Tau is a protein abundant in nerve cells, and its abnormal forms are linked to brain deterioration in Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions. Researchers investigated how tau affects mitochondria, the cell's energy-producing structures, and whether interrupting that interaction could protect neurons. The study combined animal models, human neurons grown from stem cells, and brain tissue collected after death from people with and without tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. In animal and cell experiments, researchers altered tau and examined whether reverse elect... alzheimer's dementia mitochondria neurodegeneration neurons
Read moreScientists have long suspected that pesticides may contribute to cancer risk, but most safety studies examine one chemical at a time rather than the mixtures people are actually exposed to in everyday life. A new study addressed this gap by analyzing whether real-world pesticide exposure is linked to patterns of cancer across a population. The researchers estimated environmental pesticide exposure risk for 31 commonly used pesticides across Peru from 2014 to 2019 by dividing the country into small 100-by-100-meter areas and calculating an exposure risk score based on where pesticides are used,... cancer pollution
Read moreUnintentional weight loss is common in Parkinson's disease, yet doctors still do not fully understand why it happens. Researchers in Japan examined whether changes in the body's energy chemistry could help explain this pattern. The study included 91 people with Parkinson's disease and 47 healthy adults. Researchers estimated body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis, a method that passes a small electrical current through the body. They also analyzed fasting blood samples to examine molecules involved in how the body produces and uses energy. People with Parkinson's disease wei... biomarkers metabolism mitochondria parkinson's
Read moreWhen people struggle with major goals, such as finishing a degree or pursuing a career path, they often reach a moment of deep uncertainty about whether to continue. A new study asked whether the critical ingredient in these moments is not doubt itself, but the degree of trust people place in their doubts. The researchers ran two experiments, each focused on a personally important long-term goal. First, all participants completed a short questionnaire measuring how conflicted they felt about their goal, a state psychologists call an action crisis, meaning they were weighing whether to persist... behavior
Read moreMemory retrieval often begins with a brief cue—a single word, a smell, or a sound—but receptivity to such cues may fluctuate from moment to moment due to natural rhythms in the body. To explore this, a research team reexamined previously collected data to see whether the natural breathing rhythm is a factor that shapes how cues lead to successful recall. The study involved 18 healthy young adults who learned verb–image pairs (verbs linked to either objects or scenes) across two sessions. During later memory tests, participants first judged whether a verb was old or new, then, for recognized v... breathing technique cognition memory
Read moreIntestinal hyper-permeability, often referred to as "leaky gut," is a condition in which the gaps between the cells that line the gut expand. These gaps allow pathogens such as bacteria or endotoxins (i.e., lipopolysaccharide, a major component of the cell membrane of gram-negative bacteria) to leak through the intestinal wall and pass directly into the bloodstream. Leaky gut is common among older adults, putting them at risk for many acute and chronic diseases. Findings from a recent study suggest that a polyphenol-rich diet reduces the risk of leaky gut in older adults. Polyphenols are bioa... gut microbiome green tea polyphenol intestinal permeability lipopolysaccharide
Read moreMetabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), represent a major public health burden. Dietary factors such as excess sugar intake are associated with greater metabolic disease risk; however, it is unclear how different types of sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, or sucrose) differentially impact metabolic health. In this report, researchers investigated the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on fatty acid synthesis, blood triglycerides, and hepatic insulin resistance in healthy males. Following the consumption of glucose, th... insulin resistance sugar triglycerides fatty liver
Read moreMaternal consumption of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is essential for fetal brain development. Maintaining the proper balance of these two fatty acids is critical, but the typical Western diet is high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808858/). Findings from a new study in mice suggest that a high omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of intake during pregnancy alters dopamine signaling, contributing to overeating in offspring. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter best known for its role in motor activity, motivation, and pleasure control. When exposed ... obesity lactate
Read moreCOVID-19 Q&A Series Part 1: Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. addresses subscriber questions in this multi-part series. ... covid-19 vitamin d vitamin c virus melatonin sauna autoimmunity
Watch nowDr. Matthew Walker discusses the role of sleep in immunity, creativity, and aging. ... sleep brain alzheimer's cancer obesity aging performance depression immune system stress circadian rhythm behavior dementia
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