The opioid epidemic has devastated communities across the United States, claiming the lives of over half a million people since 1999. Of those deaths, approximately three-quarters are men, according to the National Institutes of Health. This gender disparity in opioid misuse and overdose rates is well documented, but the underlying reasons for why men are … Read more
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have made a significant breakthrough in understanding how individual neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex receive brain-wide presynaptic inputs that are involved in encoding behavioral states. This work refines our understanding of cortical activity and challenges previous theories about how sensory information processing and motor control are … Read more
In a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape the future of heart failure treatment, a team of international researchers has uncovered a new method to stimulate the regeneration of damaged heart tissue. The study, recently published in npj Regenerative Medicine, introduces an innovative strategy to promote cardiomyocyte proliferation—an advancement that offers renewed hope for patients suffering … Read more
Repeated electrical stimulation of brain networks linked to memory function has shown early promise in improving cognitive abilities in Alzheimer’s disease patients, according to a preliminary trial led by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, the study suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could offer … Read more
For centuries, scientists and philosophers have pondered the nature of sensory perception. How do we experience colors, sounds, and tastes? More importantly, do we all perceive them in the same way? The question of whether two people see the same color red, for example, has remained an unsolved mystery. While subjective perception makes it impossible … Read more
A recent study conducted by the Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine in China has uncovered a significant link between sleep duration, sleep onset timing, and glycemic variability in adults. By analyzing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data, researchers found that individuals with persistent short sleep and late bedtimes exhibited greater fluctuations in blood glucose … Read more
A drug developed at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) has shown significant promise in extending survival for patients with glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor in adults. The results of a trial led by the university revealed that a unique investigational … Read more
A new study conducted by researchers from University College London (UCL) sheds light on the devastating effects of high ammonia levels on liver cells and offers hope for those suffering from liver disease through a potential treatment. The research, published in Science Advances, provides new insights into how ammonia harms liver cells, specifically by damaging … Read more
Chronic pain is a pervasive condition affecting millions of individuals worldwide, and in the United States alone, it impacts an estimated 50 million people. For many of these individuals, opioids have long been the standard treatment for pain management. While opioids are effective at dulling pain, they come with a significant downside: they are highly … Read more
In today’s fast-paced world, smartphones have become integral to our daily routines. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we fall asleep at night, these devices remain within arm’s reach, often providing a constant stream of notifications and information. As our dependency on smartphones grows, they are increasingly becoming an … Read more