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Hemoglobin emerges as a natural antioxidant defense in the brain

Did you know the same protein that gives blood its red color and carries oxygen throughout the body is also present inside brain cells? Hemoglobin, long celebrated for ferrying oxygen in red blood cells, has now been revealed to play an overlooked - and potentially game-changing - antioxidant role in the brain.

22 Aug 2025

Hypothalamic neurons help maintain blood sugar during daily activities

The brain controls the release of glucose in a wide range of stressful circumstances, including fasting and low blood sugar levels.

21 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria and insomnia influence each other in small but significant ways, study shows

Scientists used Mendelian randomisation to explore the two-way relationship between gut microbiota and insomnia, analyzing GWAS data from over 386,000 individuals and two major microbiome cohorts. The study found only limited taxa surviving strict correction, suggesting small but causal links that highlight the gut–brain axis in sleep health.

21 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria in mothers and newborns may shape infants’ risk of early respiratory infections

Finnish researchers found that differences in maternal and infant gut microbiota during the first weeks of life were linked to the risk of respiratory tract infections in the first six months. Specific bacteria, including butyrate producers and opportunistic pathogens, may shape early infection susceptibility.

21 Aug 2025

Research shows how lysosomes respond to stress

New research, published today in the journal Science, shows how lysosomes - organelles that act like cells' waste disposal system - respond to stress by becoming abnormally bloated, a process called lysosomal vacuolation that is associated with numerous diseases.

21 Aug 2025

One-stage hybrid operation improves safety in treating hypervascular brain and spinal tumors

Hypervascular tumors of the brain and spinal cord pose serious challenges for neurosurgeons due to their dense blood vessel networks, which can lead to heavy bleeding and increased surgical risk.

21 Aug 2025

New sweat sensor could unlock the secrets of biological aging

People want to stay healthy and active for as long as possible. But how young and resilient is our body actually? Researchers at ETH Zurich, Empa, Caltech and the University Hospital Basel now want to make our biological age precise and easy to measure.

21 Aug 2025

Virus inside the fungus drives deadly fungal infections

Researchers have discovered that a virus living inside the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus significantly boosts the fungus's ability to survive stress and cause severe infections in mammals.

21 Aug 2025

Artificial intelligence set to transform mental health care for breast cancer patients

From virtual counselors that can hear depression creeping into a person's voice to smart watches that can detect stress, artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize mental health care for patients with breast cancer.

21 Aug 2025

New thesis reveals flaws in parental insurance design and mental health support

Generous parental insurance can improve the mental health of new parents. However, the way the insurance is designed risks excluding those who need the support most. This is shown in a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University.

21 Aug 2025

How dietary formaldehyde links to worsening diabetes and memory loss

A new review reveals how everyday foods and hidden exposures to formaldehyde may fuel insulin resistance and chip away at memory, but also points to dietary patterns and emerging therapies that could help reduce the risk.

20 Aug 2025

Acute and chronic stress produce distinct behavioral effects in male and female rats

A study analyzes the negative effects of stress on the brains of male and female rats and concludes that acute stress induces anxiety-like behaviors, especially in males, while chronic stress is more associated with depressive symptoms.

20 Aug 2025

Sleep problems in teenagers predict self-harm risk over time

Self-harm in young people is a major public health concern, rates are rising, and the adolescent years presents a critical period of intervention.

20 Aug 2025

Fasting supports type 1 diabetes care by reshaping the microbiome

A week of fasting alters the gut microbiome in type 1 diabetes, aligning it with healthy profiles and enhancing cholesterol and weight management.

20 Aug 2025

Researchers call for comprehensive menstrual education in British schools

Teaching about periods in schools is still too focused on basic biological facts with insufficient information around how menstruation can affect a woman's mood and wellbeing, problems associated with menstrual bleeding and the impact on physical and academic performance, concludes a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers.

20 Aug 2025

Extreme weather events put children’s brains and mental health at risk, researchers warn

Extreme weather events are increasingly recognized as adverse childhood experiences (E-ACEs) that disrupt brain development, stress regulation, and long-term health. Researchers warn that children, especially in low- and middle-income countries, face lifelong mental and physical health risks without urgent resilience-building interventions.

19 Aug 2025