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The mysterious sound known as The Hum has been reported worldwide for decades, yet its source often remains impossible to find. Researchers tested whether people who hear it have exceptional low-frequency hearing or measurable sounds produced inside their ears, but neither explanation fit most participants. The strongest possibility is that many cases involve low-frequency tinnitus, even though the sound seems completely external.

Scientists may have uncovered one reason coffee is repeatedly associated with healthier aging and lower disease risk. Compounds in coffee appear to activate NR4A1, a receptor that helps protect cells from stress, inflammation, and damage. These protective effects disappeared when the receptor was removed, strengthening the connection. Surprisingly, plant-based compounds such as caffeic acid seemed far more active than caffeine itself.

A low-cost antidepressant may offer new hope for people struggling with long COVID fatigue. In a randomized clinical trial involving 399 adults, fluvoxamine significantly reduced fatigue and improved quality of life compared with a placebo, making it one of the first medications to show meaningful benefits for this disabling condition.

Several popular sugar substitutes may not be as harmless as they seem. Adults who consumed the most artificial sweeteners showed substantially faster declines in memory and thinking, especially if they were under 60 or had diabetes. The highest intake was linked to cognitive aging roughly 1.6 years faster than the lowest intake. Researchers stressed that more studies are needed before concluding that sweeteners are the cause.

A 12-week intermittent fasting program produced weight-loss benefits that were still visible a year later. Participants who ate within an eight-hour window maintained more weight loss than those who followed their usual longer eating schedule. Both early and late eating windows worked, while early fasting appeared especially helpful for preserving fat loss.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder (NDD), with ageing as its primary risk factor. Cellular senescence, characterized by permanent cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis resistance and acquisition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), is the cellular hallmark of ageing. Recent evidence indicates that blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction precedes cognitive decline and pathological protein deposition, representing an early event in AD, with the...

Age-related disease burden accumulates heterogeneously from later midlife to older age, but the biology underlying these divergent trajectories is poorly understood. We analysed 7199 adults aged 40 years and over in the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study, Japan, with baseline fasting plasma metabolomics (94 metabolites measured by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry) and linked health insurance claims. Monthly cumulative Charlson Comorbidity Index scores were constructed from aligned...

Chloride is the most abundant anion within lysosomes and plays a pivotal role in regulating lysosomal physiology and function. However, the mechanisms governing lysosomal chloride homeostasis remain largely elusive. Here, we identified TTYH3 as a regulator of lysosomal chloride permeability. TTYH3 mediates chloride efflux from the lysosomal lumen and enhances TRPML1-mediated lysosomal calcium release. Overexpression of TTYH3 results in markedly enlarged lysosomes by promoting lysosomal fusion...

Chemoresistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is partly driven by pathological stromal remodeling, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that gemcitabine treatment induces tumor cell senescence and activates cancer-associated fibroblasts via the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, leading to progressive fibrotic matrix stiffening. This biomechanical reprogramming engages the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1, triggering metabolic rewiring...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder (NDD), with ageing as its primary risk factor. Cellular senescence, characterized by permanent cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis resistance and acquisition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), is the cellular hallmark of ageing. Recent evidence indicates that blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction precedes cognitive decline and pathological protein deposition, representing an early event in AD, with the...

CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity is closely associated with lower health inequality among older adults in China, especially among physiologically vulnerable and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Policies promoting accessible community-based physical activity may help improve health equity in aging populations.

ObjectivesSibling ties are among the most enduring of all social relationships, so the loss or absence of this long-standing bond may undermine the well-being of older adults. This study examined whether and how disconnectedness from adult siblings (i.e., no contacts/interactions and emotional distance) is linked to older adults' cognitive functioning.MethodsWe use data from four waves of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (1993-2020) and structural equation models to prospectively evaluate the...

The Mediterranean diet may influence aging through tiny proteins produced inside the cell’s mitochondria. Older adults who followed the diet most closely had higher levels of humanin and SHMOOSE, which have been linked to heart and brain protection. Olive oil, fish, legumes, and fewer refined carbohydrates appeared especially important. The findings could eventually help scientists develop more personalized nutrition plans for healthy aging.

Tiny plastic particles in drinking water may be doing more than contaminating the environment. New research suggests nanoplastics can actually help harmful bacteria survive by strengthening the slimy biofilms they form inside water systems. These tougher biofilms become more resistant to disinfectants, making them harder to remove and potentially increasing public health risks.

A study of 225 newborns suggests prenatal estrogen may have played a role in the evolution of larger human brains. Boys with finger-length patterns linked to higher estrogen exposure before birth tended to have larger head circumferences, which are strongly associated with brain size. The same connection was not seen in girls.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. It is associated with the ongoing degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the formation of Lewy bodies that contain α-synuclein. These pathological changes lead to abnormalities of motor symptoms (tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia) and non-motor symptoms (cognitive decline, sleep abnormalities, psychiatric abnormalities). The pathogenesis of PD is complex and multifactorial,...

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived midbrain organoids offer a promising platform for modeling Parkinson's disease (PD). Yet, their utility has been limited by the absence of microglia and the development of a necrotic core during maturation. Here, we present an air-liquid interface (ALI) slice culture system for extended cultivation of midbrain organoids (mORGs), enabling efficient microglial integration, improved neuronal viability, and enhanced functional maturation. Compared with...

Cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases rank among the leading causes of death worldwide and represent an increasing socioeconomic burden, particularly in aging populations. Pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-based therapies have emerged as promising strategies for replacing lost neurons and restoring neural circuits in disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). However, major barriers remain, including poor survival, limited integration, and variable functional maturation of transplanted...

Mechanisms linking CD33 variants to Alzheimer Disease (AD) are poorly defined. Here, we combine structural, cellular, and genetic analyses to delineate how the CD33^(M) splice isoform, upregulated in carriers of CD33 risk alleles, modulates microglial function. We show that CD33^(M) ectodomain dimerizes, enabling binding of large multi-sialylated molecules. We demonstrate that another AD risk protein - clusterin (CLU) ± Aβ oligomers (but not ApoE) binds with nanomolar avidity to CD33^(M), but...

Peripheral nerves regulate skin homeostasis by secreting neurotransmitters, but their role during skin aging remains incompletely understood. Here, we report that cutaneous denervation accelerates skin aging, as evidenced by collagen reduction. Neurofilament heavy chain (Nefh) is decreased in aged skin and is predominantly expressed in vesicular glutamate transporter 2-positive (Vglut2^(+)) skin-innervating glutamatergic neurons. Notably, dermal fibroblasts, the primary producers of collagen,...