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Lack of federal funds may have forced Oregon university to drop idea of converting national primate center into science-free refuge

Researchers analyzing data from more than 214,000 people found that dementia risk factors differ widely across countries, challenging the idea of a one-size-fits-all prevention strategy. At the same time, they uncovered surprisingly consistent patterns that could help shape smarter, more targeted public health efforts.

Scientists point to changes that jeopardize the marine mammals’ critical feeding grounds

Researchers found that tau is essential for turning new experiences into lasting memories by helping organize the brain's memory-storing cells. The mouse study also revealed how abnormal tau may contribute to Alzheimer's by disrupting both the formation of new memories and the recall of existing ones.

A simple, non-invasive ultrasound treatment could one day help injured joints heal instead of remaining trapped in a cycle of damaging inflammation. Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville found that continuous low-intensity ultrasound encouraged key immune cells called macrophages to shift from an inflammatory state toward one that supports tissue repair.

Age-related subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) atrophy is a hallmark of aging, contributing to metabolic dysfunction and systemic aging. The mechanisms underlying SAT atrophy and potential therapeutic strategies remain poorly understood. Here, we report that small intestinal epithelium-derived exosomes (SI-Exos) mediate gut-adipose communication and play a pivotal role in age-related SAT remodeling. We found that the miRNA cargo of SI-Exos undergoes significant age-related changes. Administration...

OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the association between work and cognitive ageing has been mixed, and research from China remains limited, particularly with respect to heterogeneity in cognitive function trajectories. This study examined whether paid work participation in later life is associated with distinct cognitive function trajectories among older Chinese adults.

Critically ill patients requiring treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) suffer from muscle weakness that persists for years. As compared with healthy subjects, skeletal muscle of patients biopsied five years post-ICU revealed an abnormal transcriptome partially associated with poor muscle strength. We now hypothesized that skeletal muscle of long-term ICU survivors is "epigenetically aged", as determined by a muscle-specific epigenetic clock, and that such accelerated epigenetic aging...

Practice may do more than make perfect. Researchers found that extensive training physically reorganizes the brain, allowing learned tasks to bypass the prefrontal cortex and run through specialized circuits instead. By freeing the brain's "thinking" center, people became better at performing another task at the same time, challenging the long-held idea that humans only switch rapidly between tasks rather than truly multitask.

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.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by brain atrophy and cognitive decline. While the amyloid cascade hypothesis remains the dominant framework, accumulating evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction critically contributes to AD progression. Although improving mitochondrial function has been shown to rescue cognitive deficits in AD models, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we identified a significant reduction...

LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) and Parkin (PRKN) act in shared pathways and are implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD), leprosy, and other diseases. While leprosy likely imposed strong evolutionary pressure, PD's relatively late onset renders it largely invisible to natural selection. We examined the evolutionary history of LRRK2 and PRKN in primates and human populations and found evidence of positive selection on both genes, alongside strong constraint at LRRK2 disease-associated sites....

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a major driver of female reproductive aging, but its mechanisms and the spatial and structural patterns of reproductive aging remain poorly understood. This study, therefore, constructed a spatial transcriptomic atlas of POI mouse models to define the spatial and molecular features of granulosa senescence during disease progression. Spatial analysis revealed disrupted follicular structure and distinct granulosa subpopulations exhibiting blocked...

CONCLUSIONS: Optimal disease management and maintenance of functioning should be prioritized in home care.

Spinal aging is a progressive degenerative process involving structural and functional decline of the spine as a whole and of its individual components, ultimately contributing to the development of degenerative spinal diseases (DSDs). Previous studies have largely focused on local spinal tissues or the intervertebral disc (IVD). However, recent advances in geroscience indicate that spinal degeneration is not an isolated local event, but is influenced by systemic aging through a multi-organ...

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a frequent disorder of older adults, yet its persistence and recurrence are not fully explained by retained clot, bridging-vein injury, or technical failure of evacuation. We propose an aging-informed failed-resolution framework for interpreting CSDH persistence and recurrence at the aged dura-subdural interface. In this model, brain atrophy can maintain a residual subdural space, while frailty, multimorbidity, immune aging, vascular aging, and local...