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New insights into MDMA therapy for PTSD and beyond

A comprehensive peer-reviewed invited review published today in Psychedelics by Dr. Kenji Hashimoto and colleagues (Dr. Mingming Zhao and Dr. Jianjun Yang) synthesizes the evolving landscape of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, examining robust clinical evidence in treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder while identifying promising applications in autism spectrum disorder, eating disorders, and existential distress

14 Oct 2025

Discovery of CPD gene mutations sheds light on rare congenital hearing loss

Mutations in a gene known as CPD play a crucial role in a rare form of congenital hearing loss, an international team of researchers has discovered.

14 Oct 2025

Loneliness and isolation associated with higher death risk in cancer patients

Loneliness and social isolation are linked to a heightened risk of death from cancer as well as from all causes among those with the disease, finds a pooled data analysis of the available research published online in the open access journal BMJ Oncology.

14 Oct 2025

Psychedelics could alter treatment paradigms for stress-related mental health conditions

A peer-reviewed viewpoint article published today in Psychedelics by Prof. Xiaohui Wang and colleagues examines the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances for treating stress-related psychiatric disorders through novel neurobiological mechanisms.

14 Oct 2025

Mother's voice promotes development of language pathways in preemies’ brains

Hearing the sound of their mother's voice promotes development of language pathways in a premature baby's brain, according to a new Stanford Medicine-led study.

14 Oct 2025

California’s health insurance marketplace braces for chaos as shutdown persists

California this week plans to notify Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollees that their costs could rise sharply next year unless Congress extends subsidies to help people buy health insurance.

14 Oct 2025

Quitting smoking linked to slower memory decline in midlife and older adults

The study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, looked at data from 9,436 people aged 40 or over (with an average age of 58) in 12 countries, comparing cognitive test results among people who quit smoking with those of a matched control group who kept smoking.

13 Oct 2025

PTSD following sexual assault linked to profound fronto-limbic brain changes

Around 70% of women who suffer a sexual assault develop PTSD; now scientists have shown that many of these women show a marked reduction in the usual communication between two important brain areas involved in processing and control of emotions, the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex.

13 Oct 2025

Blocking two enzymes weakens prostate tumors and boosts drug effectiveness

A major international study has uncovered a new vulnerability in prostate cancer cells that could help improve treatment for one of the most common cancers affecting men.

13 Oct 2025

Food insecurity and loneliness linked to higher risk of chronic pain after surgery

People who experience food insecurity or loneliness are much more likely to develop chronic pain after surgery, according to new research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting.

13 Oct 2025

Study finds prolonged fasting common among infants before anesthesia

Most children - including nearly 80% of infants - go without clear liquids before surgery for at least twice as long as guidelines recommend, according to an analysis of data on more than 70,000 children presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting.

13 Oct 2025

Ketogenic diet protects young rats from effects of prenatal stress

Researchers have shown that young rats fed a ketogenic diet – a diet with high fat and low carbohydrates – are protected from the lasting experience of pre-natal stress.

12 Oct 2025

Western diet fuels IBD by derailing the microbiome - can precision nutrition turn the tide?

This review examines how Western dietary patterns, high in ultra-processed foods, salt, and unhealthy fats, disrupt gut microbiota, impair immune regulation, and contribute to the global rise of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It highlights systems biology and nutritional epidemiology as essential tools to develop personalised dietary strategies and shift IBD care from treatment to prevention.

12 Oct 2025

Why your diet may be exporting extinction abroad without you knowing

This global analysis shows that the biodiversity impact of producing 1 kg of food can vary by up to 1,000-fold, with ruminant meat and tropical luxury crops carrying the highest extinction risks. Using the LIFE metric, researchers reveal how national diets and food imports contribute to hidden biodiversity losses, highlighting dietary shifts as a powerful conservation tool.

12 Oct 2025

From stress to susceptibility: how COVID lockdowns shaped teen vaping risk

Teenagers who experienced higher COVID-19 stress during remote schooling were more likely to become open to trying vaping, which significantly increased their odds of using e-cigarettes and cannabis two years later. The study reveals that susceptibility, not immediate use, was the critical pathway linking early stress to later vaping behaviors.

12 Oct 2025

Could belonging be a biological shield? Researchers uncover aging clues

Researchers analyzing over 2,100 adults from the MIDUS cohort found that individuals with higher cumulative social advantage, spanning community ties, family relationships, and religious support, showed slower biological aging and lower systemic inflammation. The findings suggest that long-term social resources may become biologically embedded, influencing molecular pathways linked to longevity.

12 Oct 2025

Microbial genetic variation shapes neurocognitive behavior in sheep

The researchers used Merino sheep as an animal model, systematically collecting samples of their hindgut and ruminal microbiota, plasma metabolites, and neurocognitive behavioral phenotype data.

10 Oct 2025

Advances in nanomaterials revolutionize therapy for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, causing approximately 9 million deaths annually.

10 Oct 2025

Cops on ketamine? Largely unregulated mental health treatment faces hurdles

A few months ago, Waynesville Police Sgt. Paige Shell was about to give up hope of getting better. The daily drip of violence, death, and misery from almost 20 years in law enforcement had left a mark. Her sleep was poor, depression was a stubborn companion, and thoughts of suicide had taken root.

10 Oct 2025

Study finds reduced vertical loading in stroller running

For many parents with young children, getting back into a running routine means dragging out the jogging stroller. While it's no surprise that pushing a bulky three-wheeler can feel harder and change the way you run, a new study led by researchers from Penn State Berks found that runners experience less impact per step, reducing their overall risk for injury.

10 Oct 2025