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Early use of risdiplam in newborns with SMA shows improvements in motor development

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness, which, when untreated, prevents infants with the most severe form from gaining motor development - never gaining the ability to sit - and typically leads to death before 2 years of age.

13 Aug 2025

Helping others regularly slows cognitive decline in older adults

In the latest evidence that meaningful social connections bolster health, a team from The University of Texas at Austin and University of Massachusetts Boston has found that regular time spent helping outside the home significantly slows cognitive decline in middle-age and older adults.

13 Aug 2025

Study identifies why stroke impairs ability to use word meanings in reading

A key discovery about the impact of stroke on a person's ability to read reveals why a deficit occurs – a finding that presents a possible opportunity for new therapeutic strategies to help people recover one of the most important life skills.

13 Aug 2025

Griffith University launches groundbreaking treatment trial for spinal cord injury

A Phase 1 human clinical trial to treat chronic spinal cord injury, the first of its kind in the world, has commenced to test the efficacy and safety of a revolutionary new treatment using nasal cells.

13 Aug 2025

Research shows GLP-1 drugs safeguard vision despite small retinopathy risk

A large study of over 185,000 adults with type 2 diabetes found that GLP-1 receptor agonist use was linked to a slight increase in new diabetic retinopathy cases but fewer severe eye complications, including a reduced risk of blindness. Patients with existing retinopathy on these drugs also needed fewer invasive eye treatments over two years.

13 Aug 2025

New bioimaging device shows promise for detecting eye and heart conditions

If you've been to a routine eye exam at the optometrist's office, chances are you've had to place your chin and forehead up close to a bioimaging device.

13 Aug 2025

Microbes found to play a key role in shaping early brain development

New research from Michigan State University finds that microbes play an important role in shaping early brain development, specifically in a key brain region that controls stress, social behavior, and vital body functions.

13 Aug 2025

New technique enables efficient loading of large biomolecules into exosomes

Exosomes, naturally derived vesicles responsible for intercellular communication, are emerging as next-generation drug delivery systems capable of transporting therapeutics to specific cells.

13 Aug 2025

High-dose vitamin D in pregnancy likely cuts childhood wheeze risk, but infant supplements fall short

A Cochrane review of 18 randomized trials found that high-dose vitamin D during pregnancy likely reduces the risk of childhood wheeze, a key early symptom of asthma. However, vitamin D supplementation in infants and young children showed uncertain benefits for asthma prevention.

13 Aug 2025

Pregabalin raises heart failure risk in older adults compared to gabapentin, study finds

A large Medicare cohort study found that older adults prescribed pregabalin had a significantly higher risk of developing heart failure compared to those prescribed gabapentin. The elevated risk was most pronounced in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, especially women and White patients.

13 Aug 2025

Pandemic left measurable changes in teen brains, hormones, and immunity

Adolescents assessed after COVID-19 lockdowns showed lower daily cortisol, higher inflammation, and reduced prefrontal cortex activity compared to matched pre-pandemic peers, suggesting widespread stress-related biological changes. These alterations mirror patterns seen after prolonged early-life stress, raising concerns about long-term health risks.

13 Aug 2025

Curcumin activates SIRT3 to protect bone structure in diabetic mice

In a new Scientific Reports study, curcumin protected bone-forming cells from high-glucose damage by activating the SIRT3/FoxO3a/NRF2 antioxidant pathway and restoring mitochondrial health. In diabetic mice, curcumin improved bone density and oxidative balance, highlighting its potential in osteoporosis prevention.

13 Aug 2025

ISSCR updates guidelines to address advances in stem cell-based embryo models

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) released an update of its 2021 Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation today.

13 Aug 2025

Disrupting dopamine pathway stops threadworms from burrowing into the skin

Threadworms, which are a type of parasitic nematode, spend a lot of time crawling around on human skin, poking and prodding to find the best place for entry before burrowing in.

13 Aug 2025

New imaging technique enhances monitoring of atherosclerosis progression

Scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) have shown that 18FDG-PET, an imaging technique widely used to study other conditions, can also be used to monitor atherosclerosis by measuring cellular metabolism within arterial plaques.

13 Aug 2025

Clinicians more likely to express doubt in medical records of Black patients

Clinicians are more likely to indicate doubt or disbelief in the medical records of Black patients than in those of White patients-a pattern that could contribute to ongoing racial disparities in healthcare.

13 Aug 2025

New research sheds light on what makes the human brain unique

Research from scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have shed new light on an age-old question: what makes the human brain unique?

13 Aug 2025

Extreme heat and humidity greatly increase heart emergency risk

Extreme heat can be hard on your heart. As temperatures rise, the heart pumps faster to move blood toward the skin to cool the body.

13 Aug 2025

New computational tool enhances CAR T cell therapy for hard-to-treat cancers

A computational approach by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists promises to make designing T cell-based immunotherapies that target two cancer-related antigens at the same time far easier and faster.

13 Aug 2025

New mouse model reveals key role of osteocytes in osteogenesis imperfecta

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) refers to a group of rare genetic bone disorders that results in the formation of fragile bones. In patients with OI, the matrix that makes up the bone has been found to be abnormal, leading to an increased risk of fractures.

13 Aug 2025