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Competition between brain circuits is key to intelligent behavior

The brain does not only cooperate; it also competes. So determines an international study by the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Pompeu Fabra University and the Montreal Neurological Institute in Canada, published in Nature Neuroscience.

13 Apr 2026

Environmental enrichment found to weaken stress-triggered fentanyl relapse

Combating the opioid crisis relies on identifying new prevention strategies for problematic fentanyl use. In a collaboration between Washington State University and Washington University in St. Louis, researchers led by Jose Moron tested whether enriching a rat's environment can reduce fentanyl use and relapse.

13 Apr 2026

Hepatologists effectively deliver palliative care to patients with liver disease

Advanced liver disease (ALD) occurs when significant scarring causes the liver to lose function. Patients with ALD often have serious health challenges but have limited access to palliative care that could improve their quality of life.

13 Apr 2026

Retail pharmacies fill less than 2% of mifepristone orders

Just a fraction of prescriptions for the abortion pill mifepristone were filled at brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies after federal drug regulators lifted longstanding dispensing limits, according to a new USC study in JAMA.

13 Apr 2026

Minimally-invasive stenting effectively treats painful post-thrombotic syndrome

A major multi-site clinical trial co-led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown that post-thrombotic syndrome - a common and often painful complication suffered by many people who have experienced blockages of major veins due to blood clots - can be effectively treated with a minimally invasive procedure.

13 Apr 2026

Study identifies intersectional biases affecting care for sickle cell patients

In season 1, episode 2 of the popular show The Pitt, a Black woman with sickle cell disease arrives at the emergency department in acute pain, only to be initially dismissed as drug-seeking.

13 Apr 2026

Study finds higher anxiety and depression in children with brain injuries

A new study, published today in JAMA Network Open, reveals that schoolage children and adolescents with medically diagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI) have significantly higher rates of anxiety/depression, and strong family support and resilience helps alleviate some of it.

13 Apr 2026

Clinical trial tests laser therapy for vaginal dryness in breast cancer survivors

The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology is now enrolling patients into a clinical trial aimed at helping women recover from the vaginal side effects of breast cancer treatment.

13 Apr 2026

Steroid hormones, BMI and stress influence puberty timing in girls

Higher levels of key steroid hormones-combined with elevated stress and body mass index (BMI)-are associated with earlier onset of puberty in girls, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

13 Apr 2026

People with chronic pain are twice as likely to smoke cigarettes

New research from the University of Kansas shows people who experience chronic pain tend to consume cigarettes and e-cigarettes at higher rates than others.

13 Apr 2026

Threat-response in the brain's amygdala linked to sex-specific patterns of alcohol use

New research shows that the threat-response in the brain's amygdala (which processes emotions) is linked to different patterns of drinking by sex.

13 Apr 2026

Standard naloxone doses may not reverse newer synthetic opioid overdoses

A new study exposes challenges in reversing opioid overdoses with naloxone when potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl and sufentanil are involved, according to a study in the May 2026 issue of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

13 Apr 2026

Study explains why vaccines underperform in people living with obesity

New findings reveal that obesity significantly impaired the quality and longevity of antibody responses to a Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine in a mouse model.

13 Apr 2026

American Heart Association supports research to improve cardiac outcomes for millions of patients

New research is bringing science one critical step closer to understanding what causes cardiac arrest and potentially preventing it.

13 Apr 2026

Targeting senescent fat cells provides new hope for ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the female reproductive system. Due to its insidious early symptoms and the absence of specific screening modalities, approximately 70% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

13 Apr 2026

Microneedle nanoparticle platform improves lymphatic imaging with high resolution

The lymphatic system plays a critical role in pathological conditions such as lymphedema and chronic inflammation to tumor metastasis, venous insufficiency, and impaired wound healing, making accurate evaluation of its structure and function increasingly important.

13 Apr 2026