory in patients with severe epilepsy, according to a very small preliminary study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the WSJ reports . More research needs to be done, but the technique could conceivably be tested in Alzheimer’s patients, experts tell the paper. Investigating Heart Disease Risk: Research published in the Lancet suggests that variants in certain genes found on the Y chromosome — which only males have — may help explain why men have higher rates of heart disease than women, the New York Times reports . The findings are considered preliminary and can’t completely account for the difference between the sexes, the paper says. Reimbursement Revamp: The health insurer UnitedHealth is rolling out new contracts for doctors and hospitals that could link some portion

of compensation to quality-of-care goals such as reducing readmissions or making sure patients get screenings, the WSJ reports . The contracts could include both rewards for higher-quality and more efficient care and a potential withholding of expected rate increases for failing to meet certain benchmarks, the paper says. Viral Exposure?: Visitors to the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis last week might have been exposed to measles by a fellow attendee with the disease, the Associated Press reports . Indiana health officials say they have notified the CDC and health departments in New York and Massachusetts, since many visitors may have come from those two states, but that they are “not yet concerned about a widespread outbreak,” the AP says. Measles symptoms don’t usually appear until about a week after exposure. Image: iStockphoto

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A.M. Vitals: Deep-Brain Stimulation Tested For Memory Problems