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Stopping GLP-1 drugs often brings weight back. A small trial suggests ways to slow it

In a randomized pilot trial of 39 adults, researchers found that participants receiving medically tailored meals or Noom regained about 3.6% of their body weight over four months after stopping GLP-1 therapy, compared with about 11% under usual care. These exploratory findings suggest structured support may slow early weight regain, but the small sample and short follow-up leave lasting benefits uncertain.

11 Oct 2026

16-year study links worsening vision to higher dementia risk

Researchers followed 15,576 older adults in Hong Kong for up to 16 years and linked moderate to severe visual impairment to higher dementia risk, with rapid visual decline strengthening the association at poorer levels of vision. They estimated that severe impairment corresponded to 2.1 fewer dementia-free years over the study period, but could not establish that correcting vision prevents dementia.

11 Oct 2026

Extreme heat threatens maternal health and newborn wellbeing worldwide

Extreme heat has led to a marked increase in the risks faced by pregnant women and their babies, according to a survey of 1,000 healthcare professionals in countries including Brazil, India and Zimbabwe.

11 Oct 2026

A study links a blood protein to memory and brain changes in Down syndrome

Researchers studying 88 adults with Down syndrome and 43 controls estimated that serum β-synuclein increased approximately two decades before expected Alzheimer’s symptoms, preceding changes in other blood biomarkers. Higher levels correlated with poorer memory and brain changes, but the cross-sectional study could not distinguish whether the earliest increase reflected Alzheimer’s-related synaptic dysfunction, trisomy 21-related neurobiology, or both.

11 Oct 2026

A trial of 3,220 smokers puts cash rewards for quitting to the test

In a randomized trial of 3,220 medically underserved adults referred for lung cancer screening, adding financial incentives to usual care and free medication increased sustained smoking abstinence at six months. Offering free medication alone did not significantly increase quit rates, and adding a forward-looking mobile tool did not improve outcomes beyond the incentives.

11 Oct 2026

A trial of 197 childcare services tested a different approach to active play

A trial involving 197 Australian childcare services found no significant overall improvements in guideline adherence or children’s observed physical activity and recreational screen time. Accredited services showed greater improvements in guideline adherence and before-school activity, but selection bias limits conclusions about whether accreditation caused these changes.

11 Oct 2026

Blood proteins may offer new clues to gut health in celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system reacts adversely to gluten. Eating gluten causes inflammation in the gut, which can damage the intestine and impair its ability to absorb nutrients.

10 Oct 2026

Scientists identify the neuroblastoma cells that signal poor outcomes

Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor found outside of the brain in children, yet why some children respond well to treatment while others do not has remained poorly understood.

10 Oct 2026

New research reveals the remarkable complexity of human milk

Two major international studies are providing new insight into how human milk is regulated, showing that some components respond to maternal nutrition, while others remain stable or reflect biological processes involved in lactation and infant growth.

10 Oct 2026

A trick from tardigrades could help human blood withstand freezing

Tardigrades, also called water bears, are famous for their ability to survive nearly anything. They protect themselves in extreme environments using proteins that researchers have developed into an efficient and effective strategy to preserve human red blood cells.

10 Oct 2026

ASTM International approves new surgical device standard

ASTM International’s medical and surgical devices committee (F04) has approved a new standard that provides details and considerations for planning and conducting a seal zone leakage assessment for stent grafts.

10 Oct 2026

n6 expands global distribution footprint, bringing iconPCR™ and AutoNorm to more scientists across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa

n6, maker of the icon96™ and icon16 thermocyclers powered by iconPCR™ with AutoNorm intelligent normalization technology for next‑generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation, today announced new and expanded distribution partnerships that significantly increase access to its instruments across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

From n6 10 Oct 2026

Brief AI assistance may impair independent problem-solving and persistence

Brian Christian has spent 20 years thinking about how artificial intelligence will change our minds and our world.

9 Oct 2026

Relationship stability may explain attachment differences between gay and heterosexual men

Feeling secure in a relationship is not only about how people connect with their partners today. It may also depend on how confident they are that the relationship will continue into the future.

9 Oct 2026

Sauce placement shapes diners’ perceptions of food healthiness

Researchers found that placing sauces separately can make a dish appear healthier even before tasting.

9 Oct 2026

Prenatal training may reduce postpartum depression risk in women with previous births

Researchers have shown that prenatal training may reduce the risk of postnatal depression in women, - but only if they have previously had a baby. This surprising finding is presented for the first time at the ECNP Congress in Munich.

9 Oct 2026

New project aims to test a protein-based therapy for Fragile X syndrome

A new research project at the University of California, Riverside, has received funding to investigate whether a novel protein-based therapy can correct abnormal brain activity associated with Fragile X syndrome.

9 Oct 2026

Routine blood test may offer clues to future dementia risk

A common blood test already carried out during routine health checks may contain clues about a person's long-term risk of dementia, according to research being presented at the ECNP Congress in Munich and recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

9 Oct 2026

Friends of BrainHealth grants advance dementia prevention and brain health research

For nearly 20 years, the Friends of BrainHealth donor circle has helped turn promising ideas into innovative brain health research.

9 Oct 2026

Study finds both the liver and brain drive distinct symptoms of rare genetic epilepsy

A recent study from Johns Hopkins Medicine reveals that both the liver and brain contribute pathways to differing symptoms of the same rare inherited disorder.

9 Oct 2026