Vanderbilt researchers found that ketamine’s rapid antidepressant action is due to specific synaptic effects. This represents a new target for drug development that could fill a major gap in care for depression. The research was led by Lisa Monteggia, professor of pharmacology and director of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Ege Kavalali, professor…
Has a treatment for Alzheimer’s been sitting on pharmacy shelves for decades? Scientists have two possible candidates
Two drugs approved decades ago not only counteract brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease in animal models, the same therapeutic combination may also improve cognition. Sounds like a slam dunk in terms of a cure—but not yet. Researchers currently are concentrating on animal studies amid implications that remain explosive: If…
Depression and anxiety for IBD patients may be related to vascular barrier in the choroid plexus closing
A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in Italy has found a possible connection between depression and anxiety for IBD patients and the vascular barrier in the brain choroid plexus closing. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their study of the gut-brain axis response…
Russia hits new record for COVID-19 deaths, resists lockdown
Russia hit another record of daily coronavirus deaths Tuesday as the country struggled with a rapid surge of infections and lagging vaccination rates, but authorities have been adamant that there would be no new national lockdown. The government coronavirus task force reported 973 coronavirus deaths, the highest daily toll since…
Better vaccination systems for migrants needed, following vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks data
A new study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, finds that migrant communities may be an under-immunized group in Europe that have been affected by vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks—including measles, chicken pox and hepatitis A. The results point to a need for improved health and vaccination systems to provide better care…
Study: It is safe for people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza at the same time
Research has found that it is safe for people to receive a flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. Reported side effects were mainly mild to moderate, and there were no negative impacts on the immune response produced by either vaccine when both were given on the…
Practical self-help guide for people with dementia
A free self-help guide is now available to support people diagnosed with dementia to achieve their goals to enjoy daily activities and independent living. The new resource, called “My Life, My Goals,” is funded and supported by Alzheimer’s Society, and based on a major research program led by the University…
Eyeglasses for school kids boosts academic performance
Students who received eyeglasses through a school-based program scored higher on reading and math tests, Johns Hopkins researchers from the Wilmer Eye Institute and School of Education found in the largest clinical study of the impact of glasses on education ever conducted in the United States. The students who struggled…
A promising path for future treatments to stop progressive multiple sclerosis
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins University, and others have published results of studies that map out the activity of genes, molecules, cells, and their interactions in specific types of multiple sclerosis (MS) brain lesions thought to contribute to progressive disability. The findings point to a possible…
A copper-infused mask for hospitality and tourism
Employees manning the frontlines of customer service, whether behind the hotel front desk or the restaurant counter, come face-to-face with folks from all walks of life for hours on end. With the Delta variant and upswing in COVID-19 cases, the hospitality business is seeing staffing issues as people weigh their…
A promising new treatment for COVID-19 infection
A flowering plant native to North Africa and Western Asia could be utilized in the future treatment of COVID-19 infection. The seeds of the plant, Nigella sativa, have been used for centuries as a traditional remedy for multiple medical conditions, including inflammation and infections. Now, an Australian-first research review article…