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Exploring the Potential of LSD for Treating Anxiety Disorders in 2026

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LSD and its effects on brain rewiring

LSD May Enhance Brain Rewiring and Alleviate Anxiety

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Two significant trials examining the potential of the hallucinogen LSD to alleviate anxiety are set to conclude in 2026. Early-stage trials have shown promising results, potentially allowing the treatment to be available in the United States by 2027.

Generalized anxiety disorder is prevalent, causing intense anxiety about various issues. Traditional treatments often include antidepressants and talk therapy, yet approximately half of patients do not respond adequately.

Other psychedelics, like psilocybin and MDMA, are already being utilized in certain nations, including Australia and Switzerland, to treat severe depression and PTSD. LSD is gaining attention in mental health studies, primarily because it has been shown to induce deep emotional experiences and may enhance the brain’s capacity to form new neural connections.

A pivotal trial in 2025 demonstrated that a single high dose of LSD significantly reduced moderate to severe anxiety for a duration of at least three months.

Currently, two late-stage trials are ongoing, with results expected in 2026. Each trial involves about 200 participants with moderate to severe anxiety who will receive either 100 micrograms of LSD or a placebo. Their anxiety levels will be monitored over three months post-administration.

In the subsequent 10-month phase, all participants, including those initially on a placebo, will have the opportunity to take LSD if they report their anxiety reaching a predefined threshold on a standardized scale. This design aims to assess the duration of effects following a single dose. Dan Carlin, affiliated with New York biotech firm MindMed, has been involved in both the 2025 trial and the current studies.

The primary distinction between the two studies is that, in the second trial, an additional group will receive 50 micrograms of LSD. The 2025 trial indicated this dosage could induce hallucinations but didn’t effectively diminish anxiety compared to the placebo, thereby addressing a common challenge in psychedelic research—participants often struggle to identify if they received the active drug.

Participants in this third group will be aware they received LSD but will remain uncertain if the dosage is sufficient to alleviate anxiety, as noted by Sandeep Nayak of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, who is not part of these trials.

If the results of both trials are favorable, the FDA could approve LSD for anxiety treatment in the United States by 2027, potentially leading to approval in Europe and other regions.

“If the upcoming trial confirms results similar to the previous ones from 2025, that should satisfy the FDA,” said Boris Heifetz of Stanford University.

A meaningful impact on patients’ lives is typically defined as a 3 to 5-point difference on the anxiety scale between placebo and LSD groups, as noted by Nayak. The 2025 trial showed a difference of approximately five points, indicating a strong possibility the next trial will meet this threshold. However, any therapeutic benefits must be weighed against the duration of effects and potential side effects.

For instance, temporary psychological distress during treatment might be acceptable to the FDA, unlike long-lasting distress, Nayak stated. Notably, long-term distress was not observed in the 2025 trial.

Even with potential approval, Nayak emphasizes it may take several years for LSD to become widely accessible for anxiety disorders, and it would likely be a last-resort treatment after conventional therapies fail. This is primarily due to the logistical challenges, such as the need for clinicians to supervise patients during psychedelic experiences.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Stop Treating Your Pet Like a Toy: It Could Harm Their Health.

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New Scientist. Our website and magazine provide science news and in-depth articles by expert journalists focusing on advancements in science, technology, health, and the environment.

Once commonplace pets in our yards have transitioned, for better or worse, into pampered “fur babies.” The American Veterinary Medical Association recently noted that pet owners are anticipated to spend nearly $1 billion on pet costumes this year. While many consider this harmless entertainment, the increasing trend of treating pets like surrogate children can pose significant risks to the health and well-being of the animals involved.

The ancestors of today’s fur babies belonged to a group of small, domesticated carnivores within the Canis and Felis genera, distributed worldwide. Even though these pets often have a shorter lifespan, they provide immense joy, companionship, and health benefits to their human companions, teaching children respect for animals and their basic needs.

Additionally, pets offer educational advantages, such as helping individuals experience and process non-human death, preparing them for the loss of human loved ones. Most pets receive basic necessities like food, water, shelter, and vaccinations, along with names that represent their traits or characteristics (e.g., Fido, Sooty, Rover). Crucially, many are assured a relatively peaceful end before the wear of old age diminishes their quality of life.

The shift from pets to fur babies can be attributed to various factors, including an overemphasis on the human-animal bond, rising affluence, lack of understanding of animals’ biological requirements, rampant consumerism, and reckless (though well-intentioned) anthropomorphism. The principal causes and effects of fur baby culture are intensifying and spreading globally. This is evident not only in the availability of costumes for special occasions but also in items like strollers, jewelry, perfumes, diapers, nail polish, hair dye, elaborate birthday cakes, and designer shoes, all coupled with access to “gold standard” veterinary care.

Research indicates that fur babyism negatively impacts both physical and psychological health. For example, while strollers may assist injured or arthritic pets, excessive use for otherwise healthy dogs can result in muscle atrophy, joint issues, and obesity. Limiting a fur baby’s mobility curtails their instinct to explore, mark territory, and interact with their environment, which can lead to anxiety and fear.

Given these potential risks, one might expect the veterinary community to collectively oppose the fur baby trend. Surprisingly, this isn’t always the case. There’s a shift from outright condemnation to capitalizing on it, which is concerning. Encouraging excessive treatments, like radiotherapy for older animals, can further jeopardize animal welfare without necessarily enhancing health.

A pet owner’s affection is commendable as long as it prioritizes the animal’s well-being, ensuring they are free from pain and suffering. However, veterinarians who exploit an owner’s misplaced affection for profit through unnecessary, invasive, and costly tests and procedures lack ethical justification.

All caregivers should contemplate the distress caused by misclassifying an animal’s needs—treating them as a human child rather than as a pet. Veterinarians who cater to the fur baby trend ought to know better.

Eddie Crutchin I am a co-author of Veterinary Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas (Routledge)

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Source: www.newscientist.com

‘Enhanced’ CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Potential in Treating Solid Tumors

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Illustration of CAR T cell therapy targeting tumor cells

Illustration of CAR T cell therapy targeting tumor cells

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CAR T cells, which are immune cells modified to attack cancer, have transformed blood cancer treatments, particularly for leukemia. However, they have struggled against solid tumors. Recently, “weaponized” CAR T cells have successfully eliminated large prostate tumors in mice, providing optimism for similar therapies in humans.

“The tumor is completely gone,” states Jun Ishihara from Imperial College London, marking a unique achievement in animal research.

Our immune system typically identifies and destroys many cancers early on. Cancer cells often display mutated proteins recognized by T cells, which seek to eliminate these threats using surface receptor proteins, functioning similarly to antibodies.

However, not every cancer incites an immune response. In the 1980s, scientists found a way to engineer T cells to target cancer more effectively by incorporating genes for chimeric antigen receptors, hence the term CAR T.

While CAR T cells have shown remarkable success in treating some blood cancers, they also carry significant risks. They are effective for some but not all patients, and ongoing enhancements are needed. The development of CRISPR gene editing facilitates further improvements to these therapies.

Despite advancements, CAR T therapies remain ineffective for most solid tumors due to two primary challenges: the vast heterogeneity of solid tumors—where not all cells present the same mutated proteins—and the tumors’ ability to evade immune responses by emitting “do not attack” signals.

Researchers have attempted to enhance CAR T cells by incorporating immune-boosting proteins like interleukin-12, but this has sometimes resulted in overwhelming immune responses that damage healthy tissues.

Ishihara and colleagues have pioneered a method to localize interleukin-12 specifically to tumors. By fusing interleukin-12 to a protein that binds collagen, which is prevalent in tumors, they engineered it to target the exposed collagen found in both wounds and tumors. “Tumors are rich in collagen and are dense because of it,” Ishihara noted.

The modified CAR T cells produce this fusion protein when they bind to the mutated proteins present in certain prostate cancers. Once released, the fusion protein attaches to the tumor’s collagen, effectively signaling the immune system to launch an attack.

Trial results were promising, as the treatment eradicated 80% of large prostate tumors in the test mice. Additionally, when exposed to cancer cells afterward, no new tumors formed, indicating a robust immune response from the CAR T cells.

Remarkably, this approach did not necessitate preconditioning. Usually, chemotherapy is given to create space for new CAR T cells by depleting existing immune cells, risking side effects such as infertility. “We were surprised that no chemotherapy was required,” says Ishihara. His team aspires to commence human clinical trials within the next two years.

“This is a promising avenue that warrants clinical testing,” stated Stephen Albelda from the University of Pennsylvania. He noted that numerous research groups are also exploring similar methods for tumor-targeted localization of interleukin-12, with encouraging results being reported.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Herpes Virus Could Be Fast-Tracked for Treating Severe Skin Cancer

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Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that can metastasize

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After years of research and extensive human trials, only one virus specifically engineered to target cancer has gained approval from US and European regulators. Following promising results in treating melanoma—a notably aggressive skin cancer—approval may soon be granted.

The genetically altered herpes virus, known as RP1, was injected into the tumors of 140 patients with advanced melanoma who did not respond to conventional treatments. All participants also received a medication called nivolumab, designed to enhance the immune response against the tumors.

In 30% of the treated individuals, tumors shrank, including those that were not directly injected. Notably, in half of these cases, the tumors were completely eradicated.

“Half of the patients who responded experienced a complete response, meaning total disappearance of all tumors,” said Gino Kim from the University of Southern California. “I am thrilled with these results,” he added, noting that other treatments for patients at this stage often perform poorly and have harsher side effects.

A larger trial involving 400 participants is currently in progress; however, RP1 may receive approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used in conjunction with Nivolumab for treating advanced melanoma before the trial concludes. The New Scientist reports that “the FDA is anticipated to make a decision by the end of this month.”

For over a century, it has been recognized that viral infections can aid in cancer treatment, though intentionally infecting someone with a “wild” virus poses significant risks. In the 1990s, scientists attempted to genetically modify viruses to effectively target cancer while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

These engineered viruses function in two main ways: First, they directly invade cancer cells, causing them to rupture and die. Secondly, they stimulate immune responses aimed at all cancer cells present in the body.

For instance, T-VEC, a modified herpes simplex virus, was engineered to release an immune-boosting factor called GM-CSF within infected tumor cells. T-VEC received approval in 2015 in both the US and Europe for treating inoperable melanoma.

Unfortunately, T-VEC’s use is limited as it was only tested and approved for injection into skin tumors. Many patients with advanced melanoma have deeper tumor locations, as noted.

With RP1, the strategy shifted to administering it into deeper tumors. RP1, like T-VEC, is a herpes simplex virus but has undergone various enhancements. It notably aids in fusing tumor cells with adjacent ones, thus boosting viral spread within the tumor and reinforcing the immune response.

Though there have been no direct comparisons between T-VEC and RP1, RP1 demonstrates a greater likelihood of reducing all tumors, rather than just those directly injected. “It indicates a more pronounced systemic effect,” experts state.

Thus, should RP1 gain approval, its application is expected to be far broader than that of T-VEC. Experts believe this could significantly enhance the overall interest in utilizing cancer-targeting viruses. “There seems to be increasing enthusiasm for this approach.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Medications Similar to Wegovy Show Effectiveness in Treating Fatty Liver Disease

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Fatty liver disease can lead to cirrhosis and cancer

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Currently, common medications used for treating obesity and diabetes are showing promise in combating life-threatening liver diseases.

Semaglutide, marketed under names like Ozempic and Wegovi, mimics the hormone GLP-1, which aids in weight loss and regulates blood sugar levels, helps suppress appetite, and promotes insulin secretion. Researchers have now found that this drug therapy can halt or even reverse a condition known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

“This could offer a groundbreaking way to manage this condition,” says Philip Newsom from King’s College London. “It’s incredibly promising for patients.”

MASH, formerly known as NASH, is a severe version of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease marked by inflammation, fibrosis (scar tissue formation), and excessive liver fat accumulation, occasionally leading to cirrhosis and cancer. MASH is commonly linked to obesity and often coexists with type 2 diabetes.

A study conducted in 2020 involving 320 participants revealed that daily semaglutide injections led to a reduction in liver fat and inflammation in 59% of those with MASH. However, a more recent investigation involving 71 patients found no benefits from the weekly dosage.

For a broader perspective, Newsom and Arun Sanyal from Virginia Commonwealth University initiated a larger trial involving 1,195 MASH patients across 253 clinical sites in 37 countries. Participants averaged 56 years old with a body mass index of 34.6, and about 50% had type 2 diabetes.

The physician prescribed each participant a weekly semaglutide injection for four and a half years, gradually increasing the dose to 2.4 milligrams over the first four months, mirroring those used in Wegovy based on prior test findings. Participants also received lifestyle counseling to encourage a healthier diet and exercise.

While the full study is ongoing, results from biopsies taken 72 weeks later revealed that among the first 800 patients, including 266 receiving a placebo, 62.9% of those on semaglutide showed significant reductions in liver fat and inflammation, compared to 34.3% in the placebo group. Improvements in fibrosis were observed in 36.8% of the treatment group versus only 22.4% for the placebo group. About one-third of all treated patients and 16.1% of placebo patients experienced these benefits.

Weight loss alone could explain some of these improvements, as patients in the treatment cohort lost an average of 10.5% of their body weight, while those on the placebo lost only 2%. Although further research is needed to fully uncover the mechanisms behind the treatment, it may also directly target the processes driving the disease.

“It’s not yet established, but part of the efficacy of GLP-1-like drugs might be due to their effects on immune cells and reduction of inflammation,” notes Newsom.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A groundbreaking new approach to treating Parkinson’s disease brings renewed optimism

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According to Borghammer’s “Aha” moment, it came almost 20 years ago. Neuroscientists were reading papers from researchers investigating REM sleep behavior disorders (RBD). This is a condition in which people develop dreams, often discovered in people who develop Parkinson’s disease, and may be a form of early neurological symptoms.

However, rather than starting from the brain, the team looked for the loss of nerve cells in the heart instead. Parkinson’s disease has historically been linked to depletion of neurons in the brain, but it also affects cardiac neurons that manage autonomic nervous functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. And say Borgamer“In all these patients, the heart is invisible. It’s gone.”

Of course, it’s not literal. However, in these people, neurons that produce the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which helps control heart rate, were depleted to the point that the heart did not appear on scans using radioactive tracers. This type of neuronal loss is linked to Parkinson’s disease, but no one was diagnosed with the disease at the time, and brain scans appeared to be normal.

What struck Borghammer was that Parkinson’s disease appears to have not followed the same trajectory in all affected people. Although RBD strongly predicts Parkinsonson’s predictions No one has Parkinson’s experience. RBD.

“I realized that Parkinson’s disease must be at least two types,” says Borgamer. Neuronal loss is primarily confined to the brain From the beginning. By 2019, Borghammer,…

Source: www.newscientist.com

New research suggests that protein may have a significant impact on treating Parkinson’s disease

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Parkinson’s disease is rapidly becoming one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions globally, impacting over 10 million individuals worldwide. It ranks as the second most common neurodegenerative ailment following Alzheimer’s disease. As of now, there is no known cure. However, recent advancements have raised hopes for the development of new treatments in the near future.

The disease is closely associated with a protein known as Pink1, which carries a mutation in the Park6 gene responsible for encoding this protein.

Malfunctions in Pink1’s functioning are directly linked to Parkinson’s disease, especially in individuals with early onset, affecting 1.2% of Parkinson’s patients in the UK.

Recent scientific progress has shed light on the interaction between Pink1 and mitochondria. Mitochondria, known as the powerhouse of cells, produce energy within the cells of all organisms.

From left, Professor David Commander, Dr. Nicholas Kirk, Dr. Sylvie Karegari and Dr. Alisa Grukova stand before the discovery of Pink 1. – Wehe

The link between Pink1 and Parkinson’s disease has long been recognized, but its potential as a cure for Parkinson’s disease has only recently been explored.

When mitochondria are damaged, Pink1 signals the need for their removal. However, in Parkinson’s patients, mitochondrial defects accumulate unnoticed, releasing toxins that eventually lead to cell death.

Currently, researchers at the Parkinson’s Center for Research in Walter and Eliza Hall (WEHI) in Australia have elucidated the structure and activation process of Pink1. Their findings on how Pink1 interacts with dysfunctional mitochondria are published in Science today.

“This is a significant milestone in Parkinson’s disease research,” stated corresponding author Professor David Commander, head of WEHI’s ubiquitin signaling division. “Understanding Pink1’s binding to mitochondria is truly groundbreaking.”

Lead author and Senior Researcher at WEHI, Sylvie Callegari, explained that Pink1 functions in four distinct steps, with the first two being newly discovered in this study.

Furthermore, Pink1’s role in detecting mitochondrial damage and initiating the process of mitophagy, the recycling of damaged mitochondria, is crucial for addressing Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is associated with physical tremors, as well as other symptoms like language and vision impairments – Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin

In conclusion, understanding the Pink1-mitochondrial relationship is crucial for developing therapies for Parkinson’s disease, a condition characterized by the decline of brain cells.

Given the increasing prevalence of Parkinson’s disease over the past 25 years, the need for effective treatments is more urgent than ever. The researchers behind this study aim to accelerate drug development and halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Could this be an innovative approach to treating depression?

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The design of the flow headset resembles a prop from a futuristic movie, featuring a sleek curve and two large circular pads that utilize electrodes to deliver small currents to the brain.

Claimed to aid in treating depression, the company behind the headsets – Flow Neuroscience, priced at £400 (around $520) – boasts a 77% improvement rate in symptoms within just three weeks.

Initially skeptical, I am intrigued by the potential of wearable devices to enhance our well-being. However, I have encountered many grand claims in the past that failed to materialize.

Nevertheless, Flow’s compelling evidence could sway my opinion. Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of the devices on individuals with depression, funded by Flow Neuroscience but conducted by external researchers and mental health professionals.

The most recent research, led by a team from East London University and involving 174 patients in the UK and US, revealed that 56% of those using the flow headset were symptom-free after 10 weeks, prompting consultant psychiatrist Alex O’Neill Kerr to emphasize the significance of these results.

“We’re talking about remission,” O’Neill Kerr remarked. “Symptom-free.”

O’Neill Kerr, who participated in a previous trial with the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and prescribes the headset in his practice, shared anecdotes of how the device had transformed the lives of some patients.

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“Upon initial use, I was astounded,” O’Neill Kerr noted. “Patients are regaining control of their lives. I recently spoke with an individual using a flow device, and it completely turned their life around.”

While not everyone benefits from using the headset, and not all research yields promising outcomes, recent studies have underscored the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) in treating depression. By sending mild currents to the brain, TDCS stimulates less active areas associated with depression, potentially revolutionizing treatment for individuals who are unresponsive to traditional interventions.

In the trial, more than half of the flow headset users had symptoms – Credit: Justinpadget

O’Neill Kerr highlighted the potential of TDCS to address the underlying communication issues in the brain that lead to depression, offering hope to individuals who do not respond to standard treatments.

With milder side effects compared to traditional antidepressants, such as tingling sensations or headaches near the electrodes, TDCS presents a safer and non-addictive alternative that could be used in conjunction with conventional therapies.

While other TDCS headsets like Platowork and brain driver exist, Flow stands out as the sole device endorsed by the NHS due to its proven efficacy. Ongoing research aims to explore TDCS applications beyond mental health, potentially offering relief for conditions like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and tinnitus.

Envisioning a future where TDCS becomes a standard treatment option, O’Neill Kerr emphasized the profound impact it could have on patients. “It’s restoring your brain to its natural state,” he concluded.

About our experts

Professor Alex O’Neill Kerr, an expert in treating OCD, PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and addiction therapy, has contributed to publications like bjpsych open, Open Journal of Depression, and Journal of Affective Disorder Reports.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Early trials suggest mRNA vaccines hold potential for treating pancreatic cancer

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Personalized mRNA vaccines, including those for pancreatic cancer treatment, are currently in phase 1 of clinical trials. The research was recently published in Nature.

Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates among cancer types, with less than 13% of patients surviving beyond five years after diagnosis. The disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, with nearly 90% of cases already progressing when detected.

Pancreatic cancer cells have a high tendency to spread rapidly to other parts of the body, usually after the primary tumor has grown large. Symptoms typically only appear in late stages, and there are currently no routine screening methods like mammograms or colonoscopies for this cancer.

Effective treatments for pancreatic cancer are limited, with survival rates remaining around 10% despite the best available therapies. The development of personalized mRNA vaccines for cancer treatment aims to change this narrative.

Before the widespread use of mRNA vaccines for Covid-19, researchers were exploring their potential for cancer treatment. These vaccines work by training the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells, essentially turning the body’s immune response into a cancer-fighting mechanism. Current research is focused on melanoma, colorectal cancer, and other solid tumors.

The success of mRNA cancer vaccines relies on generating a robust response from T cells, a type of immune cell that recognizes and fights off intruders. These T cells need to be durable and capable of detecting and eliminating cancer cells, including those in pancreatic cancer which present unique challenges due to limited mutation targets.

A recent clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of an mRNA vaccine in pancreatic cancer patients who had undergone surgery to remove the tumor. Results showed that the vaccine elicited a response in half of the participants, generating tumor-targeting T cells that persisted for years. This promising outcome underscores the potential of mRNA vaccines in improving outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.

The study also highlighted the need for further research to determine the long-term impact of these vaccines on patient outcomes. The development of ready-made mRNA vaccines that target common mutations in pancreatic cancer tumors is another area of ongoing investigation, offering a more standardized approach to treatment.

Overall, early findings suggest that mRNA vaccines hold promise in enhancing the body’s immune response against pancreatic cancer, offering hope for improved survival rates and outcomes in the future.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Use of Music by Neuroscientists in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease and other ailments

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Neuroscientist David Levitin explores how music can help us heal in new book

Natalie Foss

Most of us already know that music can have a profound effect on the mind and body. Think about the feeling of empowerment when you put on your headphones and go for a run, the nostalgia of hearing your favorite songs from your childhood, or the joy of singing in the car. Music moves us both literally and figuratively. It not only makes us dance, laugh and relax, but it also makes us happy when we are sad and sad when we are happy.

But what if there is more to it than that? What if music actually has the power to heal us? In his new book I heard there’s a secret code: music as medicine, neuroscientist Daniel Levitin explains why he believes it’s possible.

The idea that music is medicine is not new. There is evidence that shamans and healers from cultures around the world have used music, especially drumming, to heal people for thousands of years.

However, it is only in recent decades that science has provided a rationale for music as a healing mechanism, demonstrating that music has a direct and measurable effect on our nervous systems.

Advances in neuroimaging technology, combined with more rigorous experiments based on music theory, cognitive psychology, and physiology, are showing that music could help treat everything from Parkinson’s disease to Alzheimer’s disease to depression. Levitin spoke with new scientist to learn about these health benefits and how music can add to your medical toolkit.

Linda Rodriguez McRobbie: Intuitively it seems like…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Saline nasal drops and sprays showing promise in treating the common cold

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Saline nasal sprays may stop children's sneezing faster

ONFOKUS.COM, Sebastian Court/Getty Images

Saline nasal sprays appear to help speed up cold recovery: In a new study, children who were given the homemade nasal spray recovered from cold symptoms like sneezing and stuffy nose two days faster than those who weren't.

More than 200 different viruses can cause cold-like symptomsTherefore, it is difficult to develop general and effective treatments that target them. As a result, most cold therapies only relieve symptoms but do not shorten the duration of symptoms.

But research increasingly suggests that saline may be the exception. Studies have shown that adults who use saline nasal drops or sprays to relieve cold symptoms: Reduces symptoms and speeds recovery and Less likely to spread infection.

now, Steve Cunningham Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK tested this method on children. They asked the parents of 150 children with cold symptoms to place three drops of saline solution into their children's nasal passages at least four times a day within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, until symptoms subsided. The water-based solution that the parents mixed themselves contained 2.6 percent salt.

Another group of 151 children received standard cold care from their parents, such as prescribing over-the-counter medicines and encouraging rest. All of the children were under the age of seven, and their symptoms were recorded by their parents.

The researchers found that children who started using the drops within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms recovered two days faster than those who never used the drops, and their families were also less likely to develop cold symptoms. But children who started using the drops later didn't get better and were less likely to spread the cold than those who never used the drops.

Cunningham, who will present his findings at the European Respiratory Society meeting in Vienna, Austria, on September 8, says that the chloride ions in saline could prompt cells to produce an antiviral substance called hypochlorous acid, though this may need to be started early in infection, before the virus can take hold, he says.

but William Shaffner Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee are skeptical that this method will actually help cure viral infections. [evidence] They want me to believe that this is an antiviral effect, not just symptom relief,” he says.

Schaffner says the researchers could have also given another group of children regular water drops or a low-concentration saline solution, which would show whether the saline nasal spray targets the virus and speeds recovery or simply keeps mucous membranes moist to ease symptoms, he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Malaria drug shows promise in treating polycystic ovary syndrome

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The malaria drug artemisinin is extracted from the plant wormwood.

Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

A drug already used to treat malaria may also be effective in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

A small study of 19 women with PCOS found that the commonly used drug artemisinin improved menstrual cycle regularity and reduced high testosterone levels that are common in PCOS patients.

The underlying cause of PCOS is unknown, but it is linked to several hormonal imbalances, including excess testosterone produced by the ovaries, which can lead to symptoms like irregular menstrual periods, infertility, and increased acne and body hair.

Affected people also tend to have reduced sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar, which leads to weight gain and exacerbates the hormonal imbalance.

Currently, PCOS patients are treated individually depending on their symptoms, for example undergoing laser treatments to remove body hair or taking birth control pills to regularize menstruation.

While investigating the effects of various drugs on fat cells in mice, Chi Kun Tang Researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, found that artemisinin reduced symptoms in mice with PCOS-like conditions.

His team then gave 19 women with PCOS artemisinin for three months and found that all of them experienced a drop in testosterone levels, and most also saw a reduction in another substance called anti-Müllerian hormone. Associated with PCOSTwelve of the participants also experienced more regular menstrual cycles after taking the drug.

In other studies using mouse and human cells, the team found that artemisinin could reduce testosterone production in the ovaries.

Stephen Franks The Imperial College London researcher says that although the 19 women had a healthy BMI on average, weight loss tends to reduce PCOS symptoms, suggesting that artemisinin may work through another mechanism: improving insulin sensitivity. “If the results are as positive in a randomized trial as they are in this pilot study, it would be exciting,” he says.

Elisabeth Stener-Victorin Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, say the fact that artemisinin is already generally safe when used to treat malaria means that it could soon be repurposed as a new treatment for PCOS.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Uterine fluid-based organoids show promise for treating unborn fetuses

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A ball of cells grown from amniotic fluid. Red indicates lung stem cells

Giuseppe Cara, Paolo di Coppi, Mattia Guerli

Babies born with serious medical conditions may one day receive better diagnosis and treatment in utero, thanks to a new technique that takes samples of cells from intrauterine fluid and grows them in dishes. It might become.

world's first, paolo de coppi Researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London have shown that fetal cells from amniotic fluid can be induced to form miniature spheres of lung, kidney or small intestine tissue. They also showed that these lung organoids could help treat babies born with a sometimes fatal lung disease called congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Although the technique has not yet been used to treat children, the results show it is possible in principle, De Coppi said. The strategy, which researchers call “personalized prenatal medicine,” can also be modified to help treat a variety of other congenital conditions.

The idea takes advantage of a recent approach in which cells in a dish are induced to grow into lentil-sized tissue organoids that take on a three-dimensional structure. These are better than standard techniques of growing cells in two-dimensional layers to capture specific aspects of the tissue in question, such as whether the tissue is healthy or growing abnormally.

The researchers now show that samples of amniotic fluid taken during pregnancy contain fetal cells that can form tissue organoids for the lungs, kidneys, and small intestine.

Studying organoids made from cells from fetuses known to suffer from congenital disorders can tell doctors exactly what form they take, how severe they are, and how they can be treated. We may be able to provide further information.

The researchers created organoids for 12 fetuses with CDH, which causes abdominal organs to push up into the chest, preventing the left lung from growing properly. This condition can be treated by pushing a balloon into the baby's lungs while the baby is in the womb to expand the lungs and improve growth.

The researchers created lung organoids from the fetuses before and after balloon treatment. They found hints that the organoids created after the treatment behaved more like healthy lung tissue than those created beforehand, suggesting that the treatment was successful.

Therefore, organoid technology can be used not only to monitor whether a treatment is effective, as doctors perform this intervention only in the most severe cases, but also to determine whether treatment is needed in the first place. You can use it.

“This has great potential for functional diagnostics,” says De Coppi. “We know how to make diagnoses based on images, but sometimes there are extensive diagnoses. [condition severity] Possible. We want to provide better prenatal diagnostic tools. ”

“If we can classify a disease as mild, moderate, or severe, that's a huge accomplishment,” he says. Cecilia Goeterstrom At Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

holm schneider Researchers at Germany's Erlangen University Hospital say their approach suggests that organoids could one day be converted into mature tissue and transplanted into babies after birth, even if part of their intestine is missing, for example. ing. “If we could engineer gut-like structures for these children to use after birth, we would be in a much better position,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

CRISPR gene therapy shows promise in treating severe inflammatory conditions

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New treatment cuts the gene for kallikrein, a protein involved in inflammation (illustrated)

BIOSYM TECHNOLOGIES, INC./Science Photo Library

Nine people with a rare genetic disease that causes a life-threatening inflammatory response appear to have been cured after taking part in the first trial of a new version of CRISPR-based gene therapy.

This condition, called hereditary angioedema, causes sudden swelling of tissue that affects parts of the body such as the face and throat, similar to aspects of an allergic reaction, but cannot be treated with anti-allergy drugs.

Ten people who received a one-time gene therapy administered directly into the body saw a 95 per cent reduction in the number of 'swelling attacks' in the first six months after the treatment took effect. . Since then, all but one have had no further seizures for at least a year, although one patient who received the lowest dose had one mild seizure. “This is potentially a cure,” he says Padmalal Gurugama At Cambridge University Hospital in the UK, we worked on a new approach.

Hereditary angioedema is usually caused by mutations in the gene that encodes a protein called C1 inhibitor, which is involved in suppressing inflammation, which is part of the immune response.

People with this condition may experience a sudden buildup of fluid under their skin several times a month, which is painful and can cause suffocation if it gets stuck in the throat. This attack can be caused by a virus, changes in hormone levels, or stress.

Existing drugs that can reverse attacks work by blocking another molecule involved in inflammation called kallikrein, which is made in the liver. Because people can be born without the ability to make kallikrein without adverse effects, the results suggest that it is safe to permanently block kallikrein through gene therapy, Gurgama said.

The new treatment, developed by a company called Intellia Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, consists of genetic material designed to cut the kallikrein gene. It is encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles and taken up by liver cells. One person was treated in the UK and nine in New Zealand and the Netherlands.

An unusual feature of this therapy is that it is administered directly to humans, a method also referred to as “in vivo” delivery. “They get one infusion and that's it,” he says. julian gilmore from University College London was not involved in the study. “It's very appealing.”

So far, most other CRISPR-based gene therapies have been administered “outside the body.” This means a more complex and time-consuming procedure of taking some of a person's cells outside the body, changing the cells in a lab, and then reinjecting them.

CRISPR gene therapy is being developed for multiple genetic diseases, with the first treatments recently approved in the UK and US to help patients with two forms of genetic anemia: sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Ta.

The success of the latest trial is “very exciting,” Gilmore said. Development of CRISPR-based treatments for people with various liver-related conditions, called transthyretin amyloidosis. “This technology could be applied to any disease caused by a mutant protein produced exclusively in the liver, where it is desirable to knock down that protein,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Psychedelic drugs show promise in treating PTSD and traumatic brain injury

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Veterans saw improvement in combat-related brain injury after taking psychedelic drugs

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The psychedelic substance ibogaine has the potential to treat chronic disorders caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). A single dose of this drug resulted in sustained improvements in physical and social function, cognition and mood in veterans with combat-related traumatic brain injury.

“This is the first time someone has actually been able to show that there is a neurorehabilitation effect with psychedelic drugs and that there are fairly deep signs of improvement,” he says. nolan williams at Stanford University in California.

He and his colleagues recruited 30 male veterans with traumatic brain injuries to attend a treatment facility in Mexico for five days. They were each given ibogaine, a hallucinogenic substance extracted from the iboga plant, which is native to Africa. Everyone met with a therapist before and after taking ibogaine to discuss preparation for the psychedelic experience. Participants can also participate in activities such as yoga, massage, and meditation on-site.

Participants took 12 milligrams of ibogaine per kilogram of body weight and received an intravenous infusion of magnesium to prevent heart problems associated with the drug. The researchers measured participants' disability before and after treatment on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater disability. At the beginning of the study, participants' average score was 30, meaning mild to moderate disability. After 4-5 days of treatment, this score dropped below 20, and after 1 month it was around 5, indicating no disability.

At least 83 percent of participants no longer met criteria for depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) one month after treatment. They also saw significant improvements in processing speed, problem solving, and working memory.

However, it is unclear whether this effect is solely due to hallucinogens. “The big problem is [that] Without a control group, it will be nearly impossible to say for sure what's going on here. ” Albert Garcia Lomu at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. He says talking to a therapist, participating in wellness activities, and even traveling may have contributed to these improvements.

But many of these variables have previously been studied as treatments for neurological diseases with little success, Williams said. He believes a series of mechanisms could explain how ibogaine can treat traumatic brain injury. For example, he says, the drug is known to increase neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to rewire.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Matabele ants discovered to use antibacterial compounds for treating infected wounds

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Infected wounds pose a significant mortality risk to animals. Injuries are common in Matabeleari (Megaponera analis), raiding warlike prey. New research shows that these predatory ants can tell when a wound has become infected and treat it accordingly. Workers apply various antimicrobial compounds and proteins secreted from the retropleura to infected wounds, reducing mortality rates in infected individuals by 90%.

Matabeleari (Megaponera analis) He cares for the wound of a fellow ant whose leg was bitten off during a fight with termites. Image credit: Erik Frank / University of Würzburg.

Infectious diseases are a major mortality risk for animals, and animals that live in groups are particularly at risk of contracting life-threatening contagious pathogens.

This has led to a series of pathogen-induced changes in social interactions, including social distancing, disease signaling, and medical care.

Injured people are an easy entry point for life-threatening infections because their primary barrier to infection, the epidermis, or epidermis, is damaged.

Recently, some mammals have been shown to lick wounds to apply antiseptic saliva. However, the effectiveness of these actions remains largely unknown and occurs regardless of wound status.

In social insects, interactions to combat pathogens range from preventive measures such as nest disinfection and conspecific grooming, to dying individuals leaving the nest and dying in isolation, to destructive disinfection of infected mates. It's wide-ranging.

However, whether and how social insect colonies care for injured individuals exposed to pathogens is still poorly understood.

Predatory Matabele ant workers have been known to treat injuries to their nestmates, a common occurrence since the ants only feed on belligerent termites. As many as 22% of collectors engaged in termite raids lose one or two of their legs.

Injured workers are carried to the nest, and for the first three hours after injury, other workers treat the wound by licking and grooming the wound.

If the wounds of injured workers are not treated by nestmates, 90% of the injured workers die within 24 hours after injury, but the mechanisms of these treatments are unknown.

“The aim of our study was to identify the causes of death in injured individuals and the potential mechanisms involved in the detection and treatment of injuries,” said first author Eric, a researcher at the University of Lausanne and the University of Würzburg.・Dr. Frank said. , and his colleagues.

they discovered gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa It caused a fatal infection in injured Matabele ant workers.

They showed that wound infections were associated with specific changes in the epidermal hydrocarbon profile, allowing nestmates to diagnose the infected status of the injured and apply appropriate antimicrobial treatment. .

They also identified 112 chemical compounds and 41 proteins in secretions from the ants' posterior thymus, half of which were found to have antibacterial or wound-healing properties.

“Chemical analysis showed that the hydrocarbon profile of the ant's epidermis changes as a result of wound infection,” Dr. Frank said.

“It is precisely this change that allows the ants to recognize and diagnose the infection status of injured nestmates.”

“For treatment, they apply antibacterial compounds and proteins to the infected wound. They ingest these antibiotics through the retropleura, which is located on the side of the thorax.”

“The secretion contains 112 components, half of which have antibacterial and wound healing effects.”

“And this treatment is highly effective, reducing the mortality rate of infected people by 90%.”

“Aside from humans, I don't know of any other creature capable of such sophisticated wound healing.”

“These findings have medical implications because the main pathogens in ant wounds are Pseudomonas aeruginosait is also a major cause of human infections, and some strains are resistant to antibiotics,” said the study's senior author, Dr. Laurent Keller from the University of Lausanne.

of result appear in the diary nature communications.

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ET Frank other. 2023. Targeted treatment of injured nestmates with antimicrobial compounds in an ant community. Nat Commune 14, 8446; doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43885-w

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers discover new method for treating life-threatening liver condition

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New research reveals the role of omega-3 fatty acids in the fight against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Using innovative analytical techniques, researchers determined that omega-3 targets betacellulin, a protein that contributes to liver fibrosis. This discovery opens new avenues for NASH drug research and highlights the importance of omega-3s in the diet for liver health.

A recent study conducted by Oregon State University revealed new insights into how certain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3s, fight serious liver conditions. This discovery paves the way for research into new drugs for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), for which there is currently no FDA-approved treatment.

Scientists including Natalia Shulzhenko, Andrei Morgan, and Donald Jump at Oregon State University used a technique known as multiomic network analysis to find that omega-3 supplements can be used to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. This mechanism involves betacellulin, a protein growth factor that contributes to liver fibrosis and other serious liver conditions.

The results of this research have recently been published in EMBO molecular medicine. NASH is associated with a disease known as metabolic syndrome, and it is crucial to understand the role of omega-3s in the fight against NASH.

In this study, scientists used both a mouse model and human liver transcriptome data to determine that omega-3 PUFAs reduce, or downregulate, betacellulin in both mice and humans with NASH. This discovery not only significantly advances our understanding of how NASH begins and progresses, but also opens new doors for pharmaceutical research. Researchers say the discovery of betacellulin as a new drug target may help explore precision medicine approaches to NASH treatment and liver cancer prevention by using specific omega-3 PUFAs.

In addition to dietary supplements, omega-3 PUFAs can be found in cold-water fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, as well as in some nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. Omega-3 PUFAs are essential fatty acids that are not produced by the body but must be obtained from the diet.

Reference:

Jyothi Padiadpu, Manuel Garcia-Jaramillo, Nolan K Newman, Written by Jacob W Pederson, Richard Rodrigues, Zhipeng Lee, Sekhavir Singh, Philippe Monnier, Giorgio Trinchieri, Kevin Brown, Amiran K. Zutsev, Natalia Shulzhenko, Donald B. Jump, Andrei Morgan, 2023 October 20th, EMBO molecular medicine. DOI: 10.15252/emm.202318367

Jyoti Padyap, a postdoctoral fellow in the OSU College of Pharmacy, is the study’s lead author. Other Oregon State researchers who contributed to the paper were Nolan Newman, Richard Rodriguez, Sehajivir Singh, Manuel Garcia-Jaramillo, Jacob Pederson, Jipeng Li, Philip Monnier, and Kevin Brown.

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Vitamin B3 Shows Promise in Treating Chronic Inflammatory Pain

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Mitochondria in specific sensory neurons may be linked to chronic pain

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A type of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide riboside reduces persistent pain in mice, suggesting it may also treat chronic pain in humans.

Inflammation (the body’s first line of defense against injury and pathogens) is a major cause of pain. However, some people experience continued pain even after the inflammation has subsided.

To understand why, Niels Eichelkamp and colleagues from Utrecht University in the Netherlands analyzed the effects of inflammation on mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells. Previous research has linked chronic pain to mitochondrial dysfunction, particularly in specialized nerve cells called sensory neurons that sense changes in the environment.

The researchers injected a substance that causes inflammation into the hind legs of 15 mice. They then measured the amount of oxygen consumed by the mitochondria in the animals’ sensory neurons, which indicates mitochondrial function. They found that a week after the inflammation had subsided, the mitochondria were consuming significantly more oxygen than before the injection, suggesting that the inflammation caused lasting changes in their function. Further experiments linked these mitochondrial changes to increased pain sensitivity in the rodents even after inflammation had subsided.

The researchers then analyzed molecular byproducts of chemical reactions called metabolites in the animals’ mitochondria. They compared these to mitochondrial metabolites in naive mice. caused inflammation. The researchers found that levels of nicotinamide riboside in the mitochondria of the mice’s sensory neurons were lower than expected after the inflammation subsided. This is a type of vitamin B3 that is important for mitochondrial function.

So, about a week after inducing inflammation in another group of 12 mice, Eichelkamp and his team gave half of them a high dose of nicotinamide riboside (500 milligrams per kilogram of body weight). administered. In comparison, her recommended daily amount of vitamin B3 for most adults is 14 milligrams and 16 milligrams. They then assessed the animals’ sensitivity to pain by measuring how quickly they removed their paws from the heat. Mice that did not receive nicotinamide riboside withdrew their paws twice as fast on average as those that did, suggesting that the supplement reduced pain.

Taken together, these findings reveal two things. One is that inflammation can impair mitochondrial function in sensory neurons, and these dysfunctions increase the risk of chronic pain even after inflammation has subsided. Second, taking nicotinamide riboside supplements may help treat this chronic pain by restoring mitochondrial function.

However, people with chronic pain should not rush to take these supplements. “[This research] Still inside the rodent. How does that translate to humans? We need to check that first,” Eikelkamp said. In clinical trials, nicotinamide riboside may be ineffective or have unintended consequences, he says.

Even if these findings apply to humans, they probably only apply to certain types of chronic pain, such as chronic inflammatory diseases, Eikelkamp says. For example, more than 20 percent A proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation, continue to experience pain even when inflammation levels are low. Therefore, it makes sense to test these findings in that demographic first.

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Source: www.newscientist.com