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Gene mutation explains heart defects in children

A new groundbreaking study sheds light on a medical question scientists have long wondered: why do 40 per cent of children with the rare neurodevelopmental disorder KBG syndrome have heart defects? The research now points to a critical link between the heart and the brain.

3 Jul 2024

Gene discovery points to oxytocin for depression

While investigating two boys from different families with severe obesity, anxiety, autism, and behavioural problems triggered by sounds or smells, a team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, UK, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, discovered that the boys were missing a single gene, known as TRPC5, which sits on the X chromosome.

3 Jul 2024

Pandemic stress leads to surge in ADHD diagnoses and medication use in Finland

Study reveals a significant rise in ADHD diagnoses and medication use in Finland during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the pandemic's impact on mental health recognition, especially among young women and older adults.

3 Jul 2024

Frequent infections and pathobionts boost children's nasal immunity, study reveals

Dynamic interactions with viruses and bacterial pathobionts significantly enhance nasal innate immunity in children, revealing distinct immunophenotypes driven by microbial load and type.

2 Jul 2024

COVID-19 pandemic linked to increased low birth weight incidence in India

The incidence of low birth weight rose sharply in India amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research from the University of Notre Dame.

2 Jul 2024

Study links vegetable protein to delayed puberty through gut microbiome changes

A large Chinese study found that high vegetable protein intake is linked to later puberty timing and beneficial gut microbiome changes in children, while high animal protein intake is associated with earlier puberty. The gut microbiome mediates these effects.

2 Jul 2024

Sedentary lifestyle and screen time linked to rising metabolic syndrome in Chinese youth

A new study reveals that sedentary behavior and increased screen time significantly contribute to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Chinese children and adolescents, with 5.5% affected. Urban living, older age, and higher sedentary time increase the risk of MetS.

2 Jul 2024

MoMo study: Tracking physical fitness and activity of German youth for over 20 years

For over 20 years, the "Motorik-Modul-Studie" (MoMo) has been providing representative data on how fit and active children and young people in Germany are.

2 Jul 2024

Children consuming more isoflavones from soy foods exhibit better thinking abilities and attention

A new study found that school-aged children who consumed more isoflavones from soy foods exhibited better thinking abilities and attention.

2 Jul 2024

Whole genome sequencing can improve clinical care of childhood cancer

Whole genome sequencing has improved clinical care of some children with cancer in England by informing individual patient care.

2 Jul 2024

Low cognitive function in teens correlates with higher early stroke risk

The relationship between teenage cognitive performance and stroke in adulthood.

2 Jul 2024

Study finds genetic links between childhood weight gain and early puberty

Genes can indirectly influence the age at which girls have their first period by accelerating weight gain in childhood, a known risk factor for early puberty, a Cambridge-led study has found.

1 Jul 2024

Study links common infections to enhanced COVID-19 defense in children

Analyzing nasal swabs taken during the pandemic, researchers at Yale School of Medicine suggest that the frequent presence of other viruses and bacteria may have helped to protect children from the worst effects of COVID-19 by boosting their immune systems.

1 Jul 2024