ScienceDaily: Health - May 15, 2025
Top health research news
Energy and memory: A new neural network paradigm
Listen to the first notes of an old, beloved song. Can you name that tune? If you can, congratulations -- it's a triumph of your associative memory, in which one piece of information (the first few notes) triggers the memory of the entire pattern (the song), without you actually having to hear the rest of the song again. We use this handy neural mechanism to learn, remember, solve problems and generally navigate our reality.
Research shows how hormone can reverse fatty liver disease in mice
A pioneering research study details how the hormone FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21) can reverse the effects of fatty liver disease in mice. The hormone works primarily by signaling the brain to improve liver function.
Could a mini-stroke leave lasting fatigue?
A transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini-stroke, is typically defined as a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain that causes symptoms that go away within a day, but a new study finds that people who have this type of stroke may also have prolonged fatigue lasting up to one year.
New nanoparticle could make cancer treatment safer, more effective
Scientists have created a new nanoparticle that could make ultrasound-based cancer treatments more effective and safer, while also helping prevent tumors from coming back. To make the therapy even more powerful, the scientists also attached a potent chemotherapy drug to the peptide on the nanoparticle's surface. The ultrasound physically destroys the tumor, and the drug helps eliminate any leftover cancer cells that might cause the tumor to return.
How we think about protecting data
A new game-based experiment sheds light on the tradeoffs people are willing to make about data privacy.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy
Scientists present current evidence for a new gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy called delandistrogene moxeparvovec.
The key to spotting dyslexia early could be AI-powered handwriting analysis
A new study outlines how artificial intelligence-powered handwriting analysis may serve as an early detection tool for dyslexia and dysgraphia among young children.
'Sweet spot' for focused ultrasound to provide essential tremor relief
For millions of people around the world with essential tremor, everyday activities from eating and drinking to dressing and doing basic tasks can become impossible. This common neurological movement disorder causes uncontrollable shaking, most often in the hands, but it can also occur in the arms, legs, head, voice, or torso. Essential tremor impacts an estimated 1 percent of the worldwide population and around 5 percent of people over 60. Investigators have now identified a specific subregion of the brain's thalamus that, when included during magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment, can result in optimal and significant tremor improvements while reducing side effects.
Combining laboratory techniques yields wealth of information about deadly brain tumors
Clinicians have demonstrated that doctors can gain a wealth of knowledge about a patient's cancer by using multiple laboratory techniques to study tumor tissue taken from needle biopsies of glioblastoma, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer.
New generation of skin substitutes give hope to severe burns patients
Australian researchers have flagged some promising new approaches to treat severe burns that could save lives and dramatically improve patient recovery.
Adult-onset type 1 diabetes increases risk of cardiovascular disease and death
A new study shows that people who develop type 1 diabetes in adulthood have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, and that those diagnosed later in life do not have a better prognosis than those diagnosed earlier.
The risk of death or complications from broken heart syndrome was high from 2016 to 2020
The risk of death or complications from the stress-related heart condition associated with stressful events, such as the death of a loved one -- called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome -- was high and unchanged from 2016 to 2020, according to data from a national study that included nearly 200,000 U.S. adults.
Got data? Breastfeeding device measures babies' milk intake in real time
New device can give peace of mind and reduce anxiety for breastfeeding moms. It uses bioimpedance, which is currently used to measure body fat, and streams clinical-grade data to a smartphone or tablet in real time. Developed by physicians and engineers, device was tested by new moms. Technology could particularly benefit fragile babies in the NICU, who have precise nutritional needs.
Study sheds light on how autistic people communicate
There is no significant difference in the effectiveness of how autistic and non-autistic people communicate, according to a new study, challenging the stereotype that autistic people struggle to connect with others.
New hope against superbugs: Promising antibiotic candidate discovered
An international team of researchers has discovered saarvienin A, a new type of glycopeptide antibiotic. Their findings introduce a compound with strong activity against highly resistant bacterial strains.
Sugar-coated nanotherapy dramatically improves neuron survival in Alzheimer's model
In many neurodegenerative diseases, proteins misfold and clump together in brain tissue. Scientists developed a new therapy made of peptides and a sugar that naturally occurs in plants. The therapeutic molecules self-assemble into nanofibers, which bond to the neuron-killing proteins. Now trapped, the toxic proteins can no longer enter neurons and instead harmlessly degrade.
Postpartum depression and bonding: Long-term effects on school-age children
Postpartum maternal mental health and mother-to-infant bonding are well-established as critical factors in a child's psychosocial development. However, few studies have explored the combined impact of postpartum maternal depression and early bonding experiences on emotional and behavioral difficulties during middle childhood. A new study reveals significant associations between postpartum depression, mother-to-infant bonding, and child difficulties. Notably, secure early bonding was found to partially buffer the long-term effects of postpartum depression on child outcomes.
Making connections: A three-dimensional visualization of musculoskeletal development
Using a new fluorescent mouse model with advanced imaging techniques, researchers have successfully visualized how musculoskeletal components are integrated into the functional locomotor system during embryonic development.
Why are urban children more prone to allergies?
Evidence of a unique T cell may explain why urban children are more prone to allergies than rural children. Differences in the development of the gut microbiome may be an underlying cause.
Scientists discover new way the brain learns
Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain uses a dual system for learning through trial and error. This is the first time a second learning system has been identified, which could help explain how habits are formed and provide a scientific basis for new strategies to address conditions related to habitual learning, such as addictions and compulsions. The study in mice could also have implications for developing therapeutics for Parkinson's.
A downside of taurine: It drives leukemia growth
A study shows that leukemia cells drink up taurine, which is produced in the body and also consumed through foods and in energy drinks, and use it as fuel for growth. This highlights a potential to block taurine uptake as a possible treatment.
Recognition from colleagues helps employees cope with bad work experiences
Being appreciated by colleagues can help employees cope with negative experiences at work, according to a new study. Researchers found that employees experience 'embitterment' -- an emotional response to perceived workplace injustice -- on days when they are assigned more unreasonable tasks than usual. This negative emotion not only affects their work but also spills over into their personal lives, leading to an increase in rumination, the repetitive dwelling on negative feelings and their causes. This can result in difficulty detaching from work, ultimately preventing recovery from job-related stress.
Eldercare robot helps people sit and stand, and catches them if they fall
Engineers built E-BAR, a mobile robot designed to physically support the elderly and prevent them from falling as they move around their homes. E-BAR acts as a set of robotic handlebars that follows a person from behind, allowing them to walk independently or lean on the robot's arms for support.
Mapping a new brain network for naming
Researchers identified two brain networks involved in word retrieval -- the cognitive process of accessing words we need to speak. A semantic network processes meaning in middle/inferior frontal gyri, while an articulatory network in inferior frontal/precentral gyri plans speech production.
Hormone cycles shape the structure and function of key memory regions in the brain
Hormone levels fluctuate like the tides, ebbing and flowing according to carefully orchestrated cycles. These hormones not only influence the body, but can cross into the brain and shape the behavior of our neurons and cognitive processes. Recently, researchers used modern laser microscopy techniques to observe how fluctuations in ovarian hormones shape both the structure and function of neurons in the mouse hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory formation and spatial learning in mammals. They found that hormone fluctuations during the mouse estrous cycle, a 4-day cycle analogous to the 28-day human menstrual cycle, powerfully influence the shape and behavior of hippocampal neurons.
Higher success rate using a simple oral swab test before IVF
Researchers have conducted a clinical study to show how a woman's genetic profile provides information on which hormone treatment is most effective for in vitro fertilization (IVF). The researchers have now developed a simple oral swab test that shows which hormone therapy is the best option for IVF treatment.
Seek medical advice before attempting water-only fasting diets, experts warn
Experts are urging people, especially those with existing heart or vascular conditions, to seek medical advice before attempting to lose weight using water-only fasting diets.
New survey shows privacy and safety tops list of parental concerns about screen time
As kids spend more time on screens, a new national survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children's Hospital, identifies parents' greatest fears for their children around screen time.
New light shed on health differences between males and females
The results of an international study shed new light the underlying biological mechanisms which cause differences in health risks, symptoms and outcomes between males and females.
Scientists film the heart forming in 3D earlier than ever before
Researchers have identified the origin of cardiac cells using 3D images of a heart forming in real-time, inside a living mouse embryo.
Combinations of chronic illnesses could double risk of depression
People with multiple long-term physical health conditions are at a significantly greater risk of developing depression, a study shows.
'Loop'hole: HIV-1 hijacks human immune cells using circular RNAs
Researchers have identified a never-before-seen mechanism that enables HIV-1 to evade the body's natural defenses and use it to support its survival and replication. The 'loophole' is a biological process that involves circular RNAs and marks the first experimental evidence of HIV-1 generating them from an integrated retroviral genome. Findings point to a novel strategy the virus uses to survive, providing a new target in the fight against one of the world's most resilient pathogens.
New approach to treating aggressive breast cancers shows significant improvement in survival
A new treatment approach significantly improves survival rates for patients with aggressive, inherited breast cancers, according to researchers. In a trial where cancers were treated with chemotherapy followed by a targeted cancer drug before surgery, 100% of patients survived the critical three-year period post-surgery.
Estrogen-related receptors could be key to treating metabolic and muscular disorders
Researchers confirm and explore the role of estrogen-related receptors in regulating energy production in muscle cells during exercise. The findings indicate that developing a drug to boost estrogen-related receptors could be a powerful way to restore energy supplies in people with metabolic disorders, such as muscular dystrophy.
Measles virus detected in Houston wastewater before cases were reported
An innovative outbreak detection program that tracks disease-causing viruses in wastewater identified the measles virus in Houston samples collected in early January 2025, before cases were reported.
Lower tackle height changing face of women's rugby, study says
Lowering the legal tackle height in women's rugby is proving effective in reducing head contacts between players, a new study suggests. Changes to the tackle height law in women's community rugby in Scotland is linked to reductions in head-to-head and head-to shoulder contacts, the study found. The researchers used video analysis to study the impact of the lowered tackle height law which World Rugby, the sport's governing body, introduced for community rugby in an attempt to improve safety for players.
Olympic anti-doping lab puts U.S. meat supply to the test
Scientists turned their sophisticated analytical capabilities for testing athlete samples for performance-enhancing drugs to research examining the U.S. meat supply. The study was designed to investigate concerns that residues of growth promoters used in meat production could potentially cause athletes to test positive.
CAR-T cell therapy for cancer causes 'brain fog,' study shows
Cancer treatment with a cell-based immunotherapy causes mild cognitive impairment, a Stanford Medicine team found. They also identified compounds that could treat it.
Evidence of mother-offspring attachment types in wild chimpanzees
A team of researchers has identified distinct mother-offspring attachment types in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus). Drawing parallels with human psychology, the study provides compelling evidence that wild chimpanzee infants, like human children, develop critical secure and insecure-avoidant attachment patterns to their mothers. However, unlike humans and some captive chimpanzees, wild chimpanzees did not exhibit disorganized attachment characterized by high rates of aggression. This raises new questions about how this type of attachment may be shaped by survival and modern environmental pressures.
Drug to slow Alzheimer's well tolerated outside of clinical trial setting
In a recent study, researchers found adverse events were rare and manageable among clinic patients with very mild or mild Alzheimer's disease who received lecanemab infusions.
Addressing hearing loss may reduce isolation among the elderly
Providing hearing aids and advice on their use may preserve social connections that often wane as we age, a new study shows. Its authors say that this approach could help ease the loneliness epidemic that older Americans face.
Extended reality boccia shows positive rehabilitation effects
A team has developed Boccia XR, a rehabilitation program using extended reality technology that can be introduced even in environments with limited space.
Different anesthetics, same result: Unconsciousness by shifting brainwave phase
A new study finds that an easily measurable brain wave shift of phase may be a universal marker of unconsciousness under general anesthesia.
Your fingers wrinkle in the same pattern every time you're in the water for too long
Your fingers wrinkle in the same pattern every time you're in the water for too long, according to new research.
ChatGPT helps pinpoint precise locations of seizures in the brain, aiding neurosurgeons
ChatGPT responses matched or outperformed epileptologists' responses related to the regions where epileptogenic zones are commonly located. Yet epileptologists provided more accurate responses for the regions rarely affected.
Cell death discovery could lead to next-gen drugs for neurodegenerative conditions
Researchers have discovered how to block cells dying, in a finding that could lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The team has identified a small molecule that can selectively block cell death.
The how and why of the brain's division across hemispheres
Why does the brain split visual spatial perception between its hemispheres? A new review by neuroscientists examines the advantages and trade-offs, and how the brain ultimately makes vision feel seamless.
Fat-rich fluid fuels immune failure in ovarian cancer
New research has uncovered how lipid-rich fluid in the abdomen, known as ascites, plays a central role in weakening the body's immune response in advanced ovarian cancer. The findings offer new insights into immune suppression in ovarian cancer and open promising avenues for future immunotherapy approaches. Over 70% of patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage, often presenting with large volumes of ascites. This ascites fluid not only supports the spread of cancer throughout the abdominal cavity but also significantly impairs the body's immune defenses. Understanding how ascites affects the immune system is important for developing better treatments that use the immune system to fight cancer.
Wild chimpanzees alter the meaning of single calls when embedding them into diverse call combinations, mirroring linguistic operations in human language. Human language, however, allows an infinite generation of meaning by combining phonemes into words and words into sentences. This contrasts with the very few meaningful combinations reported in animals, leaving the mystery of human language evolution unresolved.
Antibiotics from human use are contaminating rivers worldwide, study shows
Millions of kilometers of rivers around the world are carrying antibiotic pollution at levels high enough to promote drug resistance and harm aquatic life, a new study warns. The study estimated the scale of global river contamination from human antibiotics use. Researchers calculated that about 8,500 tons of antibiotics -- nearly one-third of what people consume annually -- end up in river systems around the world each year even after in many cases passing through wastewater systems.
A more realistic look at DNA in action
By creating a more true-to-life representation of DNA's environment, researchers have discovered that strand separation may take more mechanical force than the field previously believed.
A research team has achieved a significant breakthrough in developing broadly protective, live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV). These innovative LAIV platforms offer potential to develop universal influenza vaccines that induce a more robust immune response against various virus subtypes, including both human and avian strains.
Researchers map 7,000-year-old genetic mutation that protects against HIV
Modern HIV medicine is based on a common genetic mutation. Now, researchers have traced where and when the mutation arose -- and how it protected our ancestors from ancient diseases.
Colonic inflammation explains missing link between obesity and beta-cell proliferation
How does obesity affect insulin production? Researchers are shining light on new stages of the ERK pathway.
An enzyme as key to protein quality
In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, proteins accumulate in the body's cells, fold incorrectly and clump together to form larger aggregates. Normally, cells are able to remove these aggregates themselves. However, if a certain enzyme is blocked, this clean-up process no longer works. The new findings provide a better understanding of the molecular basis of these processes.
Fatty liver in pregnancy may increase risk of preterm birth
Pregnant women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and the risk increase cannot be explained by obesity, according to a new study.
Improving newborn genetic screening
More than a decade ago, researchers launched the BabySeq Project, a pilot program to return newborn genomic sequencing results to parents and measure the effects on newborn care. Today, over 30 international initiatives are exploring the expansion of newborn screening using genomic sequencing (NBSeq), but a new study highlights the substantial variability in gene selection among those programs.
Can frisky flies save human lives?
A scientist decided to find out why a bacterial infection makes fruit flies promiscuous. What he discovered could help curb mosquito-borne diseases and manage crop pests.
New gene linked to severe cases of Fanconi anemia
Mutations in FANCX appear to cause a lethal form of Fanconi anemia, a finding that sheds light on unexplained pregnancy loss and offers new avenues for genetic screening.
Heart rhythm disorder traced to bacterium lurking in our gums
New research shows that the gum disease bacterium P. gingivalis can slip into the bloodstream and infiltrate the heart. There, it quietly drives scar tissue buildup -- distorting the heart's architecture, disrupting electrical signals, and raising the risk of atrial fibrillation.