A new study from the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet characterizes a novel neuronal population in the basal ganglia, responsible for the interaction between two types of neurotransmitters, GABA and acetylcholine. The study was recently published in Cell Reports. The striatum is the main input structure of the basal ganglia, a brain region involved in...
Month: <span>May 2022</span>
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How to protect yourself against monkeypox and what to do if you catch it
PUBLISHED FRI, MAY 27 20221:23 AM EDT UPDATED FRI, MAY 27 2022 Karen Gilchrist@_KARENGILCHRIST A recent monkeypox outbreak across the U.S., Europe, Australia and the Middle East has baffled health experts and is raising concerns of a wider outbreak. The majority of cases so far have spread through sex, with a particular concentration among gay...
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Secrets of thymus formation revealed
Many immune cells crucial for our immune system develop in a small organ next to our heart: the thymus. With age, however, the thymus shrinks, and the number of effective immune cells declines. Max Planck Research groups from Freiburg and Würzburg have now identified the processes that control the development and composition of thymic tissue...
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Talking to your kids about the shooting tragedy in Texas
After a gunman killed at least 19 students and two teachers Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, this week, horrified parents may be wondering how to talk with their children about it. From toddlers and teens to young adults, kids look to their parents to feel safe—especially so after these mass shootings that have plagued the...
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Sarcopenic obesity linked to dementia in elderly patients, say scientists
JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROMOTION CENTER IMAGE: SARCOPENIC OBESITY IS INDEPENDENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH MCI AND DEMENTIA AMONG JAPANESE OLDER ADULTS CREDIT: JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY Obesity, an increasingly prevalent lifestyle disease, often occurs along with poor muscle mass. This condition, called sarcopenic obesity, is evaluated based on the patients’ body mass index (BMI) and handgrip strength. Interestingly, sarcopenic...
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A nanoparticle and inhibitor trigger the immune system, outsmarting brain cancer
MICHIGAN MEDICINE – UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IMAGE: GLIOMA CELLS CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ROGEL CANCER CENTER ANN ARBOR, Michigan — Scientists at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center were optimistic when they identified a small molecule that blocked a key pathway in brain tumors. But there was a problem: How to get the inhibitor...
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Breathing to win: Scientists show importance of screening breathing patterns in athletic populations
RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY IMAGE: AMONG ATHLETES, THERE IS A HIGH PREVALENCE OF DYSFUNCTIONAL BREATHING PATTERNS, WHICH COULD EXPOSE THEM TO A GREATER RISK OF DEVELOPING MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES CREDIT: RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY, KYOTO, JAPAN Breathing patterns are an important indicator of an individual’s health. A healthy individual breathes naturally using primary respiratory muscles (e.g., diaphragm muscle) that produce...
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Gut bacteria can make blood pressure medication less effective
UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO IMAGE: DR. TAO YANG, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND LIFE SCIENCES, IS THE FIRST AND LEAD AUTHOR OF A NEW STUDY THAT FOUND GUT BACTERIA MAY MAKE BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINE LESS EFFECTIVE. CREDIT: DANIEL MILLER | THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO A new study from The...
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7 Things That Cause the Loss of Taste or Smell Besides COVID
Written by Aunna Pourang, MD | Reviewed by Sophie Vergnaud, MDPublished on January 21, 2022 Key takeaways: COVID-19 infections are one of many possible causes of loss of taste and smell. The chance of full recovery of smell and taste depends on the cause, and it’s different for each person. The best way to tell...
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9 Common Medications That Cause Joint Pain, Cholesterol Drugs to Asthma Inhalers
Written by Sharon Orrange, MD, MPH | Reviewed by Christina Aungst, PharmD Updated on May 6, 2022 Key takeaways: Joint or muscle pain is a rare side effect of some medications. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, statins, and aromatase inhibitors are among the medications that most commonly cause joint or muscle pain. If you think that a medication...