(February 4, 2012 - Insidermedicine)

From Seattle - Malaria kills 1.2 million people worldwide every year, according to a report published in the Lancet. Researchers reviewed malaria mortality data from 1980 to 2010, finding that 1.2 million were killed by the virus in 2010--2x more than previously thought--and that 42% of these deaths occurred in children older than 5 and in adults.

From Maine - A daily glass of milk may boost memory and brain function, according to a report published in the International Dairy Journal. Researchers studied nearly 1,000 men and women ages 23 to 98, administering a series of tests that measure visual-spatial, verbal and working memory ability. Results showed that individuals who drank the most milk scored the highest on the tests--while milk drinkers were 5x less likely to fail the tests than non-milk drinkers.

And finally, from Spain - Eating fish while pregnant may improve cognitive development in the child, according to a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers collected blood samples from 2,000 women at 20 weeks gestation and from the infant's umbilical cord. They found that women who consumed the most fish during pregnancy had children that scored higher in verbal intelligence and fine motor skills tests and demonstrated increased prosocial behaviour.