Author: healthadmin

Machine learning analysis of brain waves recorded during sleep could help identify people at high risk of developing dementia, according to a study led by the University of California, San Francisco and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. This study found that when a person’s “brain age”, estimated from sleep signals using brain waves, exceeds their chronological age, the risk of dementia increases. For every 10 years of increase in brain age relative to chronological age, dementia risk increased by nearly 40%. Conversely, if your brain age is lower than your chronological age, your risk of dementia will be…

Verily has raised a $300 million investment round to accelerate its efforts in artificial intelligence and precision medicine as it leaves Alphabet. The large round was led by Series Verily has transitioned its legal structure from an LLC to a corporation and changed its name to Verily Health. “At Alphabet, we applaud Verily’s tenacity in leveraging technology to address long-standing challenges in the healthcare industry,” Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google, said in a statement. “Alphabet’s continued involvement, along with the addition of new investors, will enable Verily to further scale its business, improve patient…

Instantly activating or deactivating drugs at the right location is the focus of photopharmacology research. The goal is to develop drugs that can be turned on and off by specific wavelengths of light. Orally administered drugs can be selectively activated by exposing only certain parts of the body to light. The drug is no longer effective in other parts of the body, which reduces side effects. For example, a drug aimed at lowering blood pressure within the heart may only be active within the heart. Other organs that have the same binding sites as the active ingredient are not affected.…

Eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods can significantly increase your risk of serious heart disease, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.26). Those who consumed nine or more servings per day were 67% more likely to experience a serious cardiac event compared to those who consumed about one serving per day. Ultra-processed foods include a wide range of packaged convenience products such as potato chips, crackers, frozen foods, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, breakfast cereals, and bread. Risk increases steadily as intake increases. It was found that each additional daily intake increased the odds…

Current medications for schizophrenia treat symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, but have little effect on cognitive symptoms such as disorganized thinking and executive dysfunction. As a result, many patients are unable to work, rely on their families for lifelong support, become homeless, and in some cases experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors. A new Northwestern University study in humans and mice has discovered a novel biomarker for schizophrenia that may also serve as a potential drug to treat the disease’s cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia affects 0.5% of the world’s population, including approximately 2 million people in the United States “Many people…

When a pack of wolves kills prey, crows are often the first to appear. Even before the wolf begins to feed, these birds gather nearby and try to steal any scraps that are available. The timing of crows has long been considered almost spooky, leading many to believe that crows were simply following wolves in search of food. A new study that tracked crows and wolves in Yellowstone National Park over two and a half years reveals a more sophisticated strategy. Rather than chasing wolves, crows memorize locations where kills are likely to occur and return to those locations, even…

New real-world evidence suggests that while continuing GLP-1 therapy may be important to maintain cardiovascular protection, even short-term discontinuation may reduce long-term benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes. Study: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist discontinuation and risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes: Targeted emulation trial. Image credit: Love Employee / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal BMJ MedicineResearchers conducted a targeted trial emulation to assess the association between different scenarios of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) treatment and the risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE). GLP-1RA use is associated with…

Powerful AI-powered analysis uncovers hidden COVID-19 death tolls across the U.S., exposing deep inequities in how pandemic deaths are recorded. Research: Apply machine learning to identify unconfirmed COVID-19 deaths recorded as other causes of death in the United States. Image credit: Design_Cells / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal scientific progressresearchers developed a new machine learning (ML) model to estimate the previously unrecognized number of deaths from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States (US), rather than calculating the “true” death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. The model was coded to focus on the period…

A federal judge in Oregon said he is reversing a declaration late last year by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that said gender-affirming care for transgender youth did not meet medical standards. The Confederation of States and DC immediately sued Kennedy over this declaration, accusing him of overstepping his authority. Regulation of drugs is largely left to the states, and federal rules are subject to a public notice and comment period. Trump administration targets hospitals in massive effort to end gender-affirming care The Department of Justice, which represents HHS, pushed back against these claims, arguing that President Kennedy’s declaration…

A new study presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Science Session 2026 suggests that fat stored around the waist (central obesity or visceral fat) may increase the risk of heart failure primarily due to inflammation. The conference, held March 17-20 in Boston, will highlight the latest discoveries in prevention, lifestyle, and cardiometabolic health. The study found that higher levels of visceral fat were more closely associated with heart failure risk than overall body weight. Even in people whose body mass index (BMI) was within the normal range, a larger waist measurement was associated with increased risk. These results suggest…