https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Scientists have found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day may significantly reduce your risk of developing dementia, but drinking more won't help protect your brain any further. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-morning-coffee-brain-age-sweet.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 11:30:05 EST news689869187 New research indicates that a drug commonly prescribed for gout may also lower the risk of heart attack and stroke when taken at an appropriate dose. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-gout-early.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:10:01 EST news689848812 As instigators of immunity, monoclonal antibodies are marvels of modern medicine, lab-made proteins that can treat cancers, autoimmune diseases, and many other conditions. With the market for these therapies forecast to double by 2030, it might seem that the only thing they can't do is grow fast enough. New research from the University of Oklahoma aims to put an end to that limitation, too. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ai-antibody-drug-production.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:40:04 EST news689873354 Blood vessels in the brain are highly interconnected and efficient in actively regulating blood flow. Yet, the mechanisms that regulate flow are not well studied on a holistic level. To determine how the brain can reliably control such a seemingly complicated network, UC San Diego Professor of Physics David Kleinfeld and Postdoctoral Scholar Ji Xiang formulated a mathematical model that uses the measured connections among vessels to predict the impact of a change in a single vessel on the flow through all the other vessels. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-brain-blood.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:00:05 EST news689867495 A new study led by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center found that blood-based DNA markers known as protein epiScores can help predict which colorectal cancer patients face a higher risk of cancer recurrence or death. Results of the study were published in Clinical Epigenetics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-qa-simple-blood-colorectal-cancer.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:36:57 EST news689866562 The Winter Olympics and Paralympics are upon us once again. This year the games come to Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, where weather forecasts are predicting temperatures in the upper 30s to mid-40s Fahrenheit (1 to 10 degrees Celsius). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-winter-olympians-temperatures-physiology-advances.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:55:43 EST news689860502 Heart disease affects women differently than men, and understanding those differences can be lifesaving. Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and leading expert in the field of women's heart health, says progress in research, treatment and prevention has accelerated but women still need better information. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-video-cardiologist-discusses-heart-disease.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:23:03 EST news689858521 In September 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the Apple Watch Hypertension Notifications Feature, a cuffless tool that uses the watch's optical sensors to detect blood flow patterns and alert users when their data suggest possible hypertension. While the feature is not intended to diagnose high blood pressure, it represents a step toward wearable-based population screening. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-reveals-gaps-apple-ability-undiagnosed.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:00:01 EST news689592722 For the millions of people living with end-stage kidney disease, hemodialysis is more than a medical procedure, it is a thrice-weekly lifeline that keeps the body's chemistry in balance. Yet even with decades of clinical experience and numerous technological advances, one stubborn challenge persists: determining how much fluid to remove during treatment without tipping a patient into dangerous instability. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-window-hemodialysis-optical-sensors-treatment.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:01:51 EST news689849881 Doctors say the big game can also bring big health risks, from heart strain to food poisoning and alcohol-related emergencies, especially for folks with underlying medical conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-super-bowl-doctors-hidden-health.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:46:10 EST news689848975 The presence of nitazenes on the unregulated drug market has risen steeply in the last seven years—prompting UK and international bodies to issue public health warnings about their use. King's College London research, published in Clinical Toxicology, sheds light on the UK's growing synthetic opioid problem. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-uk-synthetic-opioid-problem-nitazene.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:10:02 EST news689592182 New research explores how hormonal contraceptive use may influence cardiovascular and thrombotic risk in women, including those with anxiety, depression or PTSD. Antonia Seligowski, Ph.D., of the Neurocardiac Effects of Stress & Trauma Laboratory within the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, is the senior author of a paper published in JAMA Network Open, titled "Hormonal contraceptive use, stress disorders, and cardiovascular and thrombotic risk in women." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-qa-discusses-interplay-hormonal-contraceptive.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 17:30:01 EST news689527212 A group of medications often used to treat diabetes may also help protect aging kidneys, according to a new study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-diabetes-drug-kidney-aging-fast.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:30:01 EST news689518382 Many middle-aged folks and seniors are shrugging off their annual flu or COVID-19 shot for a very simple reason, a new survey has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-older-americans-seasonal-vaccines.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:30:03 EST news689503116 Diagnostic tools based on artificial intelligence are now making their way into Norwegian hospitals. AI can independently read X-ray images and detect bone fractures, or assess cancer tumors in both the breast and prostate. "AI tools can take over the detection of simple and clear-cut cases, allowing doctors to spend their time on more complex ones," said Tone Frost Bathen. She is a professor at NTNU and the project manager of an AI-powered analysis tool for prostate cancer called PROVIZ. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ai-tool-prostate-mris-biopsy.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:30:05 EST news689442342 Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. February is American Heart Month, established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to encourage Americans to prioritize and protect their heart health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-qa-american-heart-month-spotlights.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 05:13:56 EST news689663603 Americans could be facing an uphill battle when it comes to protecting their heart health as they age, a new Cleveland Clinic poll reveals. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-americans-optimistic-heart-health-prospects.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:00:05 EST news689596172 Ovarian cancer kills more women than any other gynecological cancer. Most patients receive their diagnosis only after the disease spreads throughout the abdomen. Until now, scientists have never fully understood why this cancer advances so fast. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-scientists-ovarian-cancer-rapidly-abdomen.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:00:01 EST news689592481 Supriya Chakraborty might have been studying insects in a lab had it not been for an immunology college instructor in India who taught him about the superheroes inside him—immune cells that wage a battle against bacteria, parasites, and a host of other adversaries that invade our bodies. "That really fascinated me," Chakraborty recalled. "My focus shifted from entomology to wanting to solve illnesses that affect humans, specifically neurodegenerative disorders." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-preclinical-successfully-reverses-loss-blood.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:44:51 EST news689600641 Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than one million people in the United States, with approximately 90,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Although available treatments can help manage symptoms, there is currently no cure or therapy proven to slow the progression of the disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-stem-cell-brain-implants-aim.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:10:05 EST news689504624 Could plastic byproducts and forever chemicals found in drinking water cause your body to attack your own nervous system? Research from Sweden links higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-chemicals-boost-multiple-sclerosis-safe.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:40:39 EST news689532002 Novo Nordisk said Thursday it would take legal action against a US chain offering a copycat of the new pill version of its Wegovy weight-loss drug. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-novo-nordisk-vows-legal-action.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:30:01 EST news689527711 Blood flows around the body through a complex network of vessels, which must constantly adapt to changing needs. The balance between growing new vessels and stabilizing existing vessels, so they aren't leaky, must be finely tuned. Abnormal blood vessel growth has been linked to a wide range of diseases, including bleeding disorders, cancer and diabetic retinopathy, but the underlying mechanisms aren't fully understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-link-protein-key-disorganized-blood.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:20:04 EST news689519330 Our immune system implements an array of strategies to combat threatening infections. White blood cells called cytotoxic T lymphocytes or "CD8 T cells" are soldiers of the immune system, serving as defensive agents that fight invading pathogens. Their role is vital for counteracting short-term, acute viral infections and controlling long-term infections. But every bodily system has its limits. When CD8 T cells reach the point of exhaustion, their protective capabilities decline and the immune system is much less effective. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-fatty-acids-immune-defense-chronic.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:20:05 EST news689504184 So you think you can't donate blood because of a tattoo, or you traveled overseas or maybe you got a vaccine recently? Chances are you CAN donate blood! https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-blood-donation-vaccines-tattoos-disqualify.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 20:20:01 EST news689422489 A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that damage to small blood vessels in the hereditary disease CADASIL may disrupt important brain functions in the hippocampus, a region involved in memory. The findings help explain why many people with CADASIL develop cognitive problems and dementia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-hereditary-disease-cadasil-linked-brain.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 19:30:03 EST news689425373 Following a Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of all types of stroke among women, according to a study published in Neurology Open Access. The study does not prove that the Mediterranean diet is the cause of the lower risk of stroke; it only shows an association. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-mediterranean-diet.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:48:31 EST news689446081 Strength training strengthens muscles, improves blood glucose control, and is said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, people with lower physical fitness, age-related muscle weakness, lower muscle mass, or obesity may find training with heavy weights difficult. In addition, many people underestimate how much weight they actually need to build muscle (about 70% of their individual maximum strength). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-special-strength-lighter-weights-effectively.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:21:10 EST news689440801 Improving blood flow to the brain by opening a narrowed neck artery may not improve patients' cognitive skills, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-blood-brain-arteries-plaque-cognitive.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:55:46 EST news689439302 A UCLA research team has identified the best design for a promising new type of immunotherapy that could be mass-produced to treat multiple solid tumors. The study focused on engineered invariant natural killer T cells, or NKT cells—powerful immune cells with a unique ability to infiltrate solid tumors—and systematically compared four targeting systems, called chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs, that direct these cells to attack cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-shelf-immunotherapy-solid-tumors-ready.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:23:10 EST news689430122