Newest Voltron sensor powers up its detection of smaller brain cell signals

The latest version of a tool named after a 1980s cartoon robot can now detect small fluctuations in signals passing through neurons, enabling greater insight into how brain cells communicate. The new Voltron2, developed by the Schreiter Lab and the GENIE Project Team of the Janelia Research Campus of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is detailed in a new paper in the journal Neuron.

Moderate exercise safe for people with muscle pain from statins

Statin therapy does not exacerbate muscle injury, pain or fatigue in people engaging in moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The findings are reassuring for people who experience muscle pain or fatigue from statins but need to engage in physical activity to keep their cholesterol levels low and their hearts healthy.

Wt1 gene found to be a key factor in the endothelial cell during the formation of new coronary vessels

How is the mammals’ heart formed? What role do endothelial cells play? Do the same pathways and genes involved in the formation of the embryonic heart also play a role in repair processes? A new study conducted by a team from the Faculty of Biology and the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB) reveals that the deletion of the Wt1 gene in endothelial cells during the early stages of coronary vessel formation affects the correct development of the heart in embryonic stages.

Patients with schizophrenia have favorable surgical risk for neurosurgical interventions like deep brain stimulation

A study published in Frontiers in Surgery finds that people with schizophrenia (SZ) and schizoaffective disorder (SAD) have overall lower surgical risk than people with Parkinson’s disease, which is reassuring when considering potential surgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of SZ and SAD.

Popularity of weight loss drugs soars, but weight stigma persists

Weight loss has always been a hot topic in the media, and now, with the rise in popularity of a class of drugs that induce weight loss, it’s more controversial than ever. These drugs, including Ozempic, which is approved by the FDA only for treatment of type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, which is approved for weight loss, work by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) to suppress appetite. A newer drug, tirzepatide, currently prescribed only to treat type 2 diabetes, is a dual agonist that shows even greater promise in terms of weight loss by users and is under review by the FDA to be prescribed for weight loss.