Tapping Crowd-Sourced Data Unearths Trove of Depression Genes
Scientists have discovered 15 genome sites—the first ever—linked to depression in people of European ancestry.
Visual Impairment, Blindness Cases in U.S. Expected to Double by 2050
With the youngest of the baby boomers hitting 65 by 2029, the number of people with visual impairment or blindness in the United States is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, according to projections based on the most recent census data and from studies funded by NEI.
NIH-Funded Study Reveals How Differences in Male, Female Brains Emerge
According to new research published in Nature, scientists have determined how these sexually dimorphic (occurring in either males or females) connections arise in the worm nervous system. The research was funded by NINDS.
Increased Physical Activity Associated with Lower Risk of 13 Types of Cancer
A new study of the relationship between physical activity and cancer has shown that greater levels of leisure-time physical activity were associated with a lower risk of developing 13 different types of cancer.
Visual Activity Regenerates Neural Connections Between Eye, Brain
An NIH-funded study in mice shows for the first time that high-contrast visual stimulation can help damaged retinal neurons regrow optic nerve fibers, otherwise known as retinal ganglion cell axons.
Researchers Make Advance in Possible Treatments for Gaucher, Parkinson’s Diseases
With assistance from high-throughput drug screening, NIH researchers have identified and tested a molecule that shows promise as a possible treatment for the rare Gaucher disease and the more common Parkinson’s disease.
High Levels of Urinary Paracetamol May Impair Male Fertility, Study Suggests
Couples in which the male partner had high levels of paracetamol in his urine took longer to achieve pregnancy than couples in which the male had lower levels of the compound, according to a preliminary study.
Experimental Dengue Vaccine Protects All Recipients in Virus Challenge Study
A clinical trial in which volunteers were infected with dengue virus 6 months after receiving either an experimental dengue vaccine developed by NIH scientists or a placebo injection yielded starkly contrasting results.
Mindfulness Meditation Offers Relief for Low-Back Pain
Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may prove more effective than usual treatment in alleviating chronic low-back pain, according to a new study funded by NCCIH.
Skin Patch to Treat Peanut Allergy Shows Benefit in Children
A wearable patch that delivers small amounts of peanut protein through the skin shows promise for treating children and young adults with peanut allergy, with greater benefits for younger children, according to 1-year results from an ongoing clinical trial.