Author: healthadmin
A new study led by researchers at VIB and the University of Leuven shows that immune cells called microglia may actively promote plaque formation in Alzheimer’s disease, challenging the long-held view that these cells act only as defenders against plaque buildup. The results of this study were recently published in PNAS. “Most studies suggest that microglia are there to cleanse the brain and remove amyloid plaques. What we found is that microglia are actually part of the problem. Microglia produce plaques,” said Professor Joost Simkowitz, co-senior author of the study from VIB-KU Leuven Neuroscience Center. “Plaque was thought to aggregate…
As the population ages, the need for better tools to diagnose and monitor Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, has never been more urgent. The disease is characterized by a gradual loss of nerve cells, known as neurodegeneration, which begins years before obvious symptoms appear. One way to detect this damage is to look for signs of nerve cell damage. An important new biomarker of neurodegeneration is neurofilament light chain (NfL), a structural protein component of large nerve fibers. When neurons are damaged, NfL escapes into the cerebrospinal fluid and eventually into the bloodstream, providing a gateway…
In a report released this week, ECRI warned that misdiagnosis due to artificial intelligence and limited access to care in rural areas should be a top priority for healthcare organizations seeking to minimize preventable harm and improve patient outcomes in 2026. These two issues rank at the top of the Medical Safety Group’s annual list of patient safety concerns, which span a wide range of focus areas, including technology, public health, staffing, organizational culture, and structural barriers to care. Regarding the front-line issue of “addressing the AI diagnostic dilemma,” ECRI pointed to a 2025 American Medical Association survey of approximately…
Pulp damage caused by trauma or deep cavities often leads to inflammation, tissue necrosis, and ultimately loss of tooth vitality. In severe cases, bacterial invasion and a sustained immune response further compromise the pulp microenvironment and destroy the pulp’s natural repair ability. Although regenerative endodontic approaches aim to restore living tissue, achieving predictable biological repair remains difficult. Central to successful regeneration is the precise control of stem cell signaling pathways that coordinate cell proliferation, differentiation, and matrix remodeling. Among these, Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a fundamental role in stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue repair. However, the upstream molecular mechanisms governing…
Can smartphones and smartwatches help detect early signs of neurological and psychiatric disorders? Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) monitored a group of participants wearing connected devices and used artificial intelligence to analyze data such as heart rate, physical activity, sleep, and air pollution. Their findings show that connected devices can accurately predict emotional and cognitive fluctuations, opening new avenues for early detection of changes in brain health. This research npj digital medicine. Brain health, including both cognitive and emotional function, is one of the major public health challenges of the 21st century. According to the World Health Organization…
Carrum Health, which provides value-based specialty care to employers, has partnered with Virta Health on weight management. Virta offers virtual counseling, nutritional guidance, and medication management using GLP-1. Employers can customize Virta’s services based on their benefits. Meanwhile, Kalam has already undergone bariatric surgery to manage his weight. You can now browse and adjust members between the two as needed. “The goal was to ensure we took care of our members throughout their weight loss management protocol,” Matt Urey, Column’s chief commercial officer, told Fierce Healthcare in an exclusive upfront interview. “There is currently a lot of interest in the…
A study of infants in their first year of life found that infants in families where parents felt their income was insufficient to support the needs of their families were more likely to have delayed brain development. More specifically, on electroencephalography, these children showed a tendency for slower rates of change in alpha peak frequency, alpha power, and beta power. The paper is PNAS. During the first year of life, your baby’s brain grows faster than at any other time. This period lays the foundation for how a child will think, feel, and interact with others in the future. Most…
In BioNTech’s search for a new CEO, the German company is looking for a new leader with “late-stage development and commercial execution experience,” Chief Financial Officer Ramon Zapata said on its quarterly conference call, following the announcement earlier Tuesday that Ugur Şahin, MD, and his wife, CMO Ozlem Tureci, MD, would leave by the end of the year to start a new company. The company says it has several potential product announcements scheduled for the end of this “catalyst-rich year,” and Sahin said now is “the perfect time for the transition.” Analysts at Leerink Partners agreed, calling the transition a…
In the breakup between Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham, the two parties made a conscious decision to uncouple rather than an acrimonious divorce. At least for now. In a recent joint email to staff, the hospitals said leaders from both facilities met to discuss hiring physician assistants who are employed by Dana-Farber but contracted by Brigham to work in inpatient oncology. STAT+ exclusive story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article and get in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in Individual plan…
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a drug to treat a rare brain disease similar to autism, but retracted previous statements from top health officials that “hundreds of thousands” of children with autism could benefit from taking the drug. The drug leucovorin will be available for children and adults with cerebral folate deficiency, which limits the delivery of folic acid, a B vitamin, to the brain. This approval was given to GSK, the original manufacturer of Welcovorin, a branded version of Leucovorin, but the company discontinued production in 1997. The company does not intend to manufacture or sell…