Connecting Research and Experts with Journalists

• share
• favorite_border

Children who faced food insecurity during early childhood—or whose mothers experienced it during pregnancy—had a higher body mass index (BMI) and more than 50% increased chance of developing obesity or severe obesity in childhood and adolescence, according to a new study funded by the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

• share
• favorite_border

The latest research and advances in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery will be presented during the AAO-HNSF 2024 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM in Miami, Florida, September 28 – October 1.

• share
• favorite_border

Multiyear study finds that high levels of toxic metals in urine lead to high blood sugar

• share
• favorite_border

People with rare genetic variants associated with Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders are at increased risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to new research presented at the 149th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA). The study is the first to find that rare variants linked to other neurodegenerative diseases are associated with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Researchers also found having these rare variants raises the risk of faster progression of ALS as well as shorter survival.

• share
• favorite_border

Starting patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) on aggressive treatment earlier may help prevent the development of paramagnetic rim lesions (PRL), areas of chronic brain inflammation that are linked to faster decline due to the disease, suggests new research presented at the 149th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA). People with MS who have PRLs tend to have greater brain atrophy and disability. Treatment for MS includes low-, moderate- or high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), such as monoclonal antibodies, immunomodulators and immunosuppressants. While high-efficacy DMTs have more side effects, previous research suggests they may help prevent PRLs from forming (unlike low- or moderate-efficacy DMTs), potentially outweighing the downsides. No currently available DMT has been shown to reduce existing PRLs.

• share
• favorite_border

Over half of parents report at least one factor that makes it difficult for their child to make new friends, with about one in five saying that shyness or being socially awkward got in the way of their child’s efforts to make new friends.

• share
• favorite_border

The discovery of a new blood group, MAL, has solved a 50- year-old mystery. The findings allow identification and treatment of rare patients lacking this blood group.