Summary: Researchers have discovered that alcohol-induced brain dysfunction is actively driven by resident immune cells rather than direct neuronal toxicity alone. Upon heavy alcohol exposure, microglia retract their surveillance branches…
Category: Humans
Prenatal Stress Alters the Placenta to Shape Fetal Brain Development
Summary: Chronic stress during pregnancy fundamentally shifts how the placenta communicates with the fetus, altering vital antiviral immune signaling, cellular energy metabolism, and gene-regulatory programs. These placental changes, confirmed across…
Which nicotine product is actually the least harmful?
“Do you smoke cigarettes?” I asked my patient succinctly in a recent clinic appointment. He matter-of-factly responded, “Not anymore, I use Zyn pouches now.” As with any patient, I gauged…
That brightly packaged sexual enhancement pill at the gas station might be laced with dangerous drugs
Brightly colored packaging, promises of better sexual performance and names like “Rhino,” “Anaconda” and “Magnum” make sexual enhancement products difficult to miss. They can be found online, in convenience stores…
Archaeologists uncover new buildings at lost royal palace of Otto the Great
Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown 10th-century stone building during excavations at the lost Ottonian royal palace of Helfta near Lutherstadt Eisleben in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The discovery was made during…
Key Brain Circuit Linked to Teen Anxiety Identified
Summary: Brain imaging in nearly 3,500 adolescents reveals that disrupted connectivity across a key subcortical-cerebellar circuit—connecting the amygdala, thalamus, and cerebellum, is directly associated with heightened anxiety. The alterations, already…
LSD Microdosing Enhances Sustained Attention in Women
Summary: A pilot study reveals that low doses of LSD significantly improve sustained attention and reduce attention lapses in women, while producing no comparable cognitive enhancement in men. The preliminary…
I teach doctors how to interpret test results – and the labels ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ often hide what matters most
Mr. V felt tightness across his chest. His deepest breaths felt shallow. He sought help at an emergency department, where a resident physician found several worrying signs, including swelling of…
Study reveals declining inequality in Bronze Age city of Mohenjo-daro
A new study suggests that economic inequality declined as the Bronze Age city of Mohenjo-daro developed, challenging the assumption that urbanisation inevitably led to greater social inequality. Located in present-day…
Geophysical survey reveals possible hidden chambers in Italy’s Cave of Venuses
A geophysical survey of the Grotta delle Veneri (Cave of Venuses) in southern Italy has identified possible hidden cavities that may connect to the existing prehistoric cave system. The Grotta…
