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Hidden hormone–habitat relationship revealed in reef fish

Researchers discovered a strong link between environmental variation and thyroid hormone signaling in reef fish, enabling them to adapt to changing habitats. The study found that habitat impacts development by altering gene expression and metabolic profiles, giving animals more flexibility when their environments change.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 7, 2026

Metabolism, not just weight, improved when older adults reduced ultra-processed food intake

A controlled feeding study out of South Dakota State University shows that older adults who reduced ultra-processed foods naturally consumed fewer calories, lost weight and abdominal fat, and showed improvements in insulin sensitivity and inflammation. This study provides evidence that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans can deliver s...

SourceSouth Dakota State University·JournalClinical Nutrition·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateNov 24, 2025

From lab to land: How hands-on computer science is building the future

A team of researchers led by Stephen McCormick has uncovered how fish know when to migrate, revealing that their pituitary gland is studded with photoreceptors that can perceive daylight changes. This discovery sheds light on the enduring migration mystery and will help in planning for climate change's impact on migrating fish populati...

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateOct 22, 2025

New EndoCompass Research Roadmap calls for coordinated investment to tackle Europe’s hormone health challenge

The European Society of Endocrinology has released the EndoCompass Research Roadmap, a major new initiative to align research efforts and improve funding strategies for hormone-related health challenges. The roadmap identifies specific research needs across eight endocrine specialties and five cross-cutting areas.

SourceEuropean Society of Endocrinology·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateOct 17, 2025

Resetting the fight-or-flight response

Researchers at Penn State have discovered a mechanism that resets the molecular cycle involved in the fight-or-flight response to stress and starvation. The study used imaging, structural, and biochemical techniques to uncover how this cycle completes and the system resets itself.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateMay 29, 2025

Mice exhibit altruistic rescue behavior driven by oxytocin

Researchers have found that mice can instinctively exhibit rescue-like behavior toward anesthetized conspecifics without prior training or external rewards. Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus are activated when detecting distress signals, releasing OXT and coordinating emotional and motor responses.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeMeta-analysis·DateApr 23, 2025

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

A team of Chinese researchers identified a novel intercellular signaling mechanism between adipocytes and hepatocytes in endoplasmic reticulum stress response. The study reveals that ceramide, a fat molecule, plays a key role in activating the unfolded protein response pathway in hepatocytes.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 1, 2025

Pioneering neuroendocrinologist shapes brain research at 100 while still making discoveries

Dr. Seymour Reichlin's centennial celebration highlights his ongoing scientific impact, with recent collaborations yielding new insights into hormone therapies for cognitive enhancement and emotional homeostasis. His work has established neuroendocrinology as a distinct field, bridging neuroscience, endocrinology, and clinical medicine.

SourceGenomic Press·JournalBrain Medicine·TypeNews article·DateDec 3, 2024

Babies born to women consuming a high fat, sugary diet at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life

Research found that babies born to pregnant women consuming high-fat, high-energy diets are more likely to develop heart problems and diabetes as adults due to fetal damage. Consuming a high-fat diet during pregnancy also increases the likelihood of insulin resistance in adulthood.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalThe Journal of Physiology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 12, 2024

$2.4 million grant helping MCG scientists better understand what happens to our skeleton as we age

Researchers are studying the role of stress hormones and mineralocorticoid receptors in bone health as we age. The goal is to understand how balance between these factors affects our skeletons. By investigating this complex relationship, scientists hope to develop new insights into osteoporosis and other age-related bone disorders.

Systemic changes induced by ASCOT in plasma proteome of women with impaired ovarian reserves

Researchers found that ASCOT reverses some age-related protein expression changes, enriching processes related to the complement cascade and immune system in patients with poor ovarian response. In contrast, patients with premature ovarian insufficiency showed enrichment in responses to oxygen-containing compounds and growth hormones.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalAging-US·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 9, 2024

Pioneering study indicates a potential treatment for corneal endothelial disease, reducing the need for corneal transplants

A pioneering study published in The American Journal of Pathology reveals the cytoprotective and proregenerative effects of neuropeptide α-MSH in promoting corneal healing after eye injury. The treatment has shown impressive therapeutic potential in reducing the need for corneal transplants.

SourceElsevier·JournalAmerican Journal Of Pathology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 2, 2024

Investigational drug restores parathyroid function in rare disease

A clinical trial has shown that an investigational drug, encaleret, can restore parathyroid function and normalize blood calcium levels in people with autosomal dominant hypocalcemia type 1. The treatment was effective in restoring every participant's blood calcium level to normal within 24 weeks.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 13, 2023

Enlighten me

Researchers at Kyoto University discovered that liverwort Marchantia polymorpha uses gibberellin precursors to produce a signaling molecule aiding survival under shaded conditions. This metabolic pathway inheritance provides insight into the evolution of plant hormone responses.

SourceKyoto University·JournalThe Plant Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 3, 2023

Aging alters pancreatic circadian rhythm

Researchers discovered that aging alters the pancreas's circadian rhythm by reorganizing its transcriptome. The study found that fibroblasts play a crucial role in regulating this reorganization, which affects the organ's resilience to aging-related pathologies.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalAging-US·TypeObservational study·DateSep 5, 2023

Scientists tie obesity to sex- and age-specific genes

Researchers identified five genes influencing BMI in women and two in men, with faulty variants of three genes linked to higher BMI in women. Age-specific factors also emerged, with genes OBSCN and MADD associated with childhood body size and fat.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Genomics·TypeObservational study·DateAug 2, 2023

Brain pathway identified that impairs postpartum social behavior after adolescent stress

A study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researcher Minae Niwa found that adolescent psychosocial stress, combined with pregnancy and delivery, causes hypofunction of a key neural circuit. This altered circuitry leads to abnormal social behavior in postpartum women, including reduced interaction time with familiar mice.

SourceUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 23, 2023

How tasty is the food?

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute found that ghrelin activates specialized nerve cells in the amygdala, promoting food consumption and conveying hunger feelings. The study uncovers the physiological processes behind feeding behavior, which may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for eating disorders.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience Advances·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMay 24, 2023

Drunk mice sober up after a hormone shot

A hormone called FGF21 protects mice from ethanol-induced loss of balance and righting reflex by activating a specific part of the brain that controls alertness. The study reveals that higher FGF21 concentrations can dramatically accelerate recovery from intoxication.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Metabolism·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 7, 2023

Female and male hearts respond differently to stress hormone in mouse study

Researchers discovered that female and male mouse hearts react uniformly at first to noradrenaline but exhibit differences in recovery time, affecting electrical activity. These findings may contribute to arrhythmia susceptibility between men and women, offering new insights into sex-based responses to stress hormones.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 20, 2023