Brain shape changes could offer early warning signs of dementia

At first glance, Alzheimer's disease and cancer have little in common. One erodes memory, while the other consumes the body. Yet researchers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center have discovered an unexpected link connecting the two.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is primarily known to many as a hormone for blood formation. However, it has been known for some years that EPO also plays an important role in the brain—specifically where particularly demanding mental performance takes place.

Some people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have abnormal levels of glutamate in the brain. New research led by Mass General Brigham has focused on this neuron-activating chemical, suggesting that a glutamate-modulating drug called memantine may improve social functioning in youth with ASD who do not have intellectual disabilities.

In a preclinical study, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists have developed a highly targeted gene therapy that could revolutionize treatment for cancers linked to a common herpesvirus, with minimal side effects.

Two distinct stem cell lineages that drive tooth root and alveolar bone formation have been identified by researchers from Science Tokyo. Using genetically modified mice and lineage-tracing techniques, the team has shed light on the cell signaling mechanisms guiding differentiation in stem cells in the developing teeth, offering key insights for future regenerative dental therapies.

For years, virtual reality (VR) has been used in pain management for hospitalized adults and children, to take their minds off their discomfort, but typically the technology has been a solo experience for the patient.

Certain nutrients in food can trigger a mild stress response in nematodes. But instead of making them sick, this actually helps them stay healthier as they age, according to researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland.

Researchers at the University of Bath, in collaboration with the Universities of Oxford and Bristol, have developed a molecule that prevents the clumping and build-up of a protein linked to Parkinson's disease and related dementias. The team has successfully demonstrated it works in an animal model of Parkinson's and hopes that in the future this could lead to a treatment that slows the progression of the disease.

A new brain imaging study led by researchers in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health in the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University, and published in JAMA Network Open, uses a specialized type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique named neuromelanin-sensitive MRI to shed light on the link between chronic depression and the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine plays important roles in many cognitive, emotional, and bodily functions and is a central cellular component to the reward/motivation system of the brain.

A new international QUT-led study found that bariatric surgery improves work productivity and employment rates in the short term—but these gains may not last beyond five years without targeted support.

The Herpes simplex virus is a widespread virus that often causes cold sores, and most people carry it. By removing a virulence gene, i.e. a gene that makes the virus harmful to humans, the herpes virus can be repurposed as a cancer vaccine. This modification prevents the virus from harming healthy tissue while allowing it to target cancer cells, which function differently from normal cells. These findings are presented in a new doctoral thesis at Åbo Akademi University, Finland.

Previously, the primary endpoint results of the NRG-LU005 study assessing the addition of the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab to standard of care concurrent chemoradiation for limited-state small cell lung cancer were reported at the American Society for Radiation Oncology 2024 Annual Meeting.

Previously, results from the photon cohort of the NRG-BN001, a signal seeking Phase II randomized trial, indicated that photon radiation dose intensification (75 Gy) did not demonstrate improvement in overall survival (OS) for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM).

Demand-responsive transport (DRT) is promoted as an inclusive solution to first- and last-mile mobility challenges, but little is known about the barriers to adoption among people with poor health.

Huntington's disease is a rare genetic disorder and a representative neurodegenerative disease, characterized by loss of motor control, cognitive decline, and psychiatric problems. An international research team has discovered that the "huntingtin protein," the causal protein of Huntington's disease (whose mutations are the direct cause of the disease), also performs a new function: directly organizing the cytoskeleton, the fine structural framework inside cells.

A concerted effort to improve the workplace culture at a California hospital produced a variety of significant improvements, with an impact far beyond the initial goals, according to an article in Critical Care Nurse.

Research conducted at West Virginia University suggests consuming alcohol with fentanyl and other drugs may explain, in part, why more men than women die from unintentional overdoses.

"Ear seeding" is having a moment on TikTok and Instagram. One video of someone's experience of ear seeding has been "liked" more than half a million times. Supermodel Naomi Campbell is among celebrities reported to have tried it.