Surgery in older adults does not up risk for Alzheimer disease

(HealthDay)—Older adults who have surgery with general anesthesia may experience a modest cortical thinning in the brain, but it does not appear to be tied to Alzheimer disease, according to a study recently published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia. Juraj Sprung, M.D., Ph.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues assessed brain […]

New method reveals how the Parkinson’s disease protein damages cell membranes

Sufferers of Parkinson’s disease have clumps of α-synuclein (alpha-synuclein), sometimes known as the “Parkinson’s protein,” found in the brain. These destroy cell membranes, eventually resulting in cell death. Now, a method developed at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, reveals how the composition of cell membranes seems to be a decisive factor for how small quantities […]

Fecal transplants show promise as treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

A new study from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University suggests that fecal transplants could be used as a treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The randomized controlled trial published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that fecal transplants in patients with NAFLD result in a reduction in how easily pathogens and […]

Researchers design clinical trial on use of exercise for severe liver disease

A team of Penn State researchers developed a first-of-its-kind clinical trial to test the use of exercise as a treatment for patients with a severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States. People with this disease have an extra fat […]

App determines COVID-19 disease severity using artificial intelligence, biomarkers

A new mobile app can help clinicians determine which patients with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are likely to have severe cases. Created by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, the app uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess risk factors and key biomarkers from blood tests, producing a COVID-19 “severity score.” Current diagnostic tests for COVID-19 […]

New evidence for a blood-based biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease

A potential blood-based biomarker for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases seems even more promising thanks to new research from a Massachusetts General Hospital-led study. According to this team’s work, neurofilament light chain (NfL) has great potential as a biomarker for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and could be also useful for monitoring treatment response for […]

Researchers find potential drug treatment targets for alcohol-related liver disease

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a deadly condition affecting more than 150 million people worldwide with no treatment available besides transplant. But now, a team led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has uncovered key molecular step stones in ALD that may provide targets for drug therapy development. Their work was recently published in […]