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Pedaling on a stationary bicycle built for two may improve the health and well-being for both people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners, according to a small, preliminary study released today, February 29, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online.

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Johns Hopkins Medicine neuroscientists say they have found a new function for the SYNGAP1 gene, a DNA sequence that controls memory and learning in mammals, including mice and humans.

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In a paper in the prestigious journal Science to appear on Feb. 29, 2024, a multi-institutional team led by scientists at Carnegie Mellon University and University of California at Berkeley found parts of the genome, both within genes and outside of them, that evolved and are associated with vocal learning across mammals. These elements have been linked to autism in humans.

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Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center show for the first time that a gene usually linked to giant axonal neuropathy, a rare and severe neurological condition, also plays a role in inhibiting aggressive tumor cell growth in head and neck cancers.

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For people with stroke, social factors such as education, neighborhood and employment may be linked to whether they receive treatment with clot-busting drugs, according to a preliminary study released today, February 28, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online. The study looked at people with ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the brain and is the most common type of stroke.

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For people with drug-resistant epilepsy, having a dog companion trained in detecting seizures and other epilepsy-related tasks may reduce the amount of seizures they have, according to new research published in the February 28, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. For the study, researchers looked at adults with severe epilepsy who have been unable to find effective treatment to reduce seizures.

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For children and teens, irregular meals such as skipped breakfasts are linked to an increased risk of frequent headaches, according to a new study published in the February 28, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that for those ages 12 to 17, substance use and exposure, specifically electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), were associated with frequent headaches.

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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that brain cell activity during sleep is responsible for propelling fluid into, through and out of the brain, cleaning it of debris.

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Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center built a new atlas of lung cells, uncovering new cellular pathways and precursors in the development of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. These findings, published today in Nature, open the door for development of new strategies to detect or intercept the disease in its earliest stages.

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Want to remove microplastics from water? Try brewing it for a cup of tea or coffee! Research reported in Environmental Science & Technology Letters shows that by boiling then filtering tap water, up to 90% of the nano- and microplastics present could be removed.

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Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and others have harnessed the power of machine learning to identify key predictors of mortality in dementia patients. The study, published in the February 28 online issue of Communications Medicine, addresses critical challenges in dementia care by pinpointing patients at high risk of near-term death and uncovers the factors that drive this risk. Unlike previous studies that focused on diagnosing dementia, this research delves into predicting patient prognosis, shedding light on mortality risks and contributing factors in various kinds of dementia.

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Molecules that are induced by light to rotate bulky groups around central bonds could be developed into photo-activated bioactive systems, molecular switches, and more.

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Physician scientists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine are studying why multiple sclerosis (MS) worsens as patients grow older. The "Aging with MS Clinic" provides complete care for older adults with MS.

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Pesticides and herbicides used in farming have been linked to Parkinson’s disease in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains region of the country, according to a preliminary study released today, February 27, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online.

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This study uses forest inventory data from over 25,000 plots to show that the prevalence of tree pests is jointly controlled by the diversity and phylogenetic composition of forests.

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Skilled facilitators of an alcohol intervention based on motivational interviewing are key to promoting safer drinking behaviors among young adults experiencing homelessness, a new study suggests. The study is the first to examine the effects of the group process on emerging adults’ drinking outcomes using several different measures of group dynamics. Some young adults experiencing homelessness can access services at drop-in centers, but interventions must be brief and feasible in resource-stretched environments. Previous studies of AWARE, an intervention based on motivational interviewing in a four-session group format, found reductions in drinking in this vulnerable population. It is not well understood, however, which aspects of the group experience—process, structure, and clinician behavior—contribute to these outcomes. Research points to the importance of change talk (e.g., “I’m quitting for the summer”), cohesion (group bonding), climate (group engagement and mutual support), and

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Liberating Greatness in Every Neurosurgeon, AtlasGPT Delivers the Most Trusted Decision Support for Brain and Spine Care

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To become carbon neutral by 2060, as mandated by President Xi Jinping, China will have to build eight to 10 times more wind and solar power installations than currently exist in the country. Reaching carbon neutrality will also require major construction of transmission lines.

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The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) published the Clinical Practice Guideline: Immunotherapy for Inhalant Allergy today in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

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JMIR Publications is pleased to announce a new theme issue in JMIR Neurotechnology exploring brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that represent the transformative convergence of neuroscience, engineering, and technology.

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People who experienced a disaster had a higher prevalence of problem alcohol use in the years after the disaster, and the rates of problem alcohol use increased over time. A study of nuclear power plant workers who experienced a disaster found that those who were exposed to life-threatening danger, discrimination, death of a colleague, or major property loss had an increased prevalence of problem alcohol use. However, for some, the increase in problem drinking did not occur until more than a year after the disaster. The study’s findings, recently published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, point to the prolonged impacts on people who experience disaster and the importance of providing long-term monitoring and support beyond the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

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The idea that people make decisions based on social context is not a new one in neural economic games. But now, for the first time, researchers publishing in Nature Human Behavior show the impact of the social context may spring from the dynamic interactions of dopamine and serotonin. Researchers built carbon-fiber electrodes that were implanted in patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. The method allows researchers to measure more than one neurotransmitter at a time, revealing a dance that has never been seen before

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About eight million people live with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) worldwide, a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body attacks and destroys its own insulin-producing β-cells (pronounced “beta”) in the pancreas, leading to a lack of insulin and inability to regulate blood sugar. It’s not known why the body suddenly perceives its own β-cells as the enemy; some lines of evidence suggest environmental factors such as viral infections may trigger the onset of T1D, others suggest genetics may also play some role. Groundbreaking research by investigators at Joslin Diabetes Center sheds new light on the specific changes β-cells go through at the onset of T1D. Their findings—published in Nature Cell Biology—offer new avenues for targeted interventions for the chronic autoimmune condition.

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While it’s not surprising to spot teens wearing headphones and earbuds, it’s also becoming a widespread trend among younger children, a national poll suggests

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Antidepressant dispensing to adolescents and young adults increased sharply after the COVID-19 pandemic began – particularly among females – a new study finds.

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A study led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center shows omalizumab — an injectable, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication for treating asthma and other allergic conditions — substantially reduced potentially life-threatening reactions in patients with an allergy to peanut and other common food allergies.

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People who tend to act rashly when upset may be more likely to expect alcohol to affect them—both positively and negatively—and may be more likely to want to drink to improve their mood. Mood changes, whether positive, negative, or neutral, did not alter these beliefs, according to a study of college students published in a recent issue of Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. This study helps to inform further research on the relationship between impulsivity and alcohol misuse.

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The evolutionary success of the first large predators on land was driven by their need to improve as killers, researchers at the University of Bristol and the Open University suggest.

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A study of more than 60,000 specimens of snakes and lizards worldwide reveals that snakes stand out alone in the evolution of reptiles. The team of scientists discovered that snakes evolved incredibly fast, as their ancestors shed limbs and adapted on multiple levels to live and spread out into thousands of species of snakes over 66 million years, up to today.

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Recent developments in cancer research have highlighted the vital role of the immune system, particularly in the notable successes of cancer immunotherapy. Now, a paradigm-shifting study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York in collaboration with the University of Helsinki and Massachusetts General Hospital sheds light on how variations in immune genetics influence lung cancer risk, potentially paving the way for enhanced prevention strategies and screening. The findings were described in the February 22 online issue of Science.

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New observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have provided the first direct evidence of what is likely a neutron star, revealed by the effects of its high-energy emission, at the center of the Supernova 1987A remnant.

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The findings out of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute highlight that the mechanisms of immune modulation are different in patients treated with immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic combinations. The results also point to the role of tumor biology in the diversity and actions of tumor-infiltrating immune cells brought into action by these treatments. The findings might be important for predicting or understanding treatment outcomes in advanced kidney cancer.

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Living in neighborhoods with high levels of violence can affect children’s development by changing the way that a part of the brain detects and responds to potential threats, potentially leading to poorer mental health and other negative outcomes, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

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According to a new report from Queen’s University Belfast, voters in Northern Ireland are split into three camps as to whether the restored Assembly will last until the end of its current mandate in 2027.