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Scientists trace social challenges in autism to specific brain circuit

UNIGE scientists identified a brain circuit where lies the origin the social difficulties experienced by people with autism spectrum disorders.

14 Apr 2025

Stress and depression help explain intertwined alcohol, sleep problems

Insomnia and hazardous drinking are so closely intertwined that estimates suggest at least one-third, and as many as 91%, of people who have a hard time with sleep also misuse alcohol.

14 Apr 2025

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

Gut imbalances in autism linked to brain and behavior changes

A new USC study suggests that gut imbalances in children with autism may create an imbalance of metabolites in the digestive system - ultimately disrupting neurotransmitter production and influencing behavioral symptoms.

14 Apr 2025

New method detects and quantifies nanoplastics in transparent body fluids

Microplastics and the much smaller nanoplastics enter the human body in various ways, for example through food or the air we breathe.

14 Apr 2025

Magic happens when kids and adults learn to swim. Tragedy can strike if they don’t.

At a swim meet just outside St. Louis, heads turned when a team of young swimmers walked through the rec center with their parents in tow.

14 Apr 2025

Limited health care access during disasters may hinder timely colorectal cancer diagnoses

Rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnoses dropped during and shortly after Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico, according to a recent analysis.

14 Apr 2025

A new approach to morning wakefulness using sunlight

Sleep is a necessary part of people's daily routine, but modern lifestyles and technology have ushered in an era of decreased rest time and subsequent fatigue.

14 Apr 2025

New guideline takes a patient-centered approach to managing obesity in children

A new guideline to help health care providers manage obesity in children and adolescents takes a patient-centred approach, emphasizing behavioral and psychological supports that focus on outcomes valued by patients and their families.

14 Apr 2025

Eating more potassium-rich foods may be effective for lowering blood pressure

New research from the University of Waterloo suggests increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for lowering blood pressure than simply reducing sodium intake.

14 Apr 2025

Moderate iron intake linked to lower colon cancer risk

Researchers investigate the association between iron consumption and the incidence of colorectal, colon, and rectal cancer in South Korea.

14 Apr 2025

New Cochrane review highlights gaps in newborn pain assessment tools

A newly-published Cochrane review reveals significant gaps in the clinical rating scales used to assess pain in newborn babies, highlighting the urgent need for improved tools and global collaboration.

14 Apr 2025

AI-powered lung ultrasound outperforms human experts in diagnosing tuberculosis

A pioneering study presented today at ESCMID Global 2025 has demonstrated that an AI-powered lung ultrasound outperforms human experts by 9% in diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

14 Apr 2025

Food pantries uncover hidden diabetes crisis in West Chicago

A screening initiative in West Chicago found that 50% of food-insecure individuals had abnormal A1c levels, with many unaware they were diabetic or prediabetic. The findings highlight a critical gap in diagnosis and control among underserved communities.

13 Apr 2025

Who really decides what Australians eat? New study reveals financial sector’s hidden power

A new study explores how financial and non-financial actors shape food system investments in Australia, revealing who holds the power to promote—or prevent—healthier food environments. It introduces “profit-plus investing” as a potential tool for aligning finance with public health.

13 Apr 2025

Can gut microbes help prevent Alzheimer’s?

A comprehensive review explores how gut microbiota diversity and fitness influence Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk through neuroinflammation, amyloid and tau pathology, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction. It highlights the therapeutic potential of probiotics, dietary interventions, and omics technologies in restoring microbial balance and preventing neurodegeneration.

13 Apr 2025

What really causes keto flu, and how can you prevent it?

A scoping review from the University of Bergen identifies a wide range of transient symptoms—collectively known as "keto flu"—that occur during the initiation of a ketogenic diet. The review explores their physiological basis and highlights strategies, such as MCTs and electrolyte supplementation, to ease the transition.

13 Apr 2025

Kids don’t learn to cook just by watching parents, study shows

Children do not appear to develop cooking skills merely by observing their parents’ food skills, even when those skills are high. Instead, early active involvement in meal preparation may be key to building lasting cooking abilities.

13 Apr 2025

Adolescent obesity in England rises by 50% over 15 years

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that the proportion of adolescents living with overweight or obesity in England has increased by 50% from 2008-2010 (22%) to 2021-2023 (33%).

12 Apr 2025

New study connects parasitic disease to genetic changes in the cervical lining

New research has revealed that Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium), a parasitic infection affecting millions globally, can trigger cancer-related gene activity in the cervical lining, with changes becoming even more pronounced after treatment.

12 Apr 2025