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Green energy revenues offer critical funding for universal health

The green energy transition presents a crucial opportunity to finance universal health coverage (UHC) in low and middle income countries, say experts in The BMJ's climate issue today.

22 Oct 2026

Global study aims to map brain changes across eight psychiatric disorders

Researchers from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC will lead a worldwide effort to map how eight common psychiatric disorders affect brain function, supported by a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

21 Oct 2026

GLP-1 drugs may protect kidney health in people with bipolar disorder

Mayo Clinic researchers found that GLP-1 receptor agonists, medications widely used for diabetes and weight management, were associated with a lower risk of dialysis or kidney transplantation in adults with bipolar disorder and chronic kidney disease.

20 Oct 2026

A study of 2.3 million California children raises questions about lithium in water

Researchers analyzed healthcare records from more than 2.3 million children in California and found that those living in counties with higher lithium concentrations in water sources had 60% higher adjusted odds of a Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) diagnosis. A separate New York analysis supported an association at a lower lithium threshol

14 Oct 2026

DiCE project outlines roadmap for more sustainable digital healthcare

Together, the studies demonstrate that improving healthcare sustainability requires changes across clinical workflows, logistics, product design and recovery systems rather than focusing only on materials inside individual devices.

23 Sep 2026

Study identifies two opposing molecular patterns in autism models

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with more than 1,200 risk genes, raising a fundamental question: Do these diverse genetic changes affect the brain in entirely different ways, or do they converge on shared biological mechanisms?

17 Sep 2026

Rice, seafood and water may help explain striking differences in metal exposure across US communities

Researchers compared urinary trace-metal profiles across 666 adults from six ethnic groups in three US cohorts, with up to 19 elements measured and paired serum measurements available for the Asian Indian MASALA cohort. Distinct metal patterns emerged across populations, with the findings suggesting that diet, drinking-water sources, regional hydrogeology, urban-rural conditions, smoking, and physiological handling may all contribute to differences in exposure profiles.

8 Sep 2026

Study links household drinking water to long-term lithium exposure

Lithium in drinking water is a widespread and persistent source of human exposure across Tribal communities in the Western United States, according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

24 Jul 2026

Low-dose lithium may protect brain networks in early Alzheimer’s disease

This perspective examines whether restoring physiological lithium levels could help protect cognition in early Alzheimer’s disease. It proposes that lithium may support cholinergic signaling and brain connectivity, but emphasizes that rigorous, safety-monitored clinical trials are needed.

21 Jul 2026

Lithium MRI scans offer personalized treatments for bipolar disorder

A revolutionary scanning technique has revealed that lithium MRI is a powerful tool for studying how the drug interacts with the brain and could offer more personalized treatment for bipolar disorder.

29 Jun 2026

Organic lithium salts may affect many cellular level changes in Alzheimer's disease

Lithium chloride may affect many cellular level changes in Alzheimer's disease, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) shows.

6 May 2026

Baby teeth show when metal exposure may affect brain development

The study identifies critical windows of metal exposure via baby teeth, revealing impacts on brain development and behavior in children and adolescents.

30 Apr 2026

Living near Salton Sea linked to reduced lung growth in children

Children who live within 11 kilometers of the Salton Sea, a drying body of water with a high concentration of salts and contaminants in Imperial Valley, California, have slower lung function growth between ages 10 and 12 than children who live farther away.

3 Apr 2026

Biomimetic smart insole system enables accurate gait monitoring

With the increasing aging population, high incidence of chronic diseases, and the growing number of congenital or acquired foot deformities, lower limb dysfunction and abnormal gait problems are becoming increasingly common, posing a significant threat to public health and quality of life.

6 Mar 2026

Low‑dose oral lithium may help slow the decline of verbal memory, trial suggests

Lithium-a decades-old treatment for bipolar disorder-may hold potential neuroprotective benefits beyond mood stabilization.

2 Mar 2026

Study isolates mania-specific genetic architecture in bipolar disorder

Researchers at King's College London and the University of Florence have, for the first time, identified the specific genetic blueprint of mania, the defining feature of bipolar disorder.

27 Jan 2026

New role for GLP-1 drugs: Improving survival in people with severe psychiatric disorders

This editorial argues that GLP-1 receptor agonists could substantially improve healthspan and reduce premature mortality in people with serious mental illnesses by targeting cardiometabolic risk rather than psychiatric symptoms alone. It highlights emerging evidence, safety considerations, and equity challenges that position GLP-1 RAs as a promising public health strategy for this high-risk population.

25 Jan 2026