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Short-term hearing aid use reduces auditory cortical responses to speech-in-noise listening among older adults with age-related hearing loss
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is an increasingly common feature of aging and has been linked to poorer psychosocial wellbeing and increased dementia risk. Individuals with ARHL experience speech perception difficulties in noisy environments, wherein the brain must "turn up the volume" or upregulate neural activity to accurately parse speech from background noise. As the aging population steadily increases worldwide, it is essential to develop effective, non-invasive, and easily attainable...
Myofascial pain in older adults: a geroscience-informed framework integrating precision geriatrics and digital therapeutics
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in the elderly is a significant contributor to chronic pain and functional decline, driven by a unique set of age-related pathophysiological challenges. Core geroscience principles-including sarcopenia, inflammaging, and cellular senescence-converge to create a state of heightened central sensitization that amplifies pain. Traditional pharmacotherapy is fraught with risks in this population due to polypharmacy and vulnerability to adverse effects, with many common...
Studying neurocognitive systems for sustained attention in neurogeriatric patients: protocol of the SENSE-AGE study
BACKGROUND: Sustained attention is a complex cognitive function required for the successful performance of tasks such as walking, cycling, driving, conversations and other prolonged tasks. Deficits of this function are associated with frailty, falls, and general cognitive decline in older adults. Sustained attention declines with age and is impaired in many neurological disorders. However, little is known about the underlying neurophysiological characteristics of sustained attention deficits in...
Dissecting shared genetic architecture between pan-cancer and aging-related traits: a genome-wide cross-trait analysis
The association between aging and cancer has been extensively documented in observational studies, but their shared genetic basis remains unclear. Leveraging genome-wide association studies summary statistics of aging and pan-cancer (87,531 cases and 314,193 controls) within the European population, genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization analyses were used to estimate genetic correlations, and infer causal relationships between seven aging-related traits and pan-cancer. We further...
Host genetics and diet jointly shape the microbiome of Drosophila melanogaster but do not predict lifespan or age-related traits
The microbiome is a key determinant of organismal health, yet inter-individual variability and heterogeneous responses to environmental conditions complicates the understanding of its effects on hosts. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis using the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) to investigate how the interplay between host genetic variation and diet influences microbiome composition, and to assess whether microbiome features in young flies can be used to predict lifespan and...
The aging eye: navigating molecular mechanisms and innovative interventions
The global demographic shift toward aging has precipitated a surge in age-related ocular pathologies, imposing a formidable public health challenge that demands urgent intervention. Blinding disorders such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and dry eye disease exemplify this crisis, with their pathogenesis being intrinsically linked to tissue-specific aging processes in the eye. At the molecular level, core pathways including telomere attrition, oxidative stress, cellular...
Scientists reveal creatine’s hidden power beyond muscle gains
Creatine might be famous in the gym, but its real story is far more interesting. Naturally produced in the body, it helps power cells by rapidly regenerating ATP—the fuel that keeps muscles, the brain, and even the heart running during intense activity. Supplementing with creatine can boost short bursts of physical performance and may even support memory, mood, and cognitive speed, especially in people with lower baseline levels.
This simple blood test might detect depression before symptoms appear
A new study suggests depression may soon be detectable through a simple blood test—by tracking how certain immune cells age. Researchers found that accelerated aging in monocytes, a type of white blood cell, is closely tied to the emotional and cognitive symptoms of depression, like hopelessness and loss of pleasure, rather than physical symptoms such as fatigue.
Hantavirus crops up on a cruise ship — what scientists are watching
'Heartbreaking': Iranian scientists on losing labs, libraries and liberty
These powerful tools reveal the ‘control knobs’ of the genome
The aging extracellular matrix as a missing link in senescent cell accumulation and persistence
Mitigating the Hawthorne effect in aging research
Weight loss drug Ozempic linked to lower depression and anxiety risk
GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide—best known for treating diabetes and driving weight loss under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy—may also deliver a surprising mental health boost. In a massive study tracking nearly 100,000 people over more than a decade, researchers found that these medications were linked to significantly fewer psychiatric hospital visits and sick days.
Alzheimer’s drugs may not work and could raise brain risks
Drugs designed to clear amyloid beta from the brain—once seen as a promising path to slowing Alzheimer’s—may not actually help patients in any meaningful way, according to a major review of over 20,000 participants. Even more concerning, they may increase the risk of brain swelling and bleeding, sometimes without obvious symptoms.
Have archaeologists found the long-lost Maya city of Sac Balam?
Architectural and geographic details match historic descriptions of the colonial, centuries-old jungle refuge
Chaotic whale rescue shocks marine biologists
Timmy, a humpback whale stranded in Germany 6 weeks ago, was ailing and may already be dead
Scientists just discovered what coffee is really doing to your gut and brain
Coffee doesn’t just energize—it actively reshapes the gut and mind. Researchers found that both caffeinated and decaf coffee altered gut bacteria in ways linked to better mood and lower stress. Decaf even improved learning and memory, while caffeine boosted focus and reduced anxiety. Together, they show coffee works through multiple pathways beyond just caffeine.
The creepy feeling in old buildings might have a surprising cause
A hidden force may be quietly shaping how you feel—and you’d never even know it. Infrasound, an ultra-low-frequency vibration below the range of human hearing, is everywhere from traffic to old buildings. In a small experiment, people exposed to it became more irritable, less engaged, and even showed higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol—despite having no idea it was present. The findings suggest our bodies can “sense” these vibrations without conscious awareness, potentially explaining eerie sensations in places like basements or supposedly haunted buildings.
Scientists found the brain doesn’t start blank, it starts full
The brain’s memory center may begin life more like a crowded web than an empty canvas. Researchers discovered that early neural networks in the hippocampus are dense and seemingly random, then become more organized by shedding connections over time. This pruning process creates a faster, more efficient system for linking experiences and forming memories. It challenges the idea that the brain starts from scratch.