Health & Medical News & Research Discoveries - SciTechDaily

Scientists Uncover Hidden Mechanism Behind Opioid Addiction – Discovery Could Revolutionize Addiction Treatment

Medical University of South Carolina — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:21:50 +0000

Opioid receptors located in the dorsal peduncular nucleus uniquely contribute to the rewarding effects of opioids. Opioids, such as the widely prescribed painkiller oxycodone, are notorious for their high addiction potential. In 2022, opioid overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 85,000 people in the U.S., as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Despite this, [...]

Scientists Uncover How Cocaine Tricks the Brain Into Feeling Good – Breakthrough Could Lead to New Substance Abuse Treatments

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 01:20:45 +0000

A new study reveals how cocaine interferes with the brain’s dopamine regulation by binding to the dopamine transporter, offering insights crucial for developing treatments for cocaine and other addictions. You’ve likely heard of dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good hormone.” Drugs like cocaine trigger a spike in dopamine levels in the brain. Under normal [...]

New Study Unravels the Mystery of COVID’s Worst Pediatric Complication

University of California San Francisco — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 22:58:46 +0000

A study identified how children’s immune systems trigger MIS-C by mistaking a COVID-19 protein for a similar human protein, leading to severe autoimmune responses. This finding provides new perspectives on treating autoimmune diseases linked to viral infections. Research uncovers a mechanism behind multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). During the early stages of the COVID-19 [...]

Turning Cholesterol Into a Weapon: Trojan Horse Method Delivers Fatal Blow to Malaria Parasites

Australian National University — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:23:07 +0000

ANU researchers have created a Trojan horse method using cholesterol to deliver drugs that more effectively kill parasites, offering potential treatments for diseases and protecting livestock. Over a quarter of Australians aged 50 and above use cholesterol-lowering drugs to prevent heart disease and strokes. However, cholesterol is also essential for survival. Scientists at The Australian [...]

The Real Cause of Alzheimer’s Might Not Be Amyloid: Groundbreaking Discovery Challenges Decades-Old Theories

Emory Health Sciences — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 12:20:24 +0000

New research from Emory University suggests that proteins accumulating around amyloid-beta deposits, rather than the deposits themselves, may play a crucial role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, offering new directions for treatment. Recent research from Emory University is prompting a reevaluation of current theories on the origins of Alzheimer’s disease, a major cause of [...]

Could Your Coffee Habit Be Hurting Your Heart?

American College of Cardiology — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:30:32 +0000

New research suggests that consuming over 400 mg of caffeine daily, a common habit among many, could elevate the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study, which analyzed caffeine’s effects on young, healthy adults, found that regular intake at this level disrupts the autonomic nervous system, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure. The findings [...]

Astonishing Healing Powers of Zebrafish Could Revolutionize Spinal Cord Recovery

Washington University School of Medicine — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 09:12:32 +0000

A detailed blueprint of nerve cells’ dramatic changes could help identify ways to heal spinal cord damage. Zebrafish possess a unique ability to regenerate a severed spinal cord, a capability that could hold the key to healing similar injuries in humans. Research reveals that the survival and adaptability of injured neurons are crucial for this [...]

The Unexpected Superfood for Diabetes: Scientists Identify New Health Benefits of Potatoes

University of Nevada, Las Vegas — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 04:39:41 +0000

Nutrition sciences professor Neda Akhavan’s recent research identifies potatoes as a potential superfood for individuals with Type 2 diabetes. New research reveals that properly prepared potatoes can offer significant health benefits, including cardiovascular improvements, for people with Type 2 diabetes, challenging their negative dietary reputation. The potato is small enough to fit inside a person’s [...]

Global Surge: Type 1 Diabetes Cases Triple in Elderly

BMJ — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 22:06:19 +0000

While more individuals with type 1 diabetes are achieving longer lifespans, significant worldwide disparities persist in the access to and quality of diabetes care. The number of people aged 65 and older with type 1 diabetes increased from 1.3 million in 1990 to 3.7 million in 2019, while death rates fell 25% from 4.7 per [...]

Low Testosterone in Men Linked to Increased Risk for Death

American College of Physicians — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:04:35 +0000

Research on over 24,000 men revealed that low testosterone levels significantly increase the risks of death from all causes and cardiovascular issues, underlining the hormone’s impact on aging men’s health. A systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that men with low baseline levels of endogenous serum testosterone face a higher risk of all-cause mortality, with those [...]

Work Stress Linked to a 97% Increased Risk of Irregular Heart Rhythm

American Heart Association — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:00:58 +0000

Job strain and effort-reward imbalance at work were associated with a greater chance of developing an abnormal heart rhythm condition, finds a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Adults in white-collar jobs in Canada with high job strain and for whom significant efforts are met with low rewards (such as low [...]

New Research Reveals That Your Friends’ Genes Could Impact Your Future

Rutgers University — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:30:58 +0000

A Rutgers study reveals that peer social genetic effects—the impact of a social partner’s genotype on another’s observable traits—can affect the risk of developing addiction and psychiatric disorders later in life. Mom always said, “Choose your friends wisely.” Now a study led by a Rutgers Health professor shows she was onto something: Their traits can [...]

A Waste of Money: New Study Reveals That CBD Is Ineffective for Pain Relief

University of Bath — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 18:19:16 +0000

New research suggests that CBD products may not alleviate chronic pain and could be both a financial burden and a potential health risk. New research led by the University of Bath in the UK suggests that CBD products, despite their popularity as an alternative pain treatment, do not alleviate chronic pain and may be both [...]

New Research Challenges the Belief That Dieting Drains Workout Energy

University of California - Riverside — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 11:14:05 +0000

Mice on a diet don’t skip exercise. A recent study from UC Riverside has found that reducing calorie intake does not discourage mice from exercising, refuting the idea that dieting saps energy for physical activity. Published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, the research reveals that a 20% calorie reduction did not notably decrease the [...]

The Tug-of-War Inside Bacteria: New Study Sheds Light on Viral Infection Mechanisms

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 05:29:20 +0000

Recent research on phages—bacteria-infecting viruses—reveals that the number and interactions of phages during infection impact their entry into host cells, influenced by the cell’s electrophysiology. This discovery opens new avenues for understanding phage behavior and its implications for biotechnology. Researchers have studied the process by which phages—viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria—enter cells for [...]

Why Can’t We Test for Long COVID? Unraveling the Diagnostic Puzzle

American College of Physicians — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 21:00:59 +0000

Of 25 routine clinical lab tests, not one can aid in diagnosing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (Long COVID). Over 10,000 participants were analyzed in a study to explore Long COVID’s clinical markers and health implications. Results indicated no effective laboratory markers for PASC, but suggested connections between prior SARS-CoV-2 infections, heightened diabetes risk, and early [...]

A Legal Loophole Is Allowing Companies To Include Unsafe Ingredients in US Foods

New York University — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 18:11:42 +0000

The food industry can decide which substances are considered “generally recognized as safe” due to gaps in FDA oversight. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring the safety of the U.S. food supply, including setting nutrition labeling standards, collaborating with companies on food recalls, and addressing foodborne illness outbreaks. However, a recent [...]

AI Transforms Toxic Antibiotic Into Life-Saving Medicine

University of Texas at Austin — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 10:31:08 +0000

A large language model, similar to the AI that powers ChatGPT, has been utilized to develop a version of a bacteria-killing drug that was once toxic to humans. In a hopeful development for the demand for safer and more effective antibiotics, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have utilized artificial intelligence to create [...]

New Research: Fatty Acids in Umbilical Cord Blood Could Cause Autism Spectrum Disorder

University of Fukui — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 04:41:17 +0000

Scientists have unveiled a link between metabolites of fatty acids in cord blood and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in children. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that influences the learning abilities and social interactions of individuals. In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in awareness about ASD, including its occurrence [...]

Rewiring the Aging Brain: Key Enzyme Could Be the Secret to Sharper Memory in Old Age

Penn State — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 21:31:39 +0000

Penn State researchers discovered that blocking the enzyme HDAC3 improves memory updating in older mice, potentially offering new treatment avenues for age-related cognitive decline and memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. As we age, occasional forgetfulness becomes more common. However, it’s not just about struggling to recall new information—older adults also find it challenging to [...]

Better Than the Mediterranean: A New Study Reveals That This Type of Diet Is Best for Weight Loss

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 15:33:07 +0000

A study finds that a low-fat vegan diet cuts down inflammatory AGEs by 73% and leads to significant weight loss, challenging the weight loss superiority often claimed for the Mediterranean diet. New research published in Frontiers in Nutrition by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reveals that a low-fat vegan diet can reduce harmful inflammatory [...]

How Your Nose Fights Infection: Scientists Unveil Hidden Immune Defenders in the Upper Airways

La Jolla Institute for Immunology — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:55:31 +0000

LJI researchers develop innovative technique to assess immune memory and SARS-CoV-2 reactions in the upper respiratory tract Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have conducted the first comprehensive study of immune cell memory in the upper airways of adult volunteers. In their analysis, they identified “tissue resident” memory cells, which are prepared [...]

Do Anxiety Pills Have a Dark Side? Research Reveals Dementia Risks

Saint Louis University — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 01:16:40 +0000

Research at Saint Louis University School of Medicine highlights a significant association between anxiety and an increased risk of dementia in seniors, with benzodiazepine exposure further elevating this risk by 28%. Research from Saint Louis University School of Medicine finds that among patients 65 and older, a diagnosis of anxiety was significantly associated with an [...]

Improve Your Sleep With 3-Minute “Activity Breaks” at Night

BMJ Group — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 20:30:23 +0000

Research indicates that evening resistance exercises can extend sleep by an average of 27 minutes without affecting sleep quality. The study, involving 30 participants, contrasts with guidelines advising against intense pre-sleep exercise, highlighting potential long-term health benefits. Resistance exercise ‘activity breaks’ at night may improve sleep length, suggest the findings of a small comparative study [...]