Depression Genes in Women Linked to Higher Heart Disease Risk

Summary: A new study analyzing genetic data from over 300,000 people revealed that women with a high genetic risk for depression also face a higher likelihood of developing heart disease,…

Evaluating long-term survival and cardiac efficacy of a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Fibrotic remodeling in skeletal muscle and heart of DMDMDX rats and impact of delandistrogene moxeparvovec treatment. A recent study published in the journal Human Gene Therapy evaluated the long-term survival…

Leaded Gas Exposure Linked to Mental Illness

Summary: A new study estimates that childhood lead exposure, peaking between 1960 and 1990 due to leaded gasoline, caused 151 million excess cases of mental illness by 2015. Researchers linked…

Family History of Mental Illness Increases Aggression Risk in CTE

Summary: A new study reveals that individuals with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and a family history of mental illness have a heightened risk of aggression during adulthood, particularly between ages…

Scientists find cause of rare devastating, autoimmune disease in Puerto Ricans—but also find potential treatment

DNA, which has a double-helix structure, can have many genetic mutations and variations. Credit: NIH A rare autoimmune condition with a tongue-twister of a name may impact people of Puerto…

Finger Lengths May Reveal Insights Into Drinking Habits

Summary: The relative lengths of your fingers might be linked to your alcohol consumption patterns. Researchers found that individuals with longer 4th (ring) fingers relative to 2nd (index) fingers, indicating…

RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy—here’s what you need to know

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its aim is to treat an eye…

Immune System Gene Linked to Hyperactivity, ADHD and Autism

Summary: Researchers have uncovered a link between the immune gene regulator STAT1 and hyperactive behaviors in mice, offering new insights into neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. STAT1, vital for…

Presence of white spots on MRI brain scans linked to genetic risk of dementia in older adults

Association between white matter hyperintensities and cortical thickness. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53689-1 They show up as bright white spots when you get a brain MRI: lesions called white…

Major genetic defect linked to female infertility identified

Manhattan plots for female infertility. Credit: The American Journal of Human Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.10.018 Up to 15% of all couples suffer from infertility at some point in their lives.…