Articles by Sanjukta Mondal
Medical Xpress / Brain inflammation may cast a long dementia shadow in older survivors of encephalitis
Encephalitis is a serious condition in which an infection or autoimmune response triggers inflammation of the brain. The resulting swelling can disrupt normal brain function, causing neurological changes such as confusion, ...
Phys.org / Genome study reveals centromeres as one of the fastest-changing regions in human DNA
A centromere is a specific region on a chromosome that ensures that, when a cell divides, the chromosome separates accurately so each new cell receives the correct amount of genetic material. Despite their essential role, ...
Medical Xpress / Long before adulthood, a chemical mark may quietly shape how the brain handles stress
Stress or trauma during childhood may leave people more vulnerable to mental health struggles and stress later in life. Scientists think one reason could be that early-life stress leaves lasting molecular bookmarks on DNA, ...
Medical Xpress / People carrying a rare gene variant have naturally low body fat, healthier livers and better blood sugar levels
There are people around us who can maintain their weight despite what they eat. This has led scientists to believe that a person's metabolism and tendency toward obesity may have genetic factors behind them. A large study ...
Medical Xpress / Lonely people can feel their heartbeat clearly like everyone else, but their brains respond differently
For a long time, psychologists have described loneliness as the discomfort that comes from wanting more social connection than we feel we have, but there is more nuance to loneliness. Scientists are increasingly finding that ...
Medical Xpress / Ketamine triggers morning cortisol surge tied to fewer suicidal thoughts—but the link remains uncertain
In 1970, ketamine was approved as an anesthetic. It works by blocking receptors in the brain. Suicidal tendencies are among the dangers that accompany severe depression. Doctors have found that a low dose of ketamine, much ...
Medical Xpress / Common blood storage bags may leach microplastics into stored blood
In the 1970s, PVC bags revolutionized the storage of blood and blood products for transfusion. Disposable plastic (PVC) bags replaced reusable glass bottles, making the process more convenient and safer from contamination. ...
Medical Xpress / New psychedelic candidate may spare the gut while still healing the brain
Psychedelic drugs are best known for altering perception and producing vivid hallucinations, but scientists are increasingly interested in what else they might do. A growing body of research suggests that these mind-altering ...
Medical Xpress / How the brain's electrical signatures shift as tinnitus becomes chronic
Ears are built to listen to sounds from the world around us, but for some people, the sound comes from within. Tinnitus causes people to hear ringing or other noises in one or both ears or in their heads, even when there ...
Medical Xpress / Microplastics cross placenta-like barrier and disrupt key pregnancy hormones in new cell model study
Tiny, near-invisible fragments of plastic shed from the products we use every day through sunlight and mechanical wear have been quietly working their way deep into the human body. Microplastics have already been found in ...
Medical Xpress / Rare bone disease often goes untreated while patients quietly live with chronic pain
Teeth and bones are among the hardest structures in the human body, but certain inherited conditions can rob them of that strength. One of them is hypophosphatasia (HPP), a rare, lifelong genetic bone disorder that disrupts ...
Medical Xpress / Your personality changes more across your life than you think, according to new study
Personality traits have long been seen as set in stone, with many believing they stop changing once we reach adulthood. A recent study, however, challenges this long-held belief, suggesting that personality changes far more ...
Medical Xpress / Study of 2 million newborns ties skipped vitamin K shot to higher bleeding risk
Newborns receive several routine immunizations shortly after birth. Prophylactic vitamin K is one such recommended shot. It activates several coagulation factors necessary for blood to clot properly, preventing vitamin K ...
Phys.org / Diego Rivera claimed his mural Creation was half wax, but chemical forensics says otherwise
Adorning the walls of San Ildefonso College in Mexico City is artist Diego Rivera's masterpiece, rendered in fresco and gold leaf, The Creation, or La Creacioń. It depicts a man standing with his arms outstretched beneath ...
Medical Xpress / Not all exercise is equal when it comes to metabolic syndrome risk
Not every disease announces itself with obvious symptoms. Some develop quietly, going unnoticed until they begin to take a serious toll on health. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of them. Rather than a single disease, it ...
