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LEAP2 hormone may predict anorexia nervosa relapse risk

People with anorexia nervosa have unusually high levels of a hormone called LEAP2 in their blood when they are in the acute phase of the disorder, according to research presented today (Thursday) at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026.

8 Jul 2026

Antihistamines show modest benefits for long Covid fatigue treatment

Over-the-counter antihistamines and a prescription anti-inflammatory drug both have a small benefit in reducing long Covid fatigue among people receiving care from specialist long Covid clinics, according to new findings from a large clinical trial led by UCL and UCLH.

8 Jul 2026

Global groundwater maps reveal hidden manganese risk for 220 million people

Machine learning maps suggest that about 180 to 220 million people may rely on untreated groundwater with manganese above the WHO’s updated 80 µg/L guideline. The study places manganese exposure on a similar global scale to arsenic and fluoride, yet shows it remains far less visible in groundwater monitoring.

8 Jul 2026

Customized fetal growth charts could reduce avoidable stillbirths across the NHS

One-size-fits-all fetal growth charts used in the NHS to monitor babies' growth before birth often misclassify babies as being either too small or too large, which can lead to missed cases at risk of stillbirth or unnecessary interventions, finds a study of over 3 million NHS births across England published by The BMJ today.

8 Jul 2026

Hypoxia therapy shows promise for treating mitochondrial brain disorders

Oxygen isn't always a good thing. Of course, people-and most organisms-cannot live without it. But oxygen can also be quite toxic and lead to profound health consequences.

8 Jul 2026

Smoking shows no major impact on the eye microbiome in small study

A small study found no evidence that smoking causes large or consistent shifts in the ocular surface microbiome or tear proteome. The authors caution that subtle smoking-related effects cannot be ruled out, given the small cohort and the ocular surface's low-biomass, contamination-sensitive microbial niche.

8 Jul 2026

Cosmetic microneedles deliver actives where creams struggle

This review shows how microneedle-based cosmetic systems bypass the stratum corneum to deliver poorly penetrating actives, including peptides, retinoids, vitamins, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and hair-growth compounds, into viable skin layers.

8 Jul 2026

Socioeconomic status brings unequal metabolic disease reductions across racial, ethnic groups

Higher socioeconomic status is not associated with equal reductions in rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity across all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to a new study published July 8, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Sara Cromer of Harvard Medical School, USA, and colleagues.

8 Jul 2026

Criminal legal involvement history linked to higher emergency department visits

People with a history of criminal legal involvement have higher odds of visiting an emergency department (ED), particularly for substance use and mental health reasons, according to a new study published July 8, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Vidya Eswaran of Washington University in St. Louis, US, and colleagues.

8 Jul 2026

Mcmaster researchers develop targeted phage therapy for inflammatory bowel disease

A research team at McMaster University has developed a targeted approach to treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using bacteriophages, viruses that infect specific bacteria, to disarm harmful microbes without disrupting the broader gut ecosystem.

8 Jul 2026

Early detection of congenital cerebral ventriculomegaly can help prevent developmental disabilities

Early detection and treatment of congenital cerebral ventriculomegaly (CCV)-when a fetus's fluid-filled brain ventricles swell due to a condition called hydrocephalus-can help clinicians prevent developmental or neurological disabilities in affected infants.

8 Jul 2026

Study links gut bacteria diversity to frailty in seniors

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified clear links between the composition of gut bacteria and frailty in older women.

8 Jul 2026

Illinois study outlines gaps in emergency pediatric mental healthcare

When a child is experiencing a mental health crisis, families increasingly turn to the emergency department for help.

8 Jul 2026

Weill Cornell Medicine receives federal grant to study new gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease

The National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health has awarded a five-year grant initially worth $8.37 million for Weill Cornell Medicine researchers to study a new gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease in people who have a high genetic risk of developing the condition.

8 Jul 2026

Study reveals how glial cells regulate brain injury and recovery

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of people worldwide every year and remains a major cause of long-term disability, cognitive decline, and neurological complications.

8 Jul 2026

Toronto researchers uncover genetic drivers of triple negative breast cancer

Researchers have solved a long-standing mystery of how abnormal chromosomes drive cancer, identifying 81 new genes involved in aggressive breast cancer.

8 Jul 2026

Novel strategy can make stem cell transplants safer

Stem cell transplantation (also called bone marrow transplantation) and gene therapy are among the most powerful curative approaches for blood diseases such as sickle cell disease, b-thalassemia, immune deficiencies, and some blood cancers.

8 Jul 2026

Strategic collaboration funds interdisciplinary projects to improve cancer care

Rice University's Synthesis X Center and Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center have awarded $90,000 in seed grants as part of a new strategic collaboration.

8 Jul 2026

NFL players have higher rates of neurodegenerative disease-caused mortality

Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation cohort study of nearly 20,000 NFL players reveals that players are dying of dementia and Parkinson's disease at much higher rates than the general population.

8 Jul 2026

Tears may reveal important clues about a person's neurological health

A few tears may someday reveal important clues about a person's neurological health. Researchers reporting in ACS Omega developed a low-cost electrochemical sensor designed to detect dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in movement, learning, motivation, and emotional regulation.

8 Jul 2026