King’s College London News - SciTechDaily

Komodo Dragons Flaunt Iron-Tipped Nightmare Teeth, Scientists Discover

King's College London — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:23:20 +0000

Scientists from King’s College London discovered that Komodo dragons’ serrated teeth are enhanced with iron, particularly concentrated along the cutting edges. This feature, staining the teeth orange, helps keep them exceptionally sharp. The study analyzed teeth from Komodo dragons and explored potential similarities with dinosaur feeding behaviors, suggesting that this characteristic may provide insights into [...]

Powerful Veterinary Drug With Horrific Side Effects Has Infiltrated the UK’s Illicit Market

King's College London — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 18:24:13 +0000

Xylazine, a potent animal tranquilizer, has entered the UK drug scene, causing significant health risks and a recorded death. Experts call for preventive measures and harm-reduction strategies to address this emerging threat. Xylazine, a powerful animal tranquiliser linked to horrific side effects, is now widespread in the UK illicit drug market. Xylazine is often combined [...]

Study: Remnants of Ancient Viruses in Human DNA Related to Schizophrenia and Depression

King's College London — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 04:12:46 +0000

Recent research has found that DNA remnants of ancient viruses in our genome are linked to increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. This highlights a significant, previously underestimated impact of these viral sequences on brain health. New research led by King’s College London has discovered that thousands of DNA sequences originating [...]

How Early Peanut Exposure Reduces Allergy Risks by 71%

King’s College London — Tue, 28 May 2024 13:30:14 +0000

Introducing peanuts into infants’ diets from as early as four months has been shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing a peanut allergy in adolescence, a long-term study from King’s College London reveals. The study confirms that early and regular peanut consumption lowers the risk of allergy by 71% compared to avoidance. Feeding children [...]

Brain Boost: Daily Fiber Supplement Improves Senior Cognition in Just 12 Weeks

King’s College London — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:32:54 +0000

Daily fiber supplements enhance brain function in seniors without affecting muscle strength, promising a simple dietary addition to combat early Alzheimer’s signs. A daily fiber supplement improved brain function in over 60s in just 12 weeks. The study, published recently in Nature Communications by researchers from the School of Life Course & Population Sciences at [...]

Significant Differences in Brain Connectivity Between Pre-Term and Term Babies

King’s College London — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:00:50 +0000

Researchers at King’s College London have identified significant differences in brain connectivity between term and pre-term infants, revealing that these early patterns are predictive of later developmental milestones. A new King’s College London scanning study of 390 babies has shown distinct patterns between term and pre-term babies in the moment-to-moment activity and connectivity of brain [...]

Revolutionizing Oncology: T Cells As Predictive Powerhouses in Skin Cancer

King’s College London — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 04:46:47 +0000

A pioneering study reveals that Vd1-gd T cells can indicate a patient’s likelihood of responding to cancer immunotherapies, paving the way for more targeted and effective treatments. A type of immune cell can help predict which patients may benefit most from cancer immunotherapies, researchers from King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Trust, and [...]

Goodbye Inhaled Steroids: Major Breakthrough for Severe Asthma Treatment

King's College London — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 10:51:27 +0000

The SHAMAL study reveals that benralizumab, a biologic therapy, offers a new, safer approach to treating severe asthma without relying on high-dose steroids. A landmark study has shown that severe asthma can be controlled using biologic therapies, without the addition of regular high-dose inhaled steroids which can have significant side effects. The findings from the [...]

Eating in a 10-Hour Window Linked to Increased Mood and Energy

King's College London — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 01:33:50 +0000

Eating within a ten-hour window is linked to increased energy and mood, along with reduced hunger, according to findings from the UK’s largest community science study of its kind. These findings were recently presented by researchers from King’s College London at the European Nutrition Conference. Intermittent fasting (IF), or restricting your food consumption to a [...]

Diet’s Hidden Enemy: The Snack Attack That’s Undermining Your Healthy Meals

King's College London — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:34:10 +0000

A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition shows that many people counteract the benefits of healthy meals with unhealthy snacks. The type of snack and its timing, especially post 9 p.m., can negatively impact health. A quarter of people are undoing the benefits of healthy meals with unhealthy snacks, which increases the risk of [...]

Scientists Discover “Startling” Levels of Hidden Mental Health Symptoms Among Autoimmune Disease Patients

University of Cambridge — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 17:29:35 +0000

Experts urge immediate mental health assistance for patients with autoimmune diseases. Over 50% of patients with autoimmune disorders suffer from mental health issues like depression or anxiety. However, most of these patients are seldom, if ever, questioned about these symptoms in clinical settings, according to recent research from the University of Cambridge and King’s College [...]

Fact vs. Fiction – Scientists Debunk 6 Popular Hypnosis Myths

Binghamton University — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 15:20:20 +0000

A mysterious figure waves a pocket watch to and fro, repeating the phrase, “You’re getting sleepy, very sleepy,” seemingly seizing complete control over their subject. While this portrayal is a staple in popular media, it isn’t an accurate representation of real hypnotism. Regrettably, even some professionals and educators in the field perpetuate these misconceptions about [...]

Reversing Hearing Loss – A New Promising Genetic Treatment

King's College London — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 21:26:42 +0000

Researchers at The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have successfully reversed hearing loss in mice. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, detail a genetic method used to restore hearing in mice affected by a faulty Spns2 gene, particularly in the low to middle-frequency [...]

Is Your Sleep Schedule Making You Sick? New Research Links Irregular Sleep to Harmful Gut Bacteria

King's College London — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 01:46:18 +0000

Recent research has discovered a link between inconsistent sleep schedules and the presence of harmful gut bacteria. The findings, recently published in The European Journal of Nutrition, are a collaboration between scientists from King’s College London and ZOE, a personalized nutrition company. This is the first study that identifies numerous links among social jet lag [...]

New Study: People With Alzheimer’s Disease Perceive Pain Differently

King's College London — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:31:48 +0000

Recent findings from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) suggest differences in the way pain signals are processed in a mouse model emulating Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), compared to healthy mice. The study, which was published in Nature Communications, suggests that the perception of pain in individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease may [...]

Haunting Echoes: Memories of Childhood Abuse and Neglect Has Greater Impact on Mental Health Than the Experience Itself

King's College London — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 16:42:38 +0000

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry has discovered that the way individuals remember and process childhood abuse and/or neglect holds more weight on their mental health in later life than the experiences themselves. New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and City University New York, published on [...]

The Unseen Impact of Mental Illness: Biological Age Acceleration

European Psychiatric Association — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:52:45 +0000

New research indicates that individuals with prior mental health conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders have certain blood indicators that suggest they are biologically older than their chronological age. This could help elucidate why individuals suffering from mental health issues often experience shorter lifespans and a higher incidence of age-related diseases compared to [...]

New Study: Immune Activation in Depression More Common Than Previously Thought

King's College London — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:39:08 +0000

New findings from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London suggest that the number of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who have activated immune systems may be greater than previously thought. This conclusion is based on an assessment of gene expression associated with the immune response. By identifying the [...]

Peering Into the Womb: Fetal Brain Scans Reveal Autism Clues

King’s College London — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:29:42 +0000

Researchers have used MRI brain scans of children with isolated fetal ventriculomegaly to measure neurodevelopment and investigate the presence of autism traits at school age. In a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, King’s College London researchers from the Center for the Developing Brain have discovered evidence supporting an association between isolated ventriculomegaly and [...]

New Blood Test Detects Alzheimer’s Disease 3.5 Years Before Clinical Diagnosis

King's College London — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 00:22:10 +0000

A blood-based test could be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease up to 3.5 years before clinical diagnosis according to new research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London. The study, published on January 27 in the journal Brain, supports the idea that components in the human [...]

Fatty Liver Disease: A Hidden Danger to Your Brain?

King's College London — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 06:17:55 +0000

A study conducted by the Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, affiliated with King’s College London and the University of Lausanne, found a connection between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and brain dysfunction. The accumulation of fat in the liver reduces oxygen flow to the brain and causes inflammation, both of which have been linked to [...]

For the First Time – Researchers Finally Classify All of Earth’s Ecosystems

University of New South Wales — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 22:56:42 +0000

The research will help improve biodiversity conservation. An international multidisciplinary team of scientists led by University of New South Wales researchers has created the world’s first complete classification of ecosystems across land, rivers and wetlands, and oceans. The ecological typology will allow for better coordinated and effective protection of biodiversity, which is vital for human [...]

Research Shows Being Around Birds Is Linked to Lasting Mental Health Benefits

King’s College London — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:00:36 +0000

Seeing or hearing birds is associated with an improvement in mental well-being that can last up to eight hours, according to new research from King’s College London. This mental improvement from seeing or hearing birds was also evident in people with a diagnosis of depression, which is the most common mental illness worldwide. This suggests [...]

It’s Simple: Snacking on Almonds Boosts Gut Health

King's College London — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 11:19:01 +0000

Eating a handful of almonds a day substantially boosts the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that promotes gut health. A team of scientists from King’s College London investigated the impact of consuming whole and ground almonds on the composition of gut microbes. The study was published recently in the American Journal of Clinical [...]