Recent analyses have challenged the idea that alcohol’s impact is uniform across ages. In one large study, people aged 65 and older accounted for a far smaller proportion of alcohol-related years of life lost than younger adults, but they accounted for the vast majority of “years saved�...
Not all sleep problems are alike. One of the most startling findings in Parkinson’s research is the discovery that REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a very strong early warning sign of Parkinson’s. RBD is a condition where the normal paralysis that occurs during REM (dream) sleep is...
ime-restricted eating (a form of intermittent fasting) – for example, eating only between 8 AM and 6 PM – appears to confer multiple health benefits by synchronizing with our internal clock. Recent studies report that when people limit their daily intake to a roughly 8–10 hour window, they see improvements in bloo...
A growing body of evidence indicates that routine medications can affect brain health. In particular, drugs with strong anticholinergic effects have been repeatedly associated with increased dementia risk. Anticholinergic drugs block acetylcholine, a brain neurotransmitter important for mem...
What the research says. Popular culture often blames social media for rising teen depression. Many studies find heavy users report more anxiety and sadness, but the link isn’t straightforward. In one large longitudinal study, Johns Hopkins researchers found that although people who spent more time on soci...
The evidence is mixed. Many people take supplements or follow diet fads to “guard” their hearts. However, large analyses paint a sobering picture: most do not significantly reduce heart attacks or strokes. A comprehensive review of 277 clinical trials found that common supplements like...
A remarkable mouse study. In a discovery at UCLA and UCSF, scientists dramatically grew bone in mice by tweaking brain signals. They identified a small group of neurons (in the hypothalamus) that normally limit bone formation. By blocking estrogen-related signals in these neurons, female mice suddenly built...
In a groundbreaking study, researchers completely eradicated HIV from a subset of treated mice – a first in living animals . The team combined a long-acting antiretroviral therapy (LASER ART) with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to flush out and snip away hidden HIV DNA. Around one-third of the...
Researchers have identified a specific subspecies of oral bacteria that appears to fuel colorectal tumors. The culprit is Fusobacterium nucleatum, a germ from gum disease. This bacterium is rarely found in healthy guts, but is often present in colon cancers. A new study found that...
New animal research suggests that “overloading” on protein supplements can backfire. When mice were fed a diet with very high levels of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) found in protein powders, they experienced negative effects on mood, appetite, and lifespan m. The study (in...
