PPIs are used to treat acid reflux, peptic ulcers, and indigestion. They are among the top 10 most commonly used drugs worldwide. In 2014, the global prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 8.5%, and the researchers wanted to find out if the widespread use of PPIs and the high prevalence of diabetes might be linked. […]
Researchers identified how genetic differences that alter a specific protein called ETS1 can affect our body’s response to allergies. They found that small changes in ETS1 in an animal model can lead to an increased likelihood for allergic reactions that cause inflammation. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that allergies rank […]
In a new study, researchers in the UK and China found that 12 hours a week was the optimal amount of reading, and that this was linked to improved brain structure, which may help explain the findings. During childhood and adolescence, our brains develop, making this an important time in which to establish behaviors that […]
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the result of the immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and the spinal cord, resulting in symptom flares known as relapses as well as longer-term degeneration known as progression. Despite the development of effective treatments for relapses, none can reliably prevent the accumulation of disability. A study of more than 22,000 […]
In a study that followed more than 2,000 community-dwelling older adults over eight years, researchers say they have significant new evidence of a link between decreased sense of smell and risk of developing late-life depression. “We’ve seen repeatedly that a poor sense of smell can be an early warning sign of neurodegenerative diseases such as […]
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a group of nerve cells in the mouse brain that are involved in creating negative emotional states and chronic stress. The neurons, which have been mapped with a combination of advanced techniques, also have receptors for oestrogen, which could explain why women as a group are more […]
A new study offers an explanation for why light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with lower risk of heart disease. For the first time, researchers found that alcohol, in light to moderate quantities, was associated with long-term reductions in stress signaling in the brain. This impact on the brain’s stress systems appeared to significantly account […]
Researchers discovered that the rostro-medial prefrontal specifically becomes more active when people are rejected by others at greater rates. However, individuals with BPD (characterized by interpersonal sensitivity to rejection and emotional instability) do not display rostro-medial prefrontal cortex activity when rejected. The brain reacts with rostro-medial prefrontal activity to rejection as if there is something […]
Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, in which urate (a byproduct of purine-rich foods like meat and alcohol) builds up in the body and forms needle-shaped crystals in and around the joints, usually starting in the foot. The crystal deposits lead to flares of severe pain, joint swelling and tenderness, and can […]
A team of researchers have discovered that extracts from plants are able to rescue the function of ion channel proteins carrying mutations that cause human Episodic Ataxia. Individuals with ataxia exhibit abnormal gait, slurring, eye movement abnormalities, difficulties with balance and walking, tremors, and disruption of fine motor skills. “Episodic Ataxia 1 (EA1) is a […]