There is a growing body of evidence that iron in the brain may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Lending weight to that idea, a new imaging probe has for the first time shown that in the same regions of the brain where the amyloid beta plaques associated with Alzheimer’s occur, there is also an increase in iron redox, meaning the iron in these regions is more reactive in the presence of oxygen. Their imaging probe could yield even more details about the causes of Alzheimer’s and help in the search for new drugs to treat it.
Toothache bothering you? It may be something other than a cavity
In some cases, a trip to the dentist for tooth sensitivity may indeed turn out to be the dreaded cavity, but in others, the sharp zings and dull aches associated with intense cold and heat may be caused by other things.
A second chance for a healthy heart: Using cellular reprogramming to eliminate scar tissue
A recent study using mice has revealed a way to turn back the clock after heart attack. The researchers behind the work used RNAs to instruct cells in an injured heart to eliminate scar tissue and recreate cardiac muscle, allowing the heart to function like new again.
Erasing or replacing errors in a patient’s genetic code can treat and cure some genetic diseases
Genetic diseases can have devastating consequences for the people who inherit them. In recent years, scientists have found that there are human genetic diseases that might be treatable, and perhaps even curable, through gene editing. Gene editing is the process by which sections of a person’s DNA are altered. Commonly compared to a word processor or a pencil and eraser, precision gene editing agents can alter sections of a person’s genome to correct “misspellings,” or mutations, in their DNA.
Model that uses machine learning methods and patient data at hospital arrival predicts strokes more accurately
Stroke is among the most dangerous and commonly misdiagnosed medical conditions. Black and Hispanic people, women, older people on Medicare, and people in rural areas are less likely to be diagnosed in time for treatment to be effective. In a new study, researchers used machine learning methods and data available when patients enter the hospital to develop a model that predicts strokes with more accuracy than current models.
Dietary supplement use common in the United States
Dietary supplement (DS) use is common in the United States, according to a study published online April 18 in the National Health Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Six tips for coping with climate anxiety
Climate change has led to more frequent and extreme weather events, including floods, storms, droughts and wildfires. As we continue to live through and witness these events, many people are more likely to be exposed to traumatic incidents, such as destruction, loss of communities, serious injury or death. As a result, many people may start to experience higher levels of distress and anxiety.
Study: Bad medical news causes patients to choose brand name drugs over generics, costing billions
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University published a new Journal of Marketing article that examines how receiving negative medical results might affect how people choose between generic and brand name drugs.
Geneticists develop novel gene therapy for glaucoma
Scientists at Trinity College Dublin today announced a significant development toward a new therapeutic treatment of glaucoma.
How opioid drugs get into our cells
The human body naturally produces opioid-like substances, such as endorphins, that block the perception of pain and increase the feeling of well-being. Similarly, opioid drugs, including morphine or fentanyl, are widely used for alleviating severe pain. However, their use is associated with a high risk of dependence and addiction, and their excessive misuse causes more than 350,000 annual deaths worldwide.