Heather Vogel
Weight-loss drugs show early promise for alcohol and other addictions, review finds
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Medications such as semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic/Wegovy) could aid treatment of alcohol and other substance use disorders, according to a peer‑reviewed review in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Early animal and human data suggest these GLP‑1 receptor agonists act on brain reward circuits; lead author Lorenzo Leggio urged caution, saying, “Early research in both animals and humans suggests that these treatments may help reduce alcohol and other substance use.”
Flatworm stem cells respond to distant cues, study finds
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Planarian flatworms regenerate lost body parts using stem cells steered by signals from far‑off tissues rather than nearby neighbors, research published in Cell Reports on October 15, 2025, suggests—reframing how niches regulate stem cells and hinting at future approaches to tissue repair.
Study finds life-expectancy gains slowed after 1939
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An analysis of 23 high‑income countries published in PNAS finds the rapid longevity gains of the early 20th century have slowed markedly for cohorts born after 1939, and none of those cohorts are projected to average 100 years of life.
Exercise plus omega-3 curbs tooth root inflammation in rat study
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A peer‑reviewed study in rats reports that moderate exercise combined with omega‑3 supplementation improved immune markers and limited bone loss in chronic apical periodontitis, an inflammatory infection at the tooth’s root tip often arising from untreated decay. The authors and research backers stress that human trials are needed to confirm clinical relevance.
Online brain training tied to decade‑equivalent boost in cholinergic function, McGill trial finds
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A double‑blind McGill University–led clinical trial reports that 10 weeks of BrainHQ exercises increased a PET marker of cholinergic function in healthy older adults by an amount the authors say roughly offsets about a decade of age‑related decline. The peer‑reviewed study used a specialized tracer to confirm the biochemical change.
Lancet review questions gluten as main driver of most ‘gluten sensitivity’ symptoms
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A University of Melbourne–led review published in The Lancet on October 22, 2025, argues that many symptoms attributed to non‑coeliac gluten sensitivity are more often linked to FODMAPs, other wheat components, and gut–brain interactions than to gluten itself. The authors call for better diagnostics, individualized care, and a shift away from unnecessary gluten avoidance.
Engineered floral-scented fungus lures and kills mosquitoes, study finds
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Researchers have engineered a mosquito-killing Metarhizium fungus that emits a flower-like scent, longifolene, to draw in the insects and infect them. The work, published October 24, 2025, in Nature Microbiology, could provide a safe, affordable complement to chemical pesticides amid rising mosquito-borne disease, the team says. ([doi.org](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02155-9))
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines linked to longer survival in some lung and skin cancer patients on immunotherapy
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A large retrospective study from the University of Florida and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, published in Nature, reports that patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer or metastatic melanoma lived significantly longer if they received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 mRNA shot within 100 days of starting immune checkpoint inhibitors. The authors stress the findings are observational and will require confirmation in randomized trials.
Kobe University researchers identify protein mechanism behind gourds’ pollutant uptake
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Kobe University scientists report that variants of a major latex-like protein, secreted into plant sap, help explain why pumpkins, squash and other cucurbits draw hydrophobic pollutants into their edible parts—an insight that could guide safer crops and soil-cleanup strategies.
Electrical stimulation reprograms human immune cells to spur repair
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Trinity College Dublin researchers report that electrically stimulating human macrophages shifted them toward an anti‑inflammatory, tissue‑repairing state in laboratory tests, pointing to potential therapies for injuries and inflammatory disease. The peer‑reviewed findings appear in Cell Reports Physical Science.
UCSF researchers test LSD-based MM120 for generalized anxiety disorder
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UCSF neuroscientist Jennifer Mitchell and collaborators are evaluating MM120, a pharmaceutical form of LSD, as a potential treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA found that a single dose reduced anxiety symptoms versus placebo, with benefits persisting up to 12 weeks in the optimal dose group, according to the study and the drug’s sponsor.
Bananas may reduce flavanol absorption in smoothies, UC Davis-linked study finds
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A small UC Davis–affiliated trial reports that a banana-based smoothie markedly lowered the body’s uptake of flavan-3-ols—about 84% less at peak plasma levels than after a control capsule—an effect the researchers link to the fruit’s polyphenol oxidase enzyme.
Longer continuous walks linked to sharply lower heart risk, study finds
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Walking in bouts of 10–15 minutes or longer was associated with substantially lower cardiovascular risk among adults taking fewer than 8,000 steps a day, with 15‑minute‑plus bouts tied to about a two‑thirds lower risk than very short walks, according to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Randomized trial finds certain processed hard fats did not worsen short-term heart risk markers
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A small randomized crossover study found no meaningful differences in cholesterol or other short‑term cardiometabolic markers when healthy adults consumed either palmitic‑rich or stearic‑rich interesterified fats for six weeks apiece.
Cognitive ability tied to understanding speech in noisy settings, study finds
Heather Vogel Fact checked
Among people with clinically normal hearing, intellectual ability strongly predicted how well they understood speech amid competing voices, according to a peer-reviewed study from University of Washington researchers.
Scientists uncover hidden antibiotic intermediate 100-fold more active than methylenomycin A
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Researchers from the University of Warwick and Monash University report that pre-methylenomycin C lactone—an overlooked biosynthetic intermediate from Streptomyces coelicolor—shows more than a 100-fold increase in activity over methylenomycin A against Gram‑positive pathogens, including those behind MRSA and VRE. The finding adds momentum to efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance, which was directly linked to an estimated 1.27 million deaths in 2019.
Study ties cavities and gum disease to higher stroke risk
Heather Vogel Fact checked
People with both cavities and gum disease had an 86% higher risk of ischemic stroke than those with healthy mouths, according to research published October 22, 2025, in Neurology Open Access. The two-decade study of 5,986 adults linked poor oral health to higher rates of major cardiovascular events, while emphasizing the findings show association, not causation.
Creepy-sounding lab advances show promise for health and sustainability
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A suite of recent studies in American Chemical Society journals describes two‑year‑old brain organoids with measurable activity, a wearable electrospinning glove for on‑site wound patches, an edible coating from the Brazilian “wolf apple” that kept baby carrots fresh for up to 15 days at room temperature, and microplastics detected in post‑mortem human retinas.
Study links gum disease to greater white matter changes in the brain
Heather Vogel Fact checked
Research published October 22, 2025, in Neurology® Open Access reports that older adults with gum disease had more white matter hyperintensities—a marker of tissue damage—than peers without gum disease, even after accounting for other risks.
Finnish study shows omega-3 benefits vary by individual
A new Finnish study reveals that the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from fish oil affects metabolism differently in each person, with benefits appearing quickly but fading soon after supplementation stops. Researchers observed significant variations in blood lipid profiles among healthy adults taking high doses. The findings emphasize the role of personalized approaches in cardiovascular health.