Medical Xpress news

Dialog / A surprising pathway that lets the striatum talk directly to the auditory cortex

For decades, neuroscientists have thought about communication between the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia in a fairly linear way. The cortex sends information into the basal ganglia, where that information is processed ...

Aug 12, 2026
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, ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Machine learning approach could bring greater certainty to prenatal genetic testing

Advances in genome sequencing are giving more families access to prenatal genetic testing and new information about an unborn baby's health, including whether genetic changes may be linked to a neurodevelopmental condition.

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / 3D lifespan map suggests mouse ovaries keep a constant share of eggs primed

As mice age, their total egg reserve collapses around tenfold. Yet, according to a new study published in Nature Aging, the proportion of eggs in the brief window where a follicle is shifting from dormant to growing stays ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Estrogen-only hormone therapy associated with lower risk of dementia

Use of hormone therapy later in life was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia, according to a study published in Neurology.

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Dysregulated immune cells may cause silent inflammation after heart attack

Coronary artery disease, which is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, can appear stable for long periods without causing any symptoms. But the disease can become unstable at any time and ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Men's higher TB burden may stem from greater exposure, not disease progression

Men are more likely than women to catch tuberculosis (TB), finds a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers. Globally, men account for around two-thirds of people diagnosed with TB, but until now, the ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Lead-contaminated soil tracked indoors can create hazardous indoor conditions even in houses without lead paint

Lead contamination in soil tracked inside homes can cause dangerous indoor lead dust levels even in residences with no interior lead-based paint, according to researchers with the Rutgers Environmental, Occupational and Health ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Restoring inhibitory neuron plasticity may reverse neurodevelopmental disorder symptoms, preclinical study suggests

Some of the symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy, may result from dysfunction of certain neurons in the brain and their ability to change their properties in response ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Genomic newborn screening could identify some children at risk for early cancers

A large population-based study led by researchers at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Mass General Brigham suggests that genetic testing added to routine newborn screening could identify ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Documenting curbside consultations can improve patient safety

Implementing a hospitalwide program for documenting informal clinician consultations improved patient safety through better communication and multidisciplinary care in a pediatric health care system, according to a recent ...

Aug 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Ultra-processed foods linked to notably higher prostate cancer risks

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) account for nearly 60% of adults' and 70% of children's energy intake in the United States. These industrially manufactured products—such as soft drinks, packaged cereals and snacks, and processed ...

Aug 12, 2026