Medical Xpress news
Medical Xpress / AI companions may worsen loneliness for vulnerable users
AI companions are becoming increasingly popular, with millions of users forming deep connections with persona-based chatbots and simulated AI partners. But if you're considering leaning on an AI companion for emotional support, ...
Medical Xpress / Study uses living human brain tissue to map how electric stimulation affects neurons and genetic activity
Neurons that once encoded a person's memories are now helping researchers identify genetic targets that may one day help preserve memory and slow cognitive decline in others.
Medical Xpress / Early split in brain precursors creates two neuron lineages, mouse study finds
The cerebral cortex is densely packed with different nerve cells that enable us to perceive, think and act. Yet how these cell types arise as the brain develops is still not fully understood. Irene Varela-Martínez, a postdoctoral ...
Medical Xpress / New model maps where HIV is concentrated and the disease is more advanced
A new biostatistical modeling approach has the potential to support health decisions by pinpointing where HIV is concentrated and where people living with HIV are showing signs of severe immune suppression or delayed treatment. ...
Medical Xpress / Cancer Dependency Map now includes next-generation 3D cancer models
For nearly a decade, the Cancer Dependency Map, or DepMap, at the Broad Institute has helped scientists uncover new cancer dependencies—the genetic changes some cancers need to thrive that can potentially be targeted by new ...
Medical Xpress / International project delivers hundreds of next-generation models for cancer research
Ten years and thousands of patient samples later, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has published its results from the Human Cancer Model Initiative (HCMI) on the development of 665 organoid models of 25 types of cancer ...
Medical Xpress / Pretrained AI could help clinics analyze brain MRIs with few labeled scans
When it comes to medical imaging, a chatbot doesn't know its backside from its elbow. Or, at least, it can't tell a spine from a knee. But if a Boston University research team is successful, a smarter AI system for evaluating ...
Medical Xpress / IL-1 pathway may stop Candida fungus from turning fatal in weakened immunity
An immune pathway has been discovered that prevents a normally harmless fungus from developing into a fatal infection. The King's College London study, published in Nature Microbiology, provides the first potential clue as ...
Medical Xpress / Why laughter can trigger sudden muscle weakness in people with narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterized by disruptions in the regulation of sleep-wake cycles. People with this condition often experience extreme sleepiness during the day and, in some cases, a sudden ...
Medical Xpress / Cannabis-derived THC shows promise for treating PTSD-related nightmares
Drastic or even life-threatening events can have lingering effects, like an echo. This is referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The brain is unable to process these overwhelming experiences and stores the ...
Medical Xpress / How home gardens can reduce risk of type 2 diabetes
People with home gardens are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, a University of Queensland study has found, planting fresh evidence that gardens and green spaces should be a priority in urban planning.
Medical Xpress / Cancer cells hijack a fatty acid to escape immune attack in liver metastases
Liver metastases are among the most common and deadly forms of cancer spread. Now, researchers at VIB and KU Leuven, with international collaborators, have discovered how cancer cells exploit a fatty acid abundant in the ...