https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. For many who have struggled to learn a new language or instrument, it's a familiar pattern: They make rapid progress at first, then hit a plateau that no amount of diligent practice or concentration seems to break. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-scientists-brain-eventually-stalls.html Thu, 06 Aug 2026 13:40:06 EDT news705240481 A new UC San Francisco study helps explain why people with HIV remain at elevated risk for type 2 diabetes despite effective suppression of the virus with modern medications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-adults-hiv-high-diabetes.html Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:40:03 EDT news705215882 Traumatic injuries, whether on a battlefield or in a car accident, often involve damaged blood vessels that require immediate repair. New research from Harvard bioengineers aims to make these critical, time-sensitive medical treatments faster and more personalized, with the potential to save lives and advance biomedical technology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-minutes-custom-blood-vessel-grafts.html Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:00:24 EDT news704450258 Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys melanocytes, the cells that produce the skin pigment melanin. Once the melanocytes are gone, the skin turns white, leading to the characteristic skin patches of the disease. However, the standard model of vitiligo doesn't explain some of its unusual features. Some vitiligo lesions repigment, and treatments sometimes restore pigmentation even in areas that lack melanocytes, suggesting that the melanocytes may not be fully destroyed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-dormant-pigment-cells-vitiligo-patches.html Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:00:08 EDT news704031481 A Northwestern Medicine study has uncovered how chronic defects in muscle membrane repair can fuel harmful inflammation. The findings offer new details on an essential biological process and may be useful in understanding certain forms of muscular dystrophy, said Elizabeth McNally, MD, Ph.D., the Elizabeth J. Ward Professor of Genetic Medicine, director of the Center for Genetic Medicine, and co-senior author of the study published in JCI Insight. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-leaky-muscle-fibers-immune-response.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:40:06 EDT news703769401 With the aid of physical forces—in this case, sound—it is possible to actively steer the formation of engineered tissue. For example, sound waves can be used to create functional vascular networks with blood vessel-like structures in vitro. Scientists at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University have demonstrated this through their methodology for acoustic manipulation. The team led by Junior Professor Dr. Daniela Duarte Campos also defines quality requirements for generating complex vascularized 3D tissue containing multiple cell types that is relevant, for example, to biomedical studies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-cultured-cells-vessel-networks-week.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:20:02 EDT news703250302 A new study published in Nature Communications identifies a molecular signaling pathway that contributes to the development of life-threatening aortic aneurysms and dissections in Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting connective tissue. The findings provide new insight into how structural alterations in the aortic wall lead to disease progression and point to potential therapeutic targets. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-fibronectin-pathway-marfan-aortic-drug.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:40:06 EDT news702563602 Researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) have identified a specialized population of immune cells that plays a central role in driving abnormal tissue growth in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), offering new insight into disease progression and potential treatment strategies. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, reveals that a subset of immune cells known as SPP1ʰⁱ macrophages works in tandem with structural cells and protein scaffolds to promote excessive tissue expansion in the joints of patients with RA. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-hidden-mechanism-joint-tissue-growth.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:20:01 EDT news701531835 Researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new platform that combines 3D bioprinting, advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to better monitor how cancer responds to treatment. The technology could help researchers identify promising cancer therapies more rapidly and provide a way to test treatments on a patient's own tumor cells, helping guide more personalized treatment decisions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-ai-3d-tumor-organoids-rapidly.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:20:03 EDT news701364302 Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil have identified a molecule on the surface of cells that could be a promising therapeutic target against cancer. This molecule plays an important role in tumor progression by regulating cellular behavior. The research is published in the journal Cytotechnology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-molecule-cancer-cell-surfaces-therapies.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:10:01 EDT news701019841 About 25 million people in the U.S.—roughly eight out of 100—are diagnosed with asthma. Allergens, air pollution, extreme weather conditions and other irritants can cause chronic lung inflammation, leading to coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-asthma-reshape-airway-tissue-mechanical.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 18:00:05 EDT news700754821 Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)—even mild concussions—may trigger a chain reaction in the brain that disrupts neuronal communication, long-term memory and cognition, according to University of California, Riverside, research investigating how the brain's immune system responds after injury. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-enemy-immune-worsens-brain-injury.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:20:06 EDT news700736462 Researchers at Kanazawa University have identified a previously unrecognized mechanism by which structural changes in the cerebellum influence social behavior. The study demonstrates that disruption of specialized extracellular structures surrounding cerebellar neurons alters neuronal activity across brain circuits involved in social behavior. The findings provide new insight into the neural mechanisms associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The work is published in the journal Translational Psychiatry. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-cerebellar-nets-social-behavior-autism.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:03 EDT news700476661 Antibodies targeting tumors can be powerful weapons to fight cancer if they reach their intended target. But, particularly in solid tumors, it can be difficult or impossible to see where the antibodies end up after they are introduced into the body. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-cell-platform-tracks-antibody-drug.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:00:02 EDT news699614161 Researchers at the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM), Karolinska Institutet, have identified a possible mechanism behind the spread of the aggressive brain tumor diffuse midline glioma. The study shows that the brain's own immune cells, microglia, may contribute to the tumor's invasive capacity by producing the protein fibronectin. The results are published in the journal Cell Death & Disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-children-brain-tumors-faster-microglia.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:40:07 EDT news699537541 Researchers have discovered a new way that brain plasticity is controlled in early life, offering insight into the little-understood phenomenon of critical-period closure. In the months or years after birth, critical periods of learning in the brain are open, making the organ uniquely sensitive to information coming from the outside world. Experiences during this time can have a lasting impact on the brain by sculpting neural connections that persist into adulthood. As a child or young animal matures, this heightened period of brain plasticity ends as critical periods begin to close through mechanisms that remain largely unclear. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-stress-hormone-brain-clues-early.html Sun, 31 May 2026 13:00:03 EDT news699112850 Common medications used to treat anemia may also slow down cancer cell growth, according to new research from Finland. Researchers from the University of Oulu and the University of Eastern Finland discovered that these drugs affect cell metabolism and growth in ways previously unknown. The findings, published in Redox Biology, suggest that the drugs could benefit cancer patients who often suffer from anemia, potentially treating two problems at once. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-common-anemia-medication-unexpected-potential.html Thu, 28 May 2026 18:40:01 EDT news699183909 Molecular clocks that can provide accurate estimates of both molecular age and lifespan across multiple mammalian species and tissue types are presented in an article published in Nature this week. An analysis of more than 11,000 human, rodent, and primate samples reveals conserved signatures of aging. This framework may aid the development of targeted interventions to improve longevity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-gene-clocks-lifespan-species-epigenetic.html Thu, 28 May 2026 12:20:01 EDT news699187143 A largely overlooked space between cells in women's brains may hold the key to understanding memory loss tied to estrogen decline after menopause, reports a new preclinical Northwestern Medicine study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-memory-decline-menopause-linked-loss.html Tue, 26 May 2026 05:30:01 EDT news698919841 It is known that the antiepileptic drug valproate increases the risk of developmental disorders in unborn children. A study conducted by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tübingen, and the University Heidelberg using lab-grown tissue models of the human brain gives new insights into the effects this drug has on early brain development. They open new avenues for research to mitigate the risk during pregnancy. The study has been published in Molecular Psychiatry. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-common-epilepsy-drug-disrupts-early.html Fri, 22 May 2026 12:40:03 EDT news698668621 Researchers have developed a novel mouse model that replicates severe geleophysic dysplasia, including short stature, heart valve alterations, and early lethality—characteristics of this rare disease. The findings from the study in The American Journal of Pathology provide a basis for the identification of molecular mechanisms underlying geleophysic dysplasia, which can then be targeted for therapeutic purposes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-mouse-recreates-severe-geleophysic-dysplasia.html Mon, 18 May 2026 18:00:06 EDT news698340179 Bone marrow is the spongy tissue located within the hollow center of bones, serving as the primary site for the continuous production of red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. Despite its physiological importance, the developmental mechanism by which this soft tissue is formed within the rigid confines of hard bone has remained largely unknown. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-bones-marrow-newly-cells-reappear.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:30:01 EDT news696614941 Researchers at WashU Medicine have uncovered new molecular insights into Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other forms of dementia by analyzing thousands of proteins in both cerebrospinal fluid and blood plasma. The study, led by Carlos Cruchaga, the Barbara Burton & Reuben Morriss III Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and director of the NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center at WashU Medicine, represents one of the largest and most comprehensive multi-tissue analyses of proteins across multiple neurodegenerative diseases to date. The findings raise the possibility of developing blood tests for earlier and more precise diagnosis of these conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-blood-spinal-fluid-proteins-reveal.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:40:03 EDT news696255301 Diabetes affects more than 40 million people in the United States, according to the American Diabetes Association. For many, the chronic condition means a lifetime of pain as worsening circulation leads to nonhealing ulcers in the extremities, especially the legs and feet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-diabetic-wound-treatment-cells.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:00:04 EDT news695572920 Preeclampsia is a life-threatening pregnancy complication that affects roughly 1 in 10 pregnancies worldwide and, in the United States alone, around 5%–8% of pregnancies. The condition can lead to severe, long-term health consequences for mothers and their babies. Despite its prevalence, though, the underlying cause has remained largely unknown. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-root-preeclampsia.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:40:01 EDT news695376782 Fibrosis is the body's way of patching up damage—a bit like fixing a pothole. When skin is cut or a muscle is injured, fibroblast cells rush in to make fibronectin and collagen, which are two major extracellular matrix proteins in tissue. They pull the wound edges together and build a temporary scaffold to let tissue heal. Once the job is done, the body slowly removes the extra fibers and the tissue softens again. This type of normal wound healing is essential. However, problems arise when fibroblasts do not stop making fibers. Instead of healing and calming, the tissue becomes thicker, stiffer, and less able to work. This long-term, uncontrolled scarring is called pathological fibrosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-uncontrolled-scarring-reveals-cell-sensor.html Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:40:02 EDT news694354584 Periodontitis is a serious chronic inflammatory form of gum disease that affects millions worldwide. It can lead to tooth loss and the destruction of supporting bone. This disease has also been linked to other health problems, including diabetes, respiratory infections, and heart disease, impacting quality of life and increasing health care costs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-stiff-defense-physical-rigidity-healthy.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:40:01 EDT news694258168 Obesity is known to be a major risk factor that exacerbates metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. A key molecule involved in this process is endotrophin, a signaling protein that links excess fat accumulation to metabolic decline. Recent research from UNIST has identified a natural compound capable of directly inhibiting endotrophin production, paving the way for innovative therapeutic interventions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-natural-compound-nigericin-endotrophin-obesity.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:40:05 EDT news694261442 A study by researchers at the University of California San Diego could make it easier to treat breast cancer by uncovering a new way the body helps prevent its spread. The scientists discovered a new role for an inflammatory protein called TYK2 in mechanotransduction, the process by which cells sense and respond to their physical environment. Understanding mechanotransduction can provide insights into how cancer spreads and provide new avenues for treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-tyk2-protein-suppresses-breast-cancer.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:10:01 EDT news694196222 A research group led by Professor Cecilia Sahlgren at Åbo Akademi University (Finland) and the InFLAMES Research Flagship has identified a new mechanism directing the adverse remodeling of tumor tissue during breast cancer progression. This discovery could offer new treatment opportunities against aggressive forms of breast cancer that currently lack targeted therapy options. The findings are published in the journal Science Advances. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-breast-cancers-faster-jagged1-trigger.html Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:40:03 EDT news693072061