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Scientists have uncovered evidence that serotonin, the chemical best known for regulating mood, may also speed the progression of a common heart valve disease in some people. The research suggests that patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation who take SSRI antidepressants and carry a specific genetic variant may develop severe valve damage sooner, potentially requiring surgery at a younger age.

Yale scientists discovered two neuron surface proteins that appear to help spread the toxic protein linked to Parkinson’s disease. Blocking these proteins in mice dramatically reduced disease progression, offering a potential new target for future therapies.

Researchers found that the common blood pressure drug telmisartan can significantly improve the performance of the cancer drug olaparib, potentially expanding its benefits beyond patients with BRCA-related tumors. The combination is already being tested in human clinical trials after showing strong immune-boosting and anticancer effects in preclinical studies.

An experimental drug called DT-109 reversed severe fatty liver disease in animal studies by repairing the gut and preventing harmful toxins from damaging the liver. The discovery could open the door to a new class of treatments for MASH and potentially other diseases tied to gut health.

Researchers found that every pregnancy rewires the brain in its own way, with a second pregnancy bringing a different pattern of changes than the first. The discoveries could lead to better ways to recognize and treat maternal mental health challenges, including peripartum depression.

CONCLUSION: Our study reports regional brain changes across the lifespan in an age- and sex-dependent manner in C57BL/6N mice.

Many of the body's biggest flaws are the result of evolution building on old designs instead of starting over. Our spine, eyes, teeth, pelvis, and even certain nerves all reveal compromises that worked well enough for survival but still leave us prone to pain, injury, and disease. Structures like the appendix and ear muscles also remain because they were never harmful enough for evolution to eliminate. Together, these features tell the story of a body shaped by history rather than perfection.

A new study found that dietary fiber can determine whether beneficial intestinal worms help reduce inflammation or become essentially inactive. With plenty of fiber, the worms remained healthy and supported an anti-inflammatory response, while a low-fiber diet pushed them into a hibernation-like state that eliminated those benefits. Researchers also found that fiber-rich diets promoted healthier gut bacteria, whereas Western-style diets reduced microbial diversity and encouraged less desirable microbes.

Heavy marijuana smoking may raise the risk of lung cancer and several head and neck cancers, according to growing research, but many important questions remain unanswered. Scientists are still trying to determine how much marijuana use is enough to significantly increase cancer risk. Edibles have not been linked to lung cancer so far, while the long-term effects of vaping marijuana and secondhand marijuana smoke are still being investigated.

Spanish National Research Council, established under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, has published the stories of some 500 researchers and support staff purged after civil war

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common age-associated joint disorder driven not only by mechanical wear but also by progressive intracellular stress, metabolic imbalance, and chronic inflammation that culminate in cartilage degeneration and functional disability. Increasing evidence identifies mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) as central pathological hubs regulating chondrocyte survival, extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity, and inflammatory signaling. Mitochondrial...

Astrocytic injury and endothelial activation are interconnected processes within the neurovascular system that may contribute to variability in cognitive performance among cognitively unimpaired adults. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) reflects astrocytic injury, while vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) reflects systemic endothelial activation. We examined whether VCAM-1 modifies associations between GFAP and cognition in cognitively unimpaired Black adults. This cross-sectional...

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an important molecule in cellular metabolism given its merits as an antioxidant, a substrate for the mitochondrial electron transport chain and as a signaling molecule via promotion of cysteine persulfidation in peptides and proteins. Studies in cell culture, animal models, and humans have supported a central role of H(2)S in the control of aging and age-related metabolic diseases. Enhanced intracellular H(2)S production has been associated with extended survival in...

Cellular senescence, a complex biological process characterized by irreversible cell cycle arrest and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, has emerged as a critical target for therapeutic development for age-related diseases. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent regulated cell death pathway driven by the accumulation of lipid peroxidation in cell membranes, has been implicated in age-related disorders. This study investigated the relationship between cellular senescence and ferroptosis....

Neuronal subtype-specific synaptopathy is a hallmark of many forms of neurodegeneration. We examined the cellular basis for synaptic vulnerability in the auditory system, where three subtypes of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs)-Ia, Ib, and Ic-carry acoustic information from the cochlea to the brain. In response to noise and aging, a subset of synapses between inner hair cells and SGNs are lost, but it is unclear how this loss varies across SGN subtypes. Using genetic labeling, we showed that Ia...

CONCLUSIONS: IC captures dimensions of functional vulnerability not fully accounted for by comorbidity burden alone.

No abstract

Interindividual variability in response to cognitive training remains a key barrier to developing precision approaches for maintaining neurocognitive health across the lifespan. Characterizing changes in system-level cognitive reorganization may provide insight into mechanisms of cognitive reserve, resilience, and plasticity that shape divergent aging trajectories and vulnerability to age-related cognitive decline. This exploratory study applies a cognitive network framework to examine how...

CONCLUSION: Physical activity interventions are associated with reductions in frailty when assessed using the Fried phenotype. However, substantial heterogeneity in frailty assessment and intervention reporting limits comparability and clinical translation. Standardization of frailty measures and improved reporting of intervention characteristics are needed to optimize and implement effective PA strategies in older adults.

CONCLUSION: Geriatric depression in Türkiye is a multidimensional phenomenon with complex socioeconomic and environmental determinants, in addition to biological factors. In particular, older women, individuals living alone, and economically disadvantaged groups are at high risk. The findings indicate that, to support healthy aging, clinical interventions alone are insufficient; strengthening social support networks, enhancing urban accessibility, and urgently developing inclusive public health...