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USC researchers have identified potential new drug compounds that may reduce the brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease, especially in people with the high-risk APOE4 gene. The compounds target cPLA2, an enzyme that seems to fuel harmful inflammation while also being important for normal brain activity.

Eating more beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and other soy foods could be a surprisingly powerful way to fight high blood pressure. A major analysis of studies from around the world found that people with the highest intake of legumes were 16% less likely to develop hypertension, while those eating the most soy foods had a 19% lower risk.

New NIH research reveals that semaglutide sparks different responses inside appetite-controlling brain cells, offering fresh insight into why GLP-1 weight-loss drugs don’t work the same for everyone. Scientists also found a possible way to extend the drugs’ effects, potentially helping patients push past weight-loss plateaus.

A massive international study could upend 40 years of heart attack treatment. Researchers found that beta blockers—routinely prescribed after uncomplicated heart attacks—offered no real benefit for patients whose heart function remained normal, despite being given to millions worldwide. Even more surprising, women taking the drugs faced a higher risk of death, repeat heart attack, or hospitalization for heart failure compared to women who didn’t receive them.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how cells behave when division goes wrong. Sometimes a cell successfully copies its DNA but fails to split into two, leaving it with double the genetic material — a mistake linked to aging, cancer, and other major diseases. Researchers discovered that not all of these failures are equal.

Mutations in mitochondrial protein CHCHD2 and its paralog CHCHD10 were identified in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or Alzheimer disease (AD). CHCHD2 and CHCHD10 mutations caused neurodegeneration in model animals as seen in patients, but their pathophysiological roles remain elusive. Here we reported a direct role of CHCHD2 and CHCHD10 in autophagy. We identified a protein complex composing of...

CONCLUSION: In this real-world cohort, aging appeared to influence the observable kinetics of amyloid reduction during anti-amyloid therapy. Early serial amyloid PET may provide useful information regarding longer-term amyloid dynamics, while baseline perfusion imaging may help identify patients with substantial downstream neurodegenerative burden who remain at risk for cognitive decline despite amyloid clearance. These findings highlight biological heterogeneity in treatment response and...

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive and non-pharmacological intervention, is increasingly being explored for mitigating age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Its therapeutic potential is largely attributed to its capacity to modulate neuronal firing rates and induce neuroplastic changes and modulate neurovascular coupling within distributed neural networks that support memory, attention, and executive function. Despite growing interest, gaps remain in understanding how...

Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia have risen markedly in many regions. While aging, genetics, toxicants, and protein misfolding explain key aspects of pathology, they do not fully account for synchronized temporal trends or pronounced regional heterogeneity in recent increases. This hypothesis and theory article proposes that persistent microorganisms in industrial food systems-particularly biofilm-forming spirochetes in high-throughput poultry processing-may represent an under-recognized...

ObjectivesThis study examined whether social engagement mediates the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) use and depression and anxiety among older Americans.MethodsData came from 5,195 respondents in the 2022 National Health and Aging Trends Study. Multivariate mediation analyses were conducted using bootstrapping and Monte Carlo simulation to estimate indirect effects.ResultsCompared with non-users, ICT users showed greater social engagement and lower depression...

Mammalian Atg8-family (ATG8) proteins are crucial for macroautophagic/autophagic degradation in the lysosome and facilitate non-degradative processes including multiple distinct forms of unconventional protein secretion. These secretion pathways, collectively termed secretory autophagy, depend upon ATG8 conjugated to membranes to both specify and traffic molecules for extracellular release. Here, we review the current understanding of how membrane ATG8ylation supports secretory autophagy, and...

The effect of NAD^(+) in enhancing mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in human cells is closely linked to NAD^(+)-dependent sirtuins (i.e. SIRT1 and SIRT3). SIRT2 primarily functions in the cytoplasm, where it can serve as a key deacetylase for tubulin and modulates stability of microtubules. Microtubule plays a pivotal role in regulating mitochondrial dynamics, including mitochondrial movement, fission/fusion, repair, and mitophagy-dependent clearance. However, the potential role of...

Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice may do more than support heart health — it could actually reshape the bacteria living in the mouth in ways that help lower blood pressure in older adults. In the largest study of its kind, researchers found that older people who drank concentrated beetroot juice twice daily for two weeks experienced noticeable blood pressure reductions, while younger adults did not.

Scientists at McGill University have found a way to supercharge the immune system’s natural killer (NK) cells, helping them break through the defenses tumors use to stay alive. By temporarily blocking two proteins, researchers turned these cells into far more effective cancer fighters against difficult cancers like leukemia, glioblastoma, kidney cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.

Scientists at UT Southwestern have uncovered a surprising new “master switch” that helps control how much cholesterol the liver sends into the bloodstream. The newly identified protein, HELZ2, works by shutting down the genetic instructions needed to produce apoB — a key building block of the cholesterol-carrying particles linked to clogged arteries and heart disease.

Researchers found that adding bananas to berry smoothies can dramatically reduce the body’s ability to absorb healthy flavanols. The surprising discovery shows that even simple food combinations can change how much nutrition your body actually gets.

Scientists have cracked open the “black box” of feline cancer in a landmark study that genetically analyzed nearly 500 cat tumors from around the world. The research uncovered striking similarities between cancers in cats, dogs, and humans — including shared cancer-driving genes tied to aggressive breast cancers.

For millions battling chronic nerve pain, even the softest touch can feel agonizing — but scientists may have uncovered a radically new way to stop it at the source. Researchers at Duke University found that damaged nerves can be revived by supplying them with healthy mitochondria, the tiny energy producers inside cells.