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Multidimensional sleep health linked to better cardiometabolic outcomes

Healthy sleep includes multiple components, such as number of hours of sleep per night, how long it takes to fall asleep, daytime functioning and self-reported sleep satisfaction, and addressing these different dimensions of sleep may help to reduce cardiometabolic health and related risk factors, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

14 Apr 2025

Northwestern scientists identify key genes behind Parkinson's development

A longstanding mystery in Parkinson's disease research has been why some individuals carrying pathogenic variants that increase their risk of PD go on to develop the disease, while others who also carry such variants do not.

11 Apr 2025

New study sharpens focus on genetic causes of asthma

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of genome regions containing thousands of genetic variants associated with asthma, but it's still not clear which variants have an actual causal link to the disease.

10 Apr 2025

UCLA study identifies key protein driving kidney scarring

New UCLA research conducted using mouse models and human genetic data has uncovered a critical factor that determines how much scarring occurs following kidney injury, leading scientists to identify a potential precision medicine approach to prevent chronic kidney disease progression.

9 Apr 2025

Eating ultra-processed foods may rewire your brain’s hunger and reward circuits

High intake of ultra-processed foods is linked to adverse metabolic health and microstructural brain changes in regions that control appetite and reward. These effects occur both through obesity-related pathways and independently via inflammation and dyslipidemia.

9 Apr 2025

Study finds connection between hearing impairment and heart failure risk

Hearing loss is linked to a heightened risk of developing heart failure, with the psychological distress caused by the impairment taking a key role in the observed association, finds a large long term study, published online in the journal Heart.

9 Apr 2025

Faulty gene linked to increased risk of punctured lung in thousands

As many as one in 3,000 people could be carrying a faulty gene that significantly increases their risk of a punctured lung, according to new estimates from Cambridge researchers. Previous estimates had put this risk closer to one in 200,000 people.

7 Apr 2025

Blood test breakthrough pinpoints 70 proteins linked to asthma risk in major genetic study

Researchers used UK Biobank data to identify 70 proteins with genetically predicted roles in asthma, offering insights into disease mechanisms.

7 Apr 2025

Genetic pathways explain why some people grow tall and others stay short

A landmark review in Nature Reviews Genetics dissects the rare and common genetic variants that shape human height. The paper explains how monogenic and polygenic factors converge on key growth pathways and influence disease risk.

7 Apr 2025

Short on time? Weekend workouts still boost longevity, researchers say

A large UK Biobank study found that concentrating weekly physical activity into one or two days provides similar mortality benefits as spreading it across the week. Regular and “weekend warrior” exercise patterns both significantly reduced all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality.

3 Apr 2025

Weekend exercise can offer the same health benefits as daily workouts

Being physically active for one to two days a week, often called a "weekend warrior," may provide comparable health and life-prolonging benefits as smaller doses of daily physical activity if the physical effort is moderate to vigorous and totals 150 minutes a week in line with recommended guidelines for weekly physical activity, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

2 Apr 2025

Light intensity daily physical activities may reduce cancer risk

In a prospective cohort study of more than 85,000 adults in the United Kingdom, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and University of Oxford found that individuals who engaged in light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity daily physical activity had a lower risk of cancer than individuals who were more sedentary.

26 Mar 2025

Scientists find links between bipolar disorder and rare loss-of-function variants in two genes

Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, reveal today in Nature Genetics associations between bipolar disorder and rare loss-of-function variants in two genes.

25 Mar 2025

Plant-based diets and IBD

This study highlights the link between plant-based diets and reduced IBD risk, suggesting dietary choices play a crucial role in managing chronic inflammation.

19 Mar 2025

Healthy plant-based diets linked to longer life for people with cardiometabolic disorders

People with cardiometabolic disorders—such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease—could increase their chances of living longer by adopting a healthy plant-based diet, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25).

18 Mar 2025

Social advantage reduces risk of age-related diseases and slows aging

People with favorable socioeconomic conditions, such as high incomes or education levels, face a reduced risk of age-related diseases and show fewer signs of biological aging than peers of the same age, finds a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers.

14 Mar 2025

Study links ITSN1 gene variants to increased Parkinson's disease risk

A new study published in Cell Reports reveals a breakthrough discovery linking genetic variants in the gene ITSN1 to a significantly elevated risk of Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative condition that affects nearly 2% of adults older than 65 years.

7 Mar 2025

New AI tool detects elevated heart disease risk in women using ECG

A new AI model can flag female patients who are at higher risk of heart disease based on an electrocardiogram (ECG).

25 Feb 2025

Can coffee push back Parkinson’s? New study uncovers key genetic link

Higher coffee consumption is causally linked to delayed onset of Parkinson’s disease but does not affect disease risk or progression, according to a Mendelian randomization study.

25 Feb 2025

Aging isn’t just in your genes—your environment plays a bigger role, study shows

Study explores the relative contributions of genetics and environmental factors to aging and premature mortality. It highlights how the exposome—lifetime environmental exposures—shapes disease risks, with socioeconomic status, smoking, and lifestyle choices emerging as key aging determinants.

23 Feb 2025