Medical Xpress news

Medical Xpress / Natural 'decoy receptor' protects against inflammatory bowel disease, research reveals

In a study published in Nature Immunology on January 6, a research team led by Prof. Qian Youcun from the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences identified a new member of the ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Immunology
Medical Xpress / Immune system plays a major role in brain damage after repeated concussions, study suggests

From football fields to military training grounds, head injuries are leaving lasting marks on the brain in ways we're only beginning to understand. Repeated concussions can increase the risk of mood issues, memory loss and ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Neuroscience
Medical Xpress / Light-triggered microneedle patch could make IVF hormone delivery painless and automated

A McGill University research team has developed a painless, automated way to deliver in vitro fertilization (IVF) hormones using a light-activated microneedle patch, an innovation that could ease one of the most stressful ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Obstetrics & gynaecology
Medical Xpress / Want to speed brain research? It's all in how you look at it.

To get a better look at brains, Harvard researchers are making microscopes work more like human eyes.

Jan 7, 2026 in Neuroscience
Medical Xpress / Gene therapy 'switch' may offer non-addictive pain relief

A preclinical study uncovered a new gene therapy that targets pain centers in the brain while eliminating the risk of addiction from narcotics treatments, a breakthrough which could provide hope for the more than 50 million ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Neuroscience
Medical Xpress / As we age, immune cells protect the spinal cord, study reveals

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that the nervous system's own immune cells help protect the spinal cord from age-related damage. The results, which may contribute to new knowledge about how certain neurological ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Neuroscience
Medical Xpress / Fatal infection risk in newborns may increase when this bacterium and fungus mix

Researchers at the University of Maine have discovered that a common interaction between a bacterium and a fungus may significantly increase the risk of severe and potentially fatal infections in newborns, while also making ...

Medical Xpress / Pain-sensing neurons kick-start immune responses that drive allergies and asthma

Pain-sensing neurons in the gut kindle inflammatory immune responses that cause allergies and asthma, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine. The findings, published in Nature, suggest that current drugs may not ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Neuroscience
Medical Xpress / Cooler bedroom temperatures help the heart recover during sleep, finds study

Maintaining a bedroom temperature of 24°C (75°F) at night while sleeping reduces stress responses in older adults, according to new Griffith University research published in the journal BMC Medicine.

Jan 7, 2026 in Health
Medical Xpress / Higher intake of food preservatives linked to increased cancer risk

A higher intake of food preservatives, widely used in industrially processed foods and beverages to extend shelf-life, is associated with a modestly increased risk of cancer, finds a study from France published in The BMJ.

Jan 7, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer
Medical Xpress / Exercise to treat depression may yield similar results to therapy

Exercise may reduce symptoms of depression to a similar extent as psychological therapy, according to an updated Cochrane review that appears in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. When compared with antidepressant ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Psychology & Psychiatry
Medical Xpress / Microbial patterns in colorectal tumors may predict patient survival and disease progression

A recent study shows that bacteria living inside colorectal tumors form distinct ecosystems that are closely linked to how the disease progresses and patient outcomes. These "tissue-resident" microbes appear to play an integral ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer