Author: healthadmin

Despite modern high-throughput sequencing, the genetic causes of most rare movement disorders remain unknown. The research team from Bochum and Tübingen has solved one piece of the puzzle. Researchers tested 2,811 patients with ataxia, hereditary spastic paraplegia, and dystonia to identify genetic mutations that cause the disease. CD99L2 As a cause of X-linked spastic ataxia. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications on February 14, 2026. cooperation partner Genetic analysis of a large patient cohort was performed in Tübingen under the supervision of Dr. Tobias Haack. The functional characterization of the newly identified disease genes was led by…

When Cassandra Rauert was new to her job as an analytical chemist studying microplastics in human tissue, the idea occurred to her: “Maybe I should test my blood?” This was six years ago, and scientists had known for decades that tiny plastic particles were contaminating the world’s soil and wreaking havoc on marine life, but they were just calculating how microplastics were also making their way into our bodies. Rauert and colleagues at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS) in Brisbane, Australia, were looking for answers.When her results suggested she was full of polyethylene, Rauert was shocked, but…

Amanda Miller developed depression while pregnant with her second child at age 30 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. After giving birth, her depression worsened. In addition, many unexplained health problems arose. Miller, a neuroscientist, said she has seen several psychiatrists and been prescribed one drug after another. Over the course of two years, she tried four antidepressants and two antipsychotics. None of that helped until her doctor noticed high levels of autoimmune markers in her blood. Experts then ran “every test in the book,” Miller said. Eventually, she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease lupus and prescribed steroids to reduce inflammation. Some…

Recent research published in journals thinking and reasoning found that a certain type of open-mindedness was a better predictor of sound reasoning than simply identifying as a political liberal. This research suggests that although open-mindedness and liberal ideology often overlap, they are fundamentally different psychological traits. The findings help shed light on how people process information and resist political extremism, regardless of party affiliation. Actively open-minded thinking is a cognitive style in which people intentionally seek out information that contradicts their beliefs. People who score high on this trait tend to tolerate ambiguity, avoid jumping to conclusions, and be willing…

Alex Bell was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at the age of 32. Her family and friends didn’t understand what she was going through. But she found a community on the social media platform Reddit. Ms. Bell’s experience with cancer inspired her desire to help others with their suffering, and she wanted to focus on compassionate, evidence-based discussion and moderator ethics. Since 2020, she has served as a moderator for multiple Reddit communities. She also founded a subreddit (the term for these communities) called r/doihavebreastcancer. Bell, one of several panelists at SXSW 2026 on the trustworthiness of health information…

New research published in JNeurosci We’re investigating how short periods of sleep, like brain activity during wakefulness, affect a person’s ability to stay focused. Elaine Pingal and her team at Monash University investigated whether this type of brain activity is particularly involved in poor attention in adults with ADHD. To find out, researchers measured sleep and similar brain activity in 32 adults with ADHD who had stopped taking their medications and compared them to 31 neurotypical adults. All participants completed tasks that required sustained attention. The results showed that people with ADHD experience more frequent sleep episodes like brain activity.…

Five years ago, Oklahoma oil regulators undertook a project with the catchy name “Source of Truth.” State officials wanted a comprehensive database containing all the important information about Oklahoma’s more than 11,000 wells that pump toxic byproducts of oil production underground. I had heard about this project from several people during the 18 months I was reporting on the growing number of cases of oil field wastewater spewing out of old wells, known as purges, after being injected underground at high pressure. State officials also mentioned the project in internal communications I received after filing more than a dozen public…

Successful root canal treatment may provide benefits beyond saving the tooth. New research suggests that treating certain dental infections may reduce inflammation associated with heart disease and may also improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Researchers at King’s College London conducted a clinical study to examine changes in blood chemistry after patients underwent root canal treatment for a common dental infection (apical periodontitis). This infection can allow bacteria from the tooth to enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation. Increased inflammation is associated with increased risk of heart disease and difficulty controlling blood sugar. Scientists have long suspected that oral infections can…

Due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have attracted worldwide attention. After clinical trials were completed, the first COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was administered on December 8, 2020. Researchers later estimated through modeling that these vaccines prevented at least 14.4 million deaths worldwide in the first year. Because of its strong impact, scientists have begun developing mRNA vaccines for other infectious diseases. Ongoing clinical trials target influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), HIV, Zika virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. At the same time, research into COVID-19 vaccines has revealed important limitations, pointing to the need…

Astronomers may be getting closer to understanding one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology: dark energy, the unknown force thought to be driving the accelerating expansion of the universe. Dark energy is thought to make up about 68% of the universe. Despite its enormous impact, scientists still don’t know exactly what it is or how it affects the growth of the universe. Now, researchers have identified a rare supernova in the early universe that could provide valuable new clues. The light from this powerful explosion has been traveling toward Earth for over 10 billion years. The event was so bright…