Medical Xpress news

Medical Xpress / Most Alzheimer's cases linked to variants in a single gene

Potentially more than 90% of Alzheimer's disease cases would not occur without the contribution of a single gene (APOE), according to a new analysis led by UCL researchers.

Jan 9, 2026 in Genetics
Medical Xpress / How your brain keeps time: Consistent probability calculations help you react rapidly

Humans respond to environments that change at many different speeds. A video game player, for example, reacts to on-screen events unfolding within hundreds of milliseconds or over several seconds. A boxer anticipates an opponent's ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Psychology & Psychiatry
Medical Xpress / 'Motivation brake' may explain why it's so hard to get started on an unpleasant task

Most of us know the feeling: maybe it is making a difficult phone call, starting a report you fear will be criticized, or preparing a presentation that's stressful just to think about. You understand what needs to be done, ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Psychology & Psychiatry
Medical Xpress / SARS-CoV-2 is on the decline in animals, researchers find

During the first few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus SARS-CoV-2 was detected in an increasing number of non-human animal species. This included many wild animal species as well as domestic animals such as dogs and ...

Medical Xpress / Control valve discovered in gut's plumbing system may hold answers to constipation and diarrhea

Although constipation and diarrhea may seem like opposite problems, they both hinge on the same underlying issue: how much fluid moves into the gut. These common issues affect millions of people in the U.S. each year, yet ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Medical research
Medical Xpress / Hormone estradiol shapes women's brain responses to threat after trauma, study finds

Women are more than twice as likely as men to develop stress-related conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the biological mechanisms underlying that risk have remained poorly understood. New research ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Psychology & Psychiatry
Medical Xpress / Origin cells for common malignant brain tumor in young adults uncovered

IDH-mutant glioma, caused by abnormalities in a specific gene (IDH), is the most common malignant brain tumor among young adults under the age of 50. It is a refractory brain cancer that is difficult to treat due to its high ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer
Medical Xpress / TB harnesses part of immune defense system to cause infection, study finds

Scientists have made a discovery that helps explain why humans and animals are so susceptible to contracting tuberculosis (TB)—and it involves the bacteria harnessing part of the immune system meant to protect against infection.

Medical Xpress / Personalizing cancer treatments significantly improves outcomes in clinical trial

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have led the first clinical trial in the world to show that cancer drug treatments can be safely and effectively personalized based on the unique DNA of ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer
Medical Xpress / Improving sleep isn't enough: Daytime function as a key to assessing insomnia treatments

About one in nine adults suffer from chronic insomnia and its residual effects like drowsiness, cognitive issues, and irritability, as well as increased health risks like diabetes and heart risks if left untreated. While ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Health
Medical Xpress / Diabetes costs the global economy trillions, says study

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder and one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases worldwide. On average, one in ten adults is affected. The number of people living with diabetes continues to rise, ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Diabetes
Medical Xpress / Genetic study uncovers unknown causes of blindness

Researchers from Radboud University Medical Center and University of Basel have discovered new genetic causes of inherited blindness. Their study, published in Nature Genetics, shows that changes in specific pieces of DNA, ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Genetics