Health News ScienceDaily

Researchers have succeeded in creating a close connection between individual cells and organic electronics. The study lays the foundation for future treatment of neurological and other diseases with very high precision.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects around 1% of the world's population. Researchers have identified a deficit in contrast perception in people with schizophrenia. According to a review of more than 600 studies, these patients have an impaired ability to see differences in light intensity between adjacent areas, which allows us to identify shapes, textures and details in the environment.

A new one-minute video game is able to accurately and efficiently identify children with autism from those who have ADHD or are neurotypical.

A new study finds that prompts do a good job of getting drivers to engage with their environment and take over control of the vehicle when necessary while using partially automated driving systems -- with one exception. If drivers are deeply distracted, these system-generated prompts have little or no effect.

Researchers have developed two simple, easy-to-deliver sessions to improve the wellbeing of staff in pediatric critical care (PCC) units in UK hospitals.

A team of stem cell scientists have successfully used embryonic stem cell engineering to create a bi-paternal mouse -- a mouse with two male parents -- that lived until adulthood. Their results describe how targeting a particular set of genes involved in reproduction allowed the researchers to overcome previously insurmountable challenges in unisexual reproduction in mammals.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform aging research and help people live healthier, longer lives.

Mitochondria organelles came from primordial bacterial endosymbionts and still preserve distinct genes for important functions like making ATP. To speed the emerging therapeutic research into the transfer of mitochondria between cells, 31 researchers have developed consensus recommendations for common terminology that describes mitochondria transfer and transplantation.

When young adults start working, the amount of daily physical activity they do increases sharply, only to fall away again over the new few years, while the amount of sleep they get falls slightly, according to new research. The largest drop in levels of physical activity was seen among people who work from home -- though their sleep levels did not change when they started work.

A person's lifetime risk for cancer may begin before they are even born, reports a paradigm-shifting study. The findings identified two distinct epigenetic states that arise during development and are linked to cancer risk. One of these states is associated with a lower lifetime risk while the other is associated with a higher lifetime risk.

Researchers have uncovered a significant connection between elevated uric acid levels and life-threatening outcomes in children with severe malaria.

Physicists have discovered a sophisticated, previously unknown set of 'modes' within the human ear that put important constraints on how the ear amplifies faint sounds, tolerates noisy blasts, and discerns a stunning range of sound frequencies in between. By applying existing mathematical models to a generic mock-up of a cochlea -- a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear -- the researchers revealed a new layer of cochlear complexity. The findings offer fresh insight into the remarkable capacity and accuracy of human hearing.

Researchers have created an epigenetic tool which has implications for medicine, sports, and agriculture.

A research team developed a new experimental game to explore whether people avoid witnessing selfish behavior to evade punishing others or simply to avoid confronting unfairness. The study found that avoidance is driven by both the desire to not acknowledge inequality and the wish to prevent confrontation, suggesting that altruistic punishment may be less common in real-life situations than previously believed.

Scientists have recently shown that both the quality and the amount of sleep we get may influence our risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Proteins, the pillars of cellular function, often assemble into 'complexes' to fulfill their functions. A study reveals why this assembly often begins during the very process of protein synthesis or 'birth'. These early interactions involve proteins whose stability depends on their association. They can be compared to a couple in which each partner supports the other. This model paves the way for new strategies to understand and correct assembly errors, which are often associated with pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders and certain cancers.

A study showed that changes in the functioning of opioid neurotransmitters in the brain may underlie anorexia.

A large proportion of babies born very early need intensive care, which can be painful. But the healthcare system fails to provide pain relief to the full extent. This is shown by the largest survey to date of pain in neonatal care.

Various diseases can be treated by stimulating the vagus nerve in the ear with electrical signals. However, this technique does not always work. A study has now shown: The electrical signals must be synchronized with the body's natural rhythms -- heartbeat and breathing.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.

A study shows that patients with obesity and fatty liver-related cirrhosis who had bariatric (weight-loss) surgery significantly lowered their future risk of developing serious liver complications compared with patients who received medical therapy alone.

Researchers have developed a new chemical tool that could help lower the cost of prescription medications. The tool, called AshPhos, is a ligand, or molecule, that makes it easier to create special carbon-nitrogen bonds. These bonds are the backbone of more than half of all medicines on the market today.

Basal cell carcinomas, the most common form of skin cancer, occur in chronically sun-exposed areas such as the face. Locally advanced tumors in particular can be difficult to treat surgically. A research team has now investigated the effectiveness of a new type of therapy and achieved promising results: The active substance TVEC led to a reduction in the size of the basal cell carcinoma in all study participants, which not only improved surgical removal, but also led to a complete regression of the tumor in some of the patients.

If you're like many Americans, you probably didn't take all your vacation time this year. Even if you did, it's highly likely you didn't fully unplug while off the clock. But you might want to change that if you want to improve your health and well-being, according to a new review article.

A brain rhythm working in tandem with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle may explain why bipolar patients alternate between mania and depression, according to new research. A new study marks a breakthrough in understanding what drives shifts between the two states.

Statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, have no effect on kidney function, a research team has found.

Climate change will likely result in a significant rise in deaths from heat across Europe, substantially surpassing any decrease in cold-related deaths, according to a new modelling study. This trend persists across climate change scenarios and even under high adaptation to heat, reinforcing the need for aggressive mitigation policies.

Infant mortality in the United States decreased by 24.2% between 1999 and 2022. However, mortality rates from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) rose significantly -- by 11.8% -- from 2020 to 2022.

Researchers have uncovered how specific patterns in brain activity can predict an individual's sensitivity to pain, expanding opportunities for improved pain management strategies.

Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) harboring BRAF V600E mutations benefited from first-line treatment with the targeted therapies encorafenib and cetuximab plus a mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy regimen, according to results from the PhaseIII BREAKWATER trial.

Researchers have found a promising drug candidate that could help restore vision in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions that damage neurons.

Scientists have developed a groundbreaking approach using specially designed peptides to improve drug formulations. This innovative method significantly enhances anti-tumor efficacy.

The vestibular system is a network of organs in the inner ears that detects the motions and position of the head. The brain uses this information, along with inputs from the eyes and joints, to maintain the body's balance. Visual information has long been proven to affect balance -- for example, strobe lights and swirling images can cause instability -- but a new study shows that sounds can also be a disruptive factor for those who have vestibular hypofunction, a vestibular system disorder resulting in impaired balance.

A research team made a pivotal discovery in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The team identified a specific population of immune cells that play a critical role in successful treatment of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Like a poison pen, dying cells prick their neighbors with a lethal message. This may worsen sepsis. New findings could lead to a new understanding of this dangerous illness.

A therapeutic vaccine targeting human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) induced regression in high-grade precancerous cervical lesions, according to the results from a phase II clinical trial.

A research team has identified the core gene expression networks regulated by key proteins that fundamentally drive phenomena such as cancer development, metastasis, tissue differentiation from stem cells, and neural activation processes.

According to a recent study, the tendency to experience positive affectivity contributed to people being physically active or even increasing their activity during the COVID-19 restrictions. In contrast, depressive feelings were linked to lower physical activity. The results suggest that mental well-being can help maintain a physically active lifestyle. Mental well-being and physical activity may thus form a positive cycle.

We're nearly one month into 2025, but if you're struggling to hold onto your New Year's resolution, stay strong, as new research shows that forming a healthy habit can take longer than you expect. Researchers found that new habits can begin forming within about two months (median of 59-66 days) but can take up to 335 days to establish.

A new study sheds light on one of the most severe consequences of stroke: damage to the brain's 'cables'-- the so-called nerve fibers -- which leads to permanent impairments.

Successful test in breast cancer patients: the active agent digoxin, a cardiac medication, dissolves clusters of circulating breast cancer cells in the blood, thus reducing the risk of metastases formation.

A scientific team looks at the progress and challenges in the research and development of brain implants. New achievements in the field of this technology are seen as a source of hope for many patients with neurological disorders and have been making headlines recently. As neural implants have an effect not only on a physical but also on a psychological level, researchers are calling for particular ethical and scientific care when conducting clinical trials.

Although obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can be treated, research has shown that people with the disorder tend to have a lower quality of life than neurotypical people. Many struggle to achieve the same levels of education and financial stability as people without the disorder. Researchers theorized one cognitive process could be to blame: decision making.

A new study shows that long-read sequencing has the potential to improve the rate of diagnosis while reducing the time to diagnosis from years to days -- in a single test and at a much lower cost.

Researchers find blocking the KCNB2 gene can slow tumor growth, paving the way for next-gen treatments for childhood brain cancer.

Many people struggle to maintain a healthy weight, and choosing the optimal meals for weight loss can be challenging. A research team has developed a weight management program that helps individuals plan meals with the assistance of a web application and support from a registered dietitian. In a new study, they discuss the app's features, development, and implementation.

Scientists have shown that specialized cells involved in how the body responds to insulin are activated in the brain after exercise, suggesting that physical activity may directly improve brain function.

A research team has investigated a new combination therapy against cancer. This therapy employs systemic administration of the tissue hormone interferon-I combined with local application of Imiquimod. This combination showed promising results in topically accessible tumors like melanoma and breast cancer models: The therapy led to the death of tumor cells at the treated sites and simultaneously activated the adaptive immune system to fight even distant metastases. The results could improve the treatment of superficial tumors such as melanoma and breast cancer.

With the recent surge in popularity of weight loss drugs like Ozempic, altogether called GLP-1s, there has been renewed scientific interest in understanding how our bodies regulate muscle growth. Scientists have linked the protein BCL6 to the maintenance of muscle mass and further suggested that BCL6-boosting therapeutics could help GLP-1 users retain muscle while losing fat. Similar therapies could also be used to treat other populations prone to muscle loss, such as older adults and patients with systemic diseases like sepsis or cancer.

Researchers have uncovered which genes on the Y chromosome regulate the development of sperm and impact fertility in male mice. This research could help us understand why some men don't produce enough sperm and are infertile.

Our bodies are made up of around 75 billion cells. But what function does each individual cell perform and how greatly do a healthy person's cells differ from those of someone with a disease? To draw conclusions, enormous quantities of data must be analyzed and interpreted. For this purpose, machine learning methods are applied. Researchers have now tested self-supervised learning as a promising approach for testing 20 million cells or more.

The prevalence of diagnosed disorders from recurrent use of sedative, hypnotic and anti-anxiety medications in adolescents and young adults has increased sharply since 2001, according to researchers. Their study examined diagnoses of these disorders in adolescents and young adults between 2001 to 2019.

Researchers have derived a formula for viral behavior in the Wild Cards, a science fiction series written by a collection of authors about an alien virus called the Wild Card that mutates human DNA. The formula he derived is a Lagrangian formulation, which considers the different ways a system can evolve. It's also a fundamental physics principle, which also makes the fictional example a powerful teaching tool.

Researchers have found that a newly developed diet inspired by the eating habits of non-industrialized societies can significantly reduce the risk of a number of chronic diseases -- and are to share recipes with the public.

Adults who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be living shorter lives than they should, finds a new study.

An international collaboration has achieved an important breakthrough in understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to build resistance to drugs.

New research looked at how cancers arise in children who are predisposed to developing the childhood kidney cancer, Wilms tumor, which could help anticipate the development of tumors before they fully form.

Specific protein receptors in the brain play a vital role in how neurons slow down or stop firing, making them targets for many disorders. Researchers have now constructed a detailed structural map of these receptors in the human brain, revealing how they assemble and how drugs bind to them.

Researchers evaluated a drug that represents a new class of anticoagulants known as Factor XI inhibitors for treating patients with atrial fibrillation as part of the AZALEA-TIMI 71 Study. The trial was stopped early by the recommendation of the Data Monitoring Committee due to an overwhelming reduction in bleeding compared to standard-of-care treatment.

There was a 65% increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to general acute medical wards in hospitals in England because of a mental health concern between 2012 and 2022, finds a new study.