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Ozempic may have revealed the brain’s hidden “craving center”
Ozempic-like drugs appear to weaken more than hunger—they may also reduce cravings for alcohol and other addictive substances. Scientists are increasingly tracing this effect to the lateral septum, a brain region that helps connect memories and surroundings with rewarding experiences. Packed with GLP-1 receptors, it may act as a crucial control point between thinking about a reward and feeling compelled to pursue it. The discovery could open new approaches to treating addiction as well as obesity.
Scientists discover a hidden brain rhythm that could improve Parkinson’s treatment
Scientists have pinpointed a brain network—and its distinctive electrical rhythm—that appears to drive the benefits of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. The discovery could lead to more precise, personalized stimulation settings and better results for patients.
3,500-year-old skeletons challenge what scientists thought they knew about syphilis
Ancient remains from Vietnam suggest diseases like yaws may have been passed from mother to child thousands of years ago, a form of transmission often assumed to indicate syphilis. The discovery could overturn how scientists interpret ancient infections and complicate the long-running mystery of syphilis’s origins.
Arson attack jolts Italy’s bid to host the Einstein Telescope
Two scientists' cars were burned at the proposed Sardinian site, in what researchers say was an attempt to intimidate supporters of the gravitational-wave observatory
The adult brain can repair itself better than scientists thought
The adult brain may be far better at repairing itself than scientists once believed. In mice, researchers discovered a special group of support cells called astrocytes that respond to damaged brain tissue by rebuilding lost cellular networks. Rather than simply moving into the injured area, these cells perform a remarkable maneuver: they create new nuclei and send them traveling through long cellular extensions to repopulate damaged regions.
Scientists turn sheep’s wool into a material that helps regrow bone
Keratin extracted from sheep’s wool helped damaged bone regenerate in animals, producing tissue that was more organized and structurally similar to healthy bone than tissue grown with conventional collagen scaffolds. The discovery could turn an abundant agricultural byproduct into a promising new material for regenerative medicine.
New telescope reveals a missing link in the cosmic recycling of matter
With a lens array in Chile, astronomers capture clumps of gas from a dying star returning to the Galaxy
A controversial Alzheimer's surgery is said to reverse symptoms - here's what scientists know
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Author Correction: Circular RNA aptamers targeting neuroinflammation ameliorate Alzheimer disease phenotypes in mouse models
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Three-dimensional mapping of intact ovaries reveals the aging dynamics of the ovarian reserve
Female fertility depends on a finite pool of oocytes that depletes during aging^(1,2), yet the spatiotemporal dynamics of this depletion remain poorly understood. Traditional methods obscure the three-dimensional architecture of the ovary, limiting quantitative insights. Here we combine light-sheet microscopy, artificial intelligence-driven segmentation and mathematical modeling to map over 85,000 oocytes in whole ovaries across the reproductive lifespan in mouse. We find that newly activated...
Author Correction: Trained immunity links hematopoietic stem cell aging to aging-associated inflammation
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Youth-associated protein TIMP2 regulates microglial state and function in healthy and aged mice
There is little understanding of how aging serves as the strongest risk factor for several neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia undergo age-related maladaptive changes, including increased inflammation, impaired debris clearance, and cellular senescence, yet specific mediators that regulate these processes remain unclear. The aged brain is rejuvenated by youth-associated plasma factors, including tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP2), which we have shown acts on the extracellular...
Preclinical evaluation of nitrated alpha-synuclein-specific CAR-Treg therapy in Parkinson's disease
Current evidence indicates that Parkinson's disease (PD) involves T cell-mediated inflammation, which plays a fundamental role in promoting neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in patients and animal models. These T cells are specific to α-synuclein-derived antigens, including nitrated α-synuclein (NαSyn). Here, we sought to develop an experimental immunotherapy for PD based on the generation of regulatory T cells (Treg) specific to NαSyn, using the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology....
Targeting the hallmarks of ageing: Pharmacological challenges and breakthroughs in CRISPR delivery systems and future prospects
CRISPR has emerged as a next-generation gene-editing tool with the potential to target the molecular pathways associated with ageing and related disorders. It functions through RNA-guided Cas nucleases, directing DNA cleavage and utilizing the native DNA repair machinery for genetic manipulations. Advances in CRISPR technology have significantly enhanced the precision and flexibility of techniques for genome editing. The enzyme Cas9's ability to cut DNA at exact site has revolutionized genome...
Targeting the hallmarks of ageing: Pharmacological challenges and breakthroughs in CRISPR delivery systems and future prospects
CRISPR has emerged as a next-generation gene-editing tool with the potential to target the molecular pathways associated with ageing and related disorders. It functions through RNA-guided Cas nucleases, directing DNA cleavage and utilizing the native DNA repair machinery for genetic manipulations. Advances in CRISPR technology have significantly enhanced the precision and flexibility of techniques for genome editing. The enzyme Cas9's ability to cut DNA at exact site has revolutionized genome...
The association between doubly labeled water- and accelerometer-measured physical activity, brain volume, and cognitive function in older adults with cardiometabolic or functional risks
Regular physical activity is beneficial for brain health. However, no research has explored whether physical activity level (PAL) assessed by the doubly labeled water method (PAL-DLW) is associated with brain volume and cognitive function. We investigated whether PAL-DLW, accelerometer-assessed PAL (PAL-Acc), and components of physical activity are associated with brain volume and cognitive function in older adults. We analyzed data from 49 participants with cardiometabolic or functional risks...
Age-associated inflammation is accompanied by JAK1-STAT1 signaling activation, megakaryocyte apoptosis, and enhanced thrombopoiesis in naturally aged mice
CONCLUSION: Age-associated inflammation is accompanied by activation of the IL6ST/JAK1-STAT1 signaling pathway, increased megakaryocyte apoptosis, and enhanced thrombopoiesis in aged mice. These findings suggest that inflammation-driven megakaryocyte remodeling may represent a compensatory mechanism for sustaining platelet production during aging and may contribute to the heightened thrombotic risk observed in older individuals.
PRMT6 drives hearing loss by promoting asymmetric arginine dimethylation-mediated FOXG1 degradation and suppressing mitophagy
CONCLUSION: PRMT6 exacerbates D-gal-induced cochlear aging by promoting asymmetric arginine dimethylation of FOXG1, accelerating FOXG1 degradation, and inhibiting mitophagy. The PRMT6-FOXG1-mitophagy axis represents a potential therapeutic target for D-gal-induced cochlear aging.
Prediction of mild cognitive impairment progression using time-sensitive multimodal biomarkers
Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops silently for years before symptoms emerge, making early identification of at-risk individuals essential for prevention trials and early intervention. We tested whether combining neurophysiological, imaging, and blood biomarkers improves prediction of progression to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in cognitively unimpaired older adults with a family history of AD (n = 102; 31 progressors; mean follow-up of 5.9 years). Magnetoencephalography, magnetic resonance...
MicroRNA-34a suppresses KLF2 to promote pathological angiogenesis through the CXCR4/CXCL12 pathway in age-related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), characterized by pathologic choroidal neovascularization (CNV), is a leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFa) antagonists can prevent acute vision loss, but high treatment burden and loss of efficacy with chronic therapy highlight the need to explore alternative mechanisms. Recently, microRNA-34a (miR-34a) has emerged as a key regulator in aging and age-related diseases, but its role in neovascular AMD is...