Researchers found that treating mice with experimental Alzheimer's drugs paired with a treatment to improve brain drainage reduced amyloid deposits more effectively than the anti-amyloid drugs alone.
A new study found that the anti-aging compound NMN improved insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle of postmenopausal women with prediabetes. However, it did not lower blood glucose or blood pressure, and more research is needed to determine its clinical benefits.
A major study reveals COVID-19 survivors have an almost 60% increased risk of death over six months compared to the general population. The research catalogued numerous diseases associated with long-term complications of COVID-19, pointing to a massive health burden.
Researchers found that about 25% of study participants developed vision loss from glaucoma, a lower rate than expected. The conventional thinking was that most patients with elevated eye pressure should receive treatment due to high costs and potential side effects.
A new study found that breastfeeding mothers who receive a COVID-19 vaccine can pass protective antibodies to their babies through breast milk, providing long-lasting immune protection. The research tracked antibody levels in breast milk over an extended period and confirms the potential immune benefit of breast-feeding infants after v...
A new study by researchers at WashU Medicine found that children hospitalized with RSV are likely to get sicker if they have high levels of defective viral genomes. These defective genomes can trigger a strong antiviral immune response, but timing matters in determining the course of illness.
A new study in mice and people offers a promising entry point to developing new therapies for schizophrenia. Researchers found that hallucination-like events were more common among individuals who experienced spontaneous hallucinations, suggesting a link between brain circuits underlying both human and mouse minds.
Researchers have identified a genetic link to clogged arteries, finding that a specific gene variant increases the risk of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The discovery provides new insights into the causes of cardiovascular disease and offers potential therapeutic targets for treatment.
Researchers at WashU Medicine found that administering chemotherapy drug temozolomide in the morning improved overall survival by about 4 months compared to evening, with an average increase of 3.5 months in patients with MGMT methylated tumors. The study suggests that adjusting timing of standard treatment could enhance effectiveness.
A pilot study found COVID-19 transmission is rare in schools with proper precautions such as masking, distancing and frequent hand-washing. Only two people received positive test results indicating probable school-based SARS-CoV-2 secondary transmission.
A study published in Science reveals that a fungus found in foods like cheese and processed meats can infect sites of intestinal damage in mice and people with Crohn's disease, preventing healing. Treating infected mice with antifungal medication allows wounds to heal.
A new study shows whole genome sequencing is at least as accurate and often better than conventional genetic tests for determining blood cancer treatment. The study found that sequencing identified additional genetic abnormalities in 17% of cases, changing the risk category for 19 patients.
A new study implicates a type of immune cell in the development of chronic lung disease following viral infection. Measuring dendritic cells may help doctors identify high-risk patients.
A new study found that cancer survivors who walked at a slow pace had a significantly increased risk of death from any cause, with the association holding for nine cancer types. The researchers call for more research into targeted interventions to improve walking ability and increase survival among cancer patients.
Research found that new COVID-19 variants can neutralize antibodies produced in response to vaccination or natural infection. The findings suggest that COVID-19 drugs and vaccines may become less effective against these variants, posing a concern for people who need protection the most.
Patients taking buprenorphine for opioid use disorder who also take benzodiazepines experience a 40% lower risk of overdose, according to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. This finding suggests that buprenorphine can protect patients from overdose even when taking benzodiazepines.
Researchers at WashU Medicine have found a new way to block chronic lung diseases such as asthma and COPD by targeting the packaging of inflammatory cytokines in exosomes. By blocking the release of these packaged cytokines, they can prevent damage to the lungs and slow disease progression in mice.
Researchers at WashU Medicine have identified an antibody that removes amyloid plaques from brain tissue and blood vessels, improving vessel function without raising the risk of brain bleeds. This breakthrough discovery offers a potentially safer approach to treating Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
A new study reveals that antibody effector functions are crucial for effectively treating COVID-19 infections, but dispensable when preventing infection. Researchers found that optimized effector functions can boost the potency of next-generation COVID-19 antibody drugs, while removing them may hinder treatment effectiveness.
A new study shows that liquid biopsies can detect lingering disease in patients with oligometastatic colorectal cancer, guiding treatment decisions. The biopsies identify patients who may benefit from immune therapies or targeted treatments based on mutations detected in blood samples.
A new study mapped glioblastoma in genetic and molecular detail, revealing four distinct immune subtypes and potential targets for therapy. The research identified key signaling hubs, gene expression patterns and protein modifications that drive tumor growth.
Researchers at WashU Medicine have identified a potential way to eradicate latent HIV infection by triggering a natural alarm system in human immune cells. The strategy targets the activity of a specific HIV protein, rather than its appearance, and has shown promise with certain drugs that force the protein to become active.
A new imaging test can reliably distinguish breast cancer patients who are unlikely to benefit from hormone therapy. The test measures estrogen receptor functionality, and a PET scan detects increased progesterone receptors in response to estrogen stimulation.
Cartilage cells engineered to respond to mechanical stress can produce an anti-inflammatory drug to reduce joint pain and limit arthritis-related damage. The technology could lead to more effective treatments for osteoarthritis by delivering drugs in response to specific movements or weight-bearing.
The immune system surveils the brain from a distance and only enters when it finds a problem. This finding explains why the brain was thought to be immunoprivileged. Targeting immune cells at surveillance sites may lead to new treatments for conditions driven by brain inflammation, such as multiple sclerosis.
Researchers develop innovative approach to treating bone tumors by starving cancer cells of their energy source, potentially replacing toxic chemo with a less harmful treatment. The two-drug combination showed promise in mice studies, outperforming a commonly used chemotherapy drug without severe side effects.
Research suggests that people with Barrett's esophagus, a disorder causing the esophagus to resemble intestinal cells, have SARS-CoV-2 receptors that can bind and become infected by the virus. This increases the risk of infection through swallowing the virus.
Scientists have developed a rapid blood test that can predict which COVID-19 patients are at highest risk of severe complications or death. The test measures mitochondrial DNA levels in the bloodstream, which is linked to cell death and inflammation.
A study from WashU Medicine reveals that allergens in the environment trigger episodes of acute itch in eczema patients, which often don't respond to antihistamines. Researchers found a previously unrecognized pathway carrying itch signals to the brain, opening new avenues for treatment.
Global campaigns to eliminate tropical parasitic worm infections require better diagnostic tools. Researchers at WashU Medicine are developing improved diagnostics with a $2.95 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
A comprehensive analysis of 16 previous trials found that providing supplemental oxygen to mothers during labor and delivery has no benefit for infant health. The study suggests that the practice could be safely discontinued for many women, potentially reducing unnecessary interventions and healthcare costs.
Research identifies two causal genes, CHD3 and CHD8, contributing to Chiari 1 malformation. Children with unusually large heads are four times more likely to be diagnosed with the condition. The study's findings may lead to new ways to identify people at risk before serious symptoms arise.
Researchers found that YKL-40 is regulated by clock genes and involved in clearing away Alzheimer's proteins in the brain. People with lower levels of YKL-40 fare better in terms of cognitive decline, suggesting it may be a potential therapeutic target.
Researchers discovered that E. coli's heat-labile toxin changes gene expression in human intestinal cells, inducing them to manufacture a protein used by the bacterium to attach to the intestinal wall. This attachment allows the bacterium to benefit itself at the detriment of the host.
A novel form of an Alzheimer's protein found in spinal fluid indicates what stage of the disease a person is in and tracks with tangles of tau protein in the brain, which are toxic to neurons. The discovery could lead to better diagnostics and accelerate efforts to find treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
A molecule called Ldlrad3 has been identified as a key player in the virus's ability to infect cells. By creating a decoy version of this protein, scientists have found that it can prevent the virus from causing deadly brain infections in mice.
A new study finds that most hospitalized COVID-19 patients do not have a 'cytokine storm', which was previously thought to be the cause of respiratory failure, but rather moderate inflammation. The researchers suggest that anti-inflammatory medications may benefit only a fraction of patients with severe disease.
Researchers found that fluvoxamine prevented serious clinical deterioration in COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate disease. The study, which involved 152 patients, showed that those treated with fluvoxamine were less likely to become seriously ill and require hospitalization.
Researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 does not replicate in the human cornea, while Zika virus can infect corneal tissue. The study suggests COVID-19 patients with compromised immune systems may still be at risk of eye symptoms due to secondary inflammation.
A recent study by researchers at WashU Medicine has discovered that the activity of specific brain neurons encodes the value of options and determines final decisions. The findings have significant implications for understanding decision-making in mental health conditions such as addiction, depression, and schizophrenia.
A new study has identified mutations in single genes that can cause cerebral palsy, challenging the long-held notion that the disorder is caused by environmental factors. The research found that many of these mutations occur randomly and are not inherited from parents, but rather arise during development.
Researchers have discovered two antibodies that shield mice from lethal influenza B virus infections, offering a promising basis for a new treatment. These broadly protective antibodies target the critical viral enzyme neuraminidase, which could help combat a more effective and widespread flu medication.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have developed an experimental imaging agent called Galuminox that detects inflammation via positron-emission tomography (PET) scans. The agent has shown promise in imaging inflammation in the lungs of mice with acute lung injury, and its potential uses include cancer treatment an...
Researchers found that immune cells surrounding the brain produce a molecule called IL-17, which is then absorbed by neurons and appears to be necessary for normal behavior. The findings suggest that elements of the immune system affect both mind and body.
Researchers found that older people without cognitive problems who experience a fall may have already begun neurodegeneration leading to Alzheimer's dementia. The study suggests that falls in this population are linked to brain changes that can be prevented with environmental modifications.
A new study identifies a specific gene's role in fertility, finding mutations in this gene are associated with early menopause. The researchers used genetic techniques to find genes involved with eye development and discovered the gene is essential for reproductive organs.
Researchers at WashU Medicine developed an approach to assess vaccine activation in lymph nodes, showing that the flu vaccine can elicit antibodies protecting against a broad range of flu viruses. The findings could aid in designing an improved flu vaccine providing protection against old and new strains.
A new phone app has been shown to effectively reduce symptoms of eating disorders in college women, including binge eating and depression. The app-based cognitive behavioral therapy provided a convenient and accessible means of intervention, with 83% of participants completing at least some of the program.
A new consensus statement recommends cochlear implants for adults with moderate to severe hearing loss, which can restore clarity and improve communication. The panel of experts emphasizes that these devices are not only for young children but also suitable for adults who have lost hearing later in life.
A new COVID-19 vaccine delivered via the nose produces a strong immune response in mice, preventing infection and sterilizing immunity. The vaccine uses adenovirus technology with mutations to stabilize the spike protein, allowing for a single dose to induce robust protection against COVID-19.