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Key neural circuit helps the brain “change gears”

Most people have experienced the feeling: switching from one task to another, only to find the brain momentarily stuck in the old mode of thinking. Sometimes, even after realizing a strategy no longer works, the mind keeps returning to it anyway.

21 May 2026

New gene expression signature may guide immunotherapy for resistant prostate cancer patients

Researchers with the James P. Allison Institute™ at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a new gene expression signature within tumors that can help identify patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who are more likely to experience lasting benefits from combined immunotherapy treatment.

21 May 2026

New CA19-9 threshold improves pancreatic cancer risk prediction accuracy

A dual-threshold model for measuring the pancreatic tumor marker serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) identified patients with pancreatic cancer who had high-risk disease despite having low CA19-9 levels because of a genetic variation that impairs their ability to produce this biomarker.

21 May 2026

Rural siblings of neurodivergent children face poorer mental wellbeing

New Curtin University-led research has found siblings of people with neurodevelopmental conditions in regional and remote Australia are struggling with poorer wellbeing and are more likely to feel overlooked.

21 May 2026

Study supports reusable catheters as safe and cost-effective alternatives

Reusable catheters are just as safe for patients as single-use ones and do not increase the risk of urinary tract infections, a new study has found.

21 May 2026

Common food preservatives linked to higher cardiovascular disease risks

Eating foods that contain common preservative food additives may increase the risks of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, according to research published in the European Heart Journal today.

21 May 2026

New vaccine approach targets broad protection against arenavirus infections

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have discovered that combining key vaccine ingredients could give the body the tools it needs to fight the entire family of arenaviruses with a single vaccine.

21 May 2026

Small T-cell subset drives powerful multiple myeloma immunotherapy responses

Researchers from The University of Osaka find that only a small fraction of T cells may drive the robust anti-cancer response seen in breakthrough multiple myeloma immunotherapy.

21 May 2026

Mid-career surgeons show highest likelihood of leaving clinical practice

Surgeons are an integral part of the health care system, supplying critical and urgent care in nearly every field of medicine.

21 May 2026

Universal free school meals linked to fewer student suspensions

A study published in Economic Inquiry provides new evidence that universal free school meals can meaningfully reduce out‐of‐school suspensions in both elementary and secondary schools.

21 May 2026

Study defines realistic performance goals for pediatric emergency departments

A large, multi-center study led by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago derived "achievable benchmarks of care" (ABCs) using electronic health record data, which allows pediatric emergency departments across the country to set high yet realistic performance goals.

21 May 2026

Oral AD109 improves sleep apnea severity but tolerability remains a challenge

AD109, an investigational once-daily oral combination of aroxybutynin and atomoxetine, significantly improved airway obstruction and oxygenation in adults with mild-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea who could not use PAP therapy. However, symptom improvements did not clearly differ from placebo, and about one in five AD109 recipients discontinued treatment due to adverse events.

21 May 2026

Polymer-based immunotherapies enhance tumor targeting and immune activation

Conventional immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, can reinvigorate T cells but typically benefit less than 30% of patients.

21 May 2026

GLP-1 drugs may help curb addiction by targeting reward pathways

GLP-1 receptor agonists, already used for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, show promise in reducing alcohol and drug-seeking behaviors through central reward and dopamine-related pathways. Most evidence remains preclinical, with limited early human data, so larger clinical trials are needed before these drugs can be recommended for addiction treatment.

21 May 2026

$Calcium and vitamin D supplements show limited fracture prevention benefits$

Calcium and vitamin D supplements show limited fracture prevention benefits

Calcium, vitamin D, or combined supplements offer little to no clinically meaningful benefit on fracture and fall prevention in most older people, finds an in-depth review of the latest evidence published by The BMJ today.

20 May 2026

How an AI system learned to write expert-level scientific code

ERA is an AI system that uses large language models and tree search to automatically write, test, and refine scientific software for measurable research tasks. Across bioinformatics, COVID-19 forecasting, time-series analysis, geospatial modeling, neuroscience, and numerical computation, ERA produced expert-level solutions that often surpassed established human-developed methods.

20 May 2026

Smoking cessation may reduce dementia risk for people who avoid major weight gain

Quitting smoking may be associated with a lowered risk of dementia, especially for people who avoid major weight gain after quitting, according to a study published May 20, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 May 2026

Migraine with aura linked to higher ischemic stroke risk in middle-aged and older adults

Migraine with aura was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in middle-aged and older people, according to a study published May 20, 2026, in Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 May 2026

Ozone pollution reduces lung benefits of vigorous childhood exercise

Vigorous physical activity promotes lung growth in children, but these benefits are reduced by ozone pollution, according to new research presented at the ATS 2026 International Conference.

20 May 2026

Minimal exposure to modern medicine rapidly alters the human microbiome

Even minimal exposure to modern medicine can rapidly change the human microbiome. In a new study publishing May 20 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports, researchers reveal that the gut microbes of remote Amazonian Indigenous communities began shifting toward patterns more commonly seen in urban, industrialized populations after only a few medical visits.

20 May 2026