Neural circuit location of strong sense of discomfort found

Researchers have identified a new neural circuit in the brain which produces a strong sense of discomfort when activated. The discovery also allows them to show for the first time that the subthalamic nucleus, a structure in the brain that controls voluntary movements, may also play a role in the development of depression. The results could lead to better treatments for Parkinson’s disease.

Epidemiology and genetics of clonal hematopoiesis, a premalignant hematopoietic stem cell condition

A comprehensive new study from deCODE genetics published in Nature Genetics, provides insights into the epidemiology and somatic and germline genetics of clonal hematopoiesis. Whole genome sequence data from Iceland and the UK Biobank, combined with a unique somatic mutation Barcoding strategy, was used to investigate clonal hematopoiesis at the population scale.