Medical

Medical science has come a long way from tribal shaman dispensing herbs and roots. Having already cured many diseases and conditions that were once a death sentence, medical researchers continue to strive to help us live longer and healthier lives. Great advances are being made in regrowing damaged organs, turning back our biological clocks, and the big one – finding a cure for cancer.

Medical Audio available

Another big Alzheimer’s drug fails in late-stage human trials

Rich Haridy March 21, 2019

A shockwave hit the Alzheimer’s research community today after Biogen announced it was discontinuing two massive final phase human trials into the promising Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab. The announcement is the latest in a long line of failed Alzheimer’s drugs targeting the amyloid hypothesis.

Biogen has abandoned late-stage clinical trials for a previously promising Alzheimer's drug

Medical

Techy toilet seat made to monitor heart patients

Ben Coxworth March 21, 2019

In the not-too-distant future, when congestive heart failure patients are being released from hospital, they may be given a special toilet seat to take home. That device would measure their vital signs every time they sit on it, sending alerts if more heart trouble were detected.

Nicholas Conn with one of the prototype toilet seats

Medical

Revolutions: The incredible potential of induced pluripotent stem cells

Nick Lavars March 20, 2019

This installment of our Revolutions series brings you up to date with the ground-breaking new discoveries made around the regenerative possibilities of induced pluripotent stem cells, which can theoretically be coaxed into any kind of cell in the human body.

Discovered in 2006, induced pluripotent stem cells can be coaxed into any kind of cell in ...

Medical Audio available

Smell of Parkinson’s finally identified, early detection test on the way

Rich Haridy March 20, 2019

A team of scientists has solved the mystery of the strange Parkinson's disease smell, revealing a number of skin-secreted volatile biomarkers can be detected in patients suffering from the disease. The next step for the research is to turn this discovery into an early-detection tool.

A woman who noticed her husband developed a distinctive smell has led to skin-secreted volatile biomarkers ...

Medical

Deep brain stimulation provides fast-acting and long-lasting relief of severe depression

Nick Lavars March 19, 2019

A new study exploring the potential for deep brain stimulation to treat severe depression has returned "absolutely sensational" results, with the reduction of depressive symptoms being not only fast-acting, but in some cases long-lasting.

Researchers implanted electrodes into the brain’s medial forebrain bundle, seen in blue, as a way of ...

Medical

FDA approves first drug to specifically treat postpartum depression, but it isn't cheap

Rich Haridy March 19, 2019

Zulresso, also known as brexanolone, has just been approved to treat postpartum depression by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first drug ever approved to specifically assist women suffering from this mood disorder..

A new drug treatment that is administered through a slow IV infusion lasting up to 60 ...

Medical Audio available

Harvard scientists uncover how poor sleep leads to cardiovascular disease

Michael Irving March 19, 2019

The main risk factors for heart disease are lifestyle choices like a bad diet, smoking, lack of exercise – and poor sleep. That last point has gone relatively unstudied, but new research out of Harvard has found the chemical chain reaction that links disrupted sleep and cardiovascular disease.

Harvard researchers have uncovered the chemical chain reaction that links a lack of sleep to cardiovascular ...

Medical Audio available

Positive trial results show ultrasound energy can treat high blood pressure

Rich Haridy March 18, 2019

A promising new study is documenting the long-term effects of a novel surgical procedure using ultrasound to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The one-off procedure, called renal denervation, is hoped to offer patients an alternative option to taking hypertension drugs.

A procedure called renal denervation resulted in medication-free blood pressure control in over a third of ...

Medical Audio available

Green tea found to prevent obesity in mice

Nick Lavars March 14, 2019

The latest intriguing observations surrounding the potential health benefits of green tea come from nutritionists at Ohio State University (OHU), who set out to study how the steamy beverage might limit obesity in mice and returned some positive results.

New research has uncovered evidence green tea consumption can prevent obesity in mice

Medical Audio available

Magnetic nano-probe explores individual cells from the inside

Michael Irving March 13, 2019

In future, microscopic robots could help heal us. While some of these have been capable of manipulating individual cells, researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a new way to get nanobots inside cells, and precisely control them once they’re in there.

A new nano-scale magnetic system is being developed to examine cells from the inside