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Maternal perinatal depression linked to autistic traits in toddlers

A research team from the Department of Psychiatry at Tohoku University, led by Dr. Zhiqian Yu and Professor Hiroaki Tomita, has uncovered compelling evidence that maternal perinatal depression - psychological distress occurring during pregnancy or postpartum - elevates the risk of autistic-related traits in toddlers, with a particularly strong impact on girls.

5 Feb 2026

Does motherhood influence brain aging? New research suggests a positive cognitive association

Longitudinal data from postmenopausal women suggest that cumulative pregnancy duration and breastfeeding history are associated with modestly better cognitive performance later in life. These associations reflect higher cognitive trajectory levels rather than proven slowing of decline, and causality remains uncertain.

5 Feb 2026

Expanded vaccine supply allows resumption of cholera prevention campaigns

Global cholera vaccine supply has now increased to a level sufficient to allow the resumption of life-saving preventive campaigns for the first time in over three years, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today.

5 Feb 2026

AI foundation model advances comprehensive brain MRI analysis

Mass General Brigham investigators have developed a robust new artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model that is capable of analyzing brain MRI datasets to perform numerous medical tasks, including identifying brain age, predicting dementia risk, detecting brain tumor mutations and predicting brain cancer survival.

5 Feb 2026

Poison at play: Unsafe levels of lead found in half of New Orleans playgrounds

Sarah Hess started taking her toddler, Josie, to Mickey Markey Playground in 2010 because she thought it would offer a refuge from lead.

5 Feb 2026

Severe pregnancy sickness doubles postpartum depression risk

Severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy may elevate postpartum depression risk, suggesting the need for early detection and tailored maternal support.

5 Feb 2026

Next-generation sequencing expands possibilities for newborn screening

Every year, millions of newborns undergo routine screening as a preventive strategy to detect inherited disorders before symptoms emerge.

4 Feb 2026

New card deck helps children manage stress and build resilience

A Case Western Reserve University professor has developed an innovative card deck designed to help children manage stress and build emotional resilience in today's challenging world.

4 Feb 2026

New survey reveals widespread myths about Hands-Only CPR

New consumer survey findings from the American Heart Association show that nearly six in every ten American adults still incorrectly believe only those with special training should perform Hands-Only CPR.

4 Feb 2026

Too many antioxidants may negatively affect future offspring

Antioxidants have been marketed as miracle supplements, touted for preventing chronic diseases and cancers; treating COPD and dementia; and slowing aging.

4 Feb 2026

Breakthrough enables continuous laboratory growth of human norovirus

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report in Science Advances a breakthrough in human norovirus (HuNoV) research.

4 Feb 2026

COVID vaccination not linked to reduced childbirth

COVID-19 vaccination is not the cause behind a decrease in childbirth, according to a study from Linköping University, Sweden.

4 Feb 2026

Specialized palliative care shows potential to enhance well-being in pediatric cancer patients

How to reduce suffering in children with advanced cancer remains an ongoing but urgent question. A Mass General Brigham-led study examined whether systematically surveying children with advanced cancer and their parents about their symptoms and quality of life, providing feedback to children, families, and clinicians-and acting on that information by implementing personalized palliative care-could improve patients' experiences.

4 Feb 2026

Brain network discovery opens new path for Parkinson’s treatment

Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting more than 1 million people in the U.S. and more than 10 million globally, is characterized by debilitating symptoms such as tremors, movement difficulties, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairments.

4 Feb 2026