Medical Xpress news

Medical Xpress / Why scientists are looking to provoke disagreement among AI brain models

When people wanted to create better artificial intelligence, they looked to the brain for inspiration. Now the tables are turning, and researchers are using AI models to better understand the brain. But how do we judge which ...

Sep 7, 2026
Medical Xpress / Why beauty feels shared: Brain scans map art's content and pleasure pathways

Stand in front of "Turner's Sun Rising Over Water" (1825–30), and something odd tends to happen. The painting holds you, even though observers might struggle to say why. Maybe it is the color, the balance, the composition ...

Sep 7, 2026
Medical Xpress / Targeting mosquitoes reduces flesh-eating ulcer risk in Melbourne trial

Mosquito control in an urban setting can reduce a person's risk of contracting Buruli ulcer by over 80%, finds a new Melbourne-led study.

Sep 7, 2026
Medical Xpress / Brain's inhibitory circuits emerge as a potential brake on adult glioma progression

Brain tumors do not grow in isolation. They develop within the highly active environment of the brain, where neurons continuously exchange electrical and chemical signals. While previous studies have shown that neuronal activity ...

Sep 7, 2026
Medical Xpress / Mitochondrial DNA mutations may help turn aging hearts toward failure

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have shown that mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which accumulate in many tissues as we age, can actively contribute to impaired heart function. Until now, it has been difficult ...

Sep 7, 2026
Medical Xpress / Disabling a gene brake in pancreatic cells unlocks insulin-producing potential

Type 1 and 2 diabetes are ultimately caused by a shortage of beta (β) cells, which are present in the pancreas and produce insulin to control blood sugar. Researchers from Harvard Medical School found that they can tweak ...

Sep 6, 2026
Medical Xpress / Self-control matures later than working memory in adolescence, large analysis finds

Adolescence, the developmental phase between childhood and adulthood, is marked by substantial mental, emotional and social changes. Past psychological studies suggest that during this stage, humans gradually acquire greater ...

Sep 6, 2026
Medical Xpress / New data presented on the use of coronary artery calcium for cardiovascular risk assessment

There was no difference in major cardiovascular events when statin initiation was based on coronary artery calcium compared with traditional risk factor assessment, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today ...

Sep 6, 2026
Medical Xpress / Brain signaling mechanism may explain clozapine weight gain

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a key brain signaling pathway that appears to drive the substantial weight gain often associated with clozapine, a widely used antipsychotic medication. The preclinical ...

Sep 6, 2026
Medical Xpress / Laughter therapy can help people with COPD breathe more easily

A clinical trial for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) shows that laughter therapy can reduce breathing difficulties and is as effective as more traditional breathing exercises. The research was presented ...

Sep 6, 2026
Medical Xpress / In a third of cases, AI chatbots wrongly reassure sleep apnea patients that their symptoms aren't serious

In a third of cases, AI chatbots wrongly reassure sleep apnea patients that their symptoms are not serious, discouraging them from seeking a referral to a specialist, according to research presented at the European Respiratory ...

Sep 6, 2026
Medical Xpress / A single workout may help protect memory after a short night's sleep

Modern lifestyles, longer light exposure and constant digital distractions have pushed the world into a global sleep crisis—one that poses a major threat to public health. Sleep loss doesn't just leave us tired and irritable; ...

Sep 5, 2026