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Blood biomarkers predict risk of multimorbidity in older adults

A small set of common blood biomarkers predicts which older adults will develop specific combinations of chronic diseases - and how quickly, a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Medicine reports.

7 Jan 2026

Parkinson’s disease may stem from iron starvation rather than iron overload

This perspective argues that Parkinson’s disease may involve functional iron deficiency, where bioavailable iron is limited despite normal or elevated total iron in the brain. The authors propose that iron sequestration, not iron toxicity alone, may impair dopamine synthesis and neuronal survival.

6 Jan 2026

The gut is not just digestive and new evidence shows it actively controls brain function

This comprehensive review synthesizes a decade of human and animal research to explain how the gut and brain communicate through hormonal, neural, immune, and microbial pathways. It highlights how disruptions in these pathways contribute to gastrointestinal, metabolic, and neurological disorders, and how modern therapies are beginning to exploit gut–brain signaling for clinical benefit.

6 Jan 2026

Restoring brain energy balance reverses advanced Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

For over a century, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been considered irreversible. Consequently, research has focused on disease prevention or slowing, rather than recovery.

6 Jan 2026

Ancient animals reveal sleep’s original role in maintaining brain health

A groundbreaking new study from Bar-Ilan University shows that one of sleep's core functions originated hundreds of millions of years ago in jellyfish and sea anemones, among the earliest creatures with nervous systems.

6 Jan 2026

Siblings of people with Prader-Willi syndrome face hidden emotional burdens

New research from the University of East Anglia (UK) reveals the hidden struggles experienced by the brothers and sisters of people with Prader-Willi syndrome.

6 Jan 2026

Acupuncture may help ICU patients recover faster

Acupuncture's multi-pathway effects in ICU patients may reduce complications, support rehabilitation, and improve recovery while minimizing medication use.

6 Jan 2026

Neighborhood deprivation predicts poorer lower-limb strength

Neighborhood-level disadvantages are linked to reduced lower limb strength and mobility in older adults, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.

6 Jan 2026

Nicotinic acid protects the liver from ischemia-reperfusion injury

In a new study published in Liver Research, a team of researchers in China discovered that nicotinic acid-a common form of vitamin B3-can dramatically reduce liver damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), a major complication in liver surgery and transplantation.

5 Jan 2026

Beer-making leftovers can be transformed into edible scaffolds for lab-grown meat

Yeast left over from brewing beer can be transformed into edible 'scaffolds' for cultivated meat – sometimes known as lab-grown meat – which could offer a more sustainable, cost-effective alternative to current methods, according to a new study from UCL (University College London) researchers.

5 Jan 2026

Income sufficiency emerges as key factor in early brain development

Decades of research show that early psychosocial stress, including chronic exposure to adversity, can shape how a child's brain develops, with effects that last well beyond childhood. But families rarely experience just one source of stress at a time.

5 Jan 2026

Common blood signals explain why chronic diseases cluster as we age

This population-based study shows that shared and pattern-specific blood biomarkers reflect biological vulnerability underlying multimorbidity and the pace at which chronic diseases accumulate in older adults. Metabolic and systemic stress markers such as GDF15, HbA1c, cystatin C, and insulin consistently tracked higher disease burden and faster accumulation, with findings replicated across cohorts.

5 Jan 2026

Maintaining a healthy weight may help avoid low back pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent condition associated with disability, work loss and economic burden to healthcare. Significant risk factors include poor sleep, physical and psychological stress, inactivity, advanced age and smoking.

5 Jan 2026

Two bacterial shutdown modes explain antibiotic persistence and relapse

New study reveals that bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment through two fundamentally different "shutdown modes," not just the classic idea of dormancy.

4 Jan 2026

Self-sabotage may reflect the brain’s need for control and safety

Self-harming and self-sabotaging behaviors, from skin picking to ghosting people, all stem from evolutionary survival mechanisms, according to a compelling new psychological analysis.

4 Jan 2026

Label-free polarized light reveals subtle red blood cell deformations

Red blood cells are essential for oxygen transport and immune function in the human body. When these cells become abnormally shaped, they can indicate serious health conditions, including diabetes, malaria, hereditary blood disorders, and vascular diseases.

1 Jan 2026