Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    A brain-monitoring device may one day take the guesswork out of anesthesia

    The automated device pairing brain activity and dosing kept two macaques sedated for 125 minutes, raising hopes of precision anesthesia for people.

    By
  2. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, scientists suspected that lost sense of smell could be restored

    Cells responsible for humans’ sense of smell can regenerate. Now, research spurred on by the pandemic could help answer questions about the process.

    By
  3. Health & Medicine

    Why a popular breast cancer drug may be less effective for some Africans

    A genetic variant commonly found in certain African populations appears to impair tamoxifen’s ability to tackle breast cancer.

    By
  4. Health & Medicine

    Flint grapples with the mental health fallout from the water disaster

    The water crisis started almost a decade ago. Residents of Flint, Mich., are still healing from the disaster — and caring for their own.

    By
  5. Health & Medicine

    The weight-loss drug Wegovy lowered heart attack risk in a large trial

    Among 17,000 adults, those on semaglutide were less likely to experience nonfatal heart attacks and strokes or death due to cardiovascular disease.

    By
  6. Health & Medicine

    Why Huntington’s disease may take so long to develop

    Repeated bits of the disease-causing gene pile up in some brain cells. New treatments could involve stopping the additions.

    By
  7. Microbes

    Evolutionary virologist Daniel Blanco-Melo seeks out ancient pathogens

    Daniel Blanco-Melo has reconstructed two viral strains brought to the Americas with European colonizers in the 16th century.

    By
  8. Health & Medicine

    The CDC is expanding its disease surveillance of international travelers

    Passengers at four major U.S. airports will now be tested for over 30 pathogens through a mix of wastewater testing and voluntary nasal swabs.

    By
  9. Health & Medicine

    Brain tissue may be fuel for marathon runners

    Myelin, fatty tissue that insulates nerve cells in the brain, may be a renewable energy source for marathon runners and other endurance athletes.

    By
  10. Genetics

    Most of today’s gene therapies rely on viruses — and that’s a problem

    The next big strides in gene therapy for rare diseases may come from CRISPR and new approaches to delivery.

    By
  11. Health & Medicine

    Blocking an aging-related enzyme may restore muscle strength

    Treating old mice with a drug that inhibits a “gerozyme” restored muscle strength, which can diminish with aging.

    By
  12. Health & Medicine

    Newly identified stem cells can lure breast cancer to the spine

    A new type of stem cell discovered in mice and humans might explain why cancer that spreads to other body parts preferentially targets the spine.

    By