Health

The rapid rise of GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide has transformed obesity treatment. Still, experts say medications alone are not enough to address one of the nation's most pressing chronic diseases.

In a pilot clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that included older adults with depression receiving standard care, adding probiotic therapy produced modest but meaningful reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms compared with adding a placebo. However, both groups demonstrated substantial overall improvements during follow-up.

A collaborative study used whole-genome sequencing to examine the genetic makeup of 110 children from Aosta Valley (Valle d'Aosta) with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents. In a number of cases, researchers identified DNA variants that may be responsible for the children's condition.

Universities and hospitals are repurposing existing drugs through late-stage trials with funded costs up to 90% lower than those in the pharmaceutical industry. This "hidden" research system, which operates outside the patent system, has huge potential to regularly provide society with affordable treatments.

A comprehensive multi-cancer study by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has revealed that cancer cells within tumors are genetically diverse, yet all carry the same core genetic changes that can be traced back to a common ancestral cell, providing a single-cell view of how tumors adapt, survive and diversify. Understanding this helps explain why some cancer cells manage to survive treatment, paving the way for more tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have become popular for weight loss, but results vary from person to person and from drug to drug. Venky Soundararajan and colleagues explored the full range of responses to tirzepatide (e.g., Mounjaro or Zepbound) and semaglutide (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus) by analyzing de-identified electronic health records for matched cohorts of 10,339 tirzepatide-treated and 10,339 semaglutide-treated patients. In the real world, outcomes ranged from minimal weight loss to more than a 25% reduction in body weight.

A drug previously developed at UCLA to help heart tissue repair itself after a heart attack might also help kidney tissue repair and regenerate, researchers have found.

Cancer cells are remarkably good at adapting to stress. When treatments damage them, they often find new ways to survive, fueling drug resistance and disease progression.

In contrast to classical digital media, short-video platforms are characterized by rapidly changing content, highly personalized recommendations and a targeted maximization of usage time. This is precisely where the study begins: It examines whether and how this specific design—and not just the content—can influence neurocognitive and emotional effects in adolescents and young adults.

New research by the University of Limerick in Ireland has found that collaborative sessions combining music therapy with speech and language therapy can support meaningful communication gains in young children recovering from acquired brain injuries.

More than 1 in 10 adults in the United States believe they had a substance use problem at some point, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Among these adults, more than 7 in 10 considered themselves to be in recovery. An increasingly common way people support their recovery is by visiting recovery community centers (RCCs), which have emerged across the country and in Pennsylvania.

The use of AI in health care is challenging because sensitive patient data is scattered across different systems, and its use requires strong privacy protection. The new concept developed in the international Secur-e-Health project combines secure data processing, careful consent practices and privacy-preserving AI tools to support both disease prevention and the monitoring of patient care.

Embolization of abnormal blood vessels using rapidly resorbable gelatin-based microspheres is safe and provides significant, lasting pain relief and functional improvement for patients with osteoarthritis-related knee pain, according to a new study published in Radiology.

A major Australian clinical trial has found that timing when you eat can be just as effective as traditional dietitian-led advice in trying to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Feinberg has a distinct strength in understanding how behavior and lifestyle influence gastrointestinal (GI) health. Through its work and in collaboration with the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center, the division conducts research aimed at improving treatments for disorders of the digestive tract and related organs.