Weight loss can look successful on the scale while concealing whether the body lost fat or muscle. Researchers tested whether raising ketone levels during treatment with semaglutide, the weight-loss drug sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy, could protect skeletal muscle without interfering with fat loss. Male mice with diet-induced obesity and poor blood sugar control entered a three-week rapid-weight-loss experiment as they switched from a high-fat diet to regular food under calorie-deficit conditions. They were randomly assigned to inactive saline control injections, semaglutid... Exogenous ketones fat GLP-1 ketosis muscle weight loss
Read moreThe common cold remains difficult to treat because many viruses can produce similar symptoms, and no broadly effective antiviral medication exists. Researchers in Edinburgh tested whether starting saltwater nasal rinsing plus gargling within 48 hours after symptom onset could change the illness course. Sixty-six adults were randomly assigned to either continue their usual self-care or to use hypertonic saline, a saltwater solution (sodium chloride in water) that is more concentrated than normal body fluids, for nasal rinsing and gargling. Participants were instructed to choose the highest sal... immune system virus
Read moreMany people experience anxiety or a loss of drive during illness, yet how signals from the immune system alter brain activity remains poorly understood. In a new study, scientists explored whether immune activation changes how microglia (the brain's resident immune cells) interact with neurons that respond to dopamine, a key chemical messenger that shapes how the brain processes motivation and behavior. They focused on a region called the nucleus accumbens, which plays a central role in regulating these functions. Adult male mice received a single injection of lipopolysaccharide, a bacterial m... anxiety inflammation lipopolysaccharide mental health
Read moreMaternal infection during pregnancy influences fetal neurodevelopment. Maternal immune activation due to infection, allergies, or other exposures during pregnancy switches on the activity of a wide array of inflammatory pathways and proinflammatory molecules. These molecules can cross the blood-brain barrier and the placenta, potentially disrupting fetal neurodevelopment and impairing sensory processing abilities later in life. These impairments are often manifested in neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism or schizophrenia. Findings from a recent study suggest that interleukin-15 modulate... brain immune system development
Read moreAging is the progressive accumulation of damage that occurs to an organism over time, eventually leading to disease and death. Findings from a new study suggest that diluting the blood of old mice can reverse some of the deleterious effects of aging. Previous studies have shown that therapeutic plasma exchange via heterochronic parabiosis, a procedure in which two organisms of different ages are joined so that they share a common blood supply, elicits improvements in the older organism and declines in the younger, suggesting that young blood rejuvenates whereas old blood deteriorates. Similar... aging tissue repair neurogenesis
Read moreChloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are antimalarial drugs currently being used under Emergency Use Authorization as treatments for COVID-19. Recently published data from a mouse study suggest that these drugs carry a significant risk of death when either is given in combination with metformin. Metformin is a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is the fourth most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 80 million prescriptions for the drug written yearly. Previous research has demonstrated that chloroquine and metformin, when used independently, exert a... metabolic syndrome covid-19 metformin
Read moreMother-to-child transmission of disease, also known as vertical transmission, can occur during pregnancy. Several viruses, including hepatitis B, herpes varicella-zoster (chickenpox), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), can be passed via vertical transmission. A recent report indicates that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is not transmittable from pregnant mothers to their infants at birth. The report describes the clinical course of four live-born, full-term infants born to pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. Three of the four infants did not test... covid-19
Read moreAddictive disorders such as alcohol abuse are often underpinned by maladaptive memories that link environmental stimuli (such as the smell and taste of an alcoholic beverage) with the feelings associated with the reward, for example. New research in the field of neuroscience demonstrates that ketamine may help reduce addictive behaviors by interfering with the formation of maladaptive memories – effectively "rewriting" them. Ketamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine to promote loss of consciousness. It is also a widely used recreational drug, commonly known as "K" or "special K... depression alcohol memory drug addiction
Read moreInflammation is a critical element of the body’s immune response that involves the activity of immune cells, cell-signaling proteins, and pro-inflammatory factors. Chronic inflammation, which occurs on the cellular level in response to toxins or other stressors, is implicated in the development of many chronic illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Findings from a new study indicate that inflammation may be a factor in the "brain fog" that commonly accompanies chronic illness. The double-blinded placebo-controlled study involved 20 young men (average age, 24 years)... brain inflammation depression protein
Read moreThis is an interesting rodent study. The problem is, however, broccoli sprouts are not usually advisable for women that are pregnant because they can be a source of foodborne illness. If proven safe, however, it seems (at the surface) plausible that there could be ways to reduce the risk of in the future. Perhaps through supplementation? FTA: > Methods: Pregnant Long-Evans rats were administered i.p. Injections of saline (100 μl) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 200 μg/kg), every 12 h on embryonic day (E) 19 and 20. In the treatment groups, dams were supplemented with 200 mg/day of dried BrSp fr... nutrition brain diet development sulforaphane protein lipopolysaccharide
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