Elder Care (Everybody)

As spinal cord injuries increasingly affect older adults, new research reveals a surprising pattern in recovery. The study shows that aging does not appear to slow the healing of nerves themselves, with older patients regaining strength and sensation at rates similar to younger people. However, age makes a clear difference in how well people recover everyday abilities like walking, mobility, and self-care.

Researchers discovered that clogged brain “drains” show up early in people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These blockages, easily seen on standard MRI scans, are tied to toxic protein buildup linked to memory loss and cognitive decline. In some cases, they may signal Alzheimer’s earlier than other commonly used brain markers. This could help physicians detect the disease earlier, before irreversible damage sets in.

Scientists studying Alzheimer’s in African Americans have uncovered a striking genetic clue that may cut across racial lines. In brain tissue from more than 200 donors, the gene ADAMTS2 was significantly more active in people with Alzheimer’s than in those without it. Even more surprising, this same gene topped the list in an independent study of White individuals. The discovery hints at a common biological pathway behind Alzheimer’s and opens the door to new treatment strategies.

Cannabis products with higher THC levels may slightly reduce chronic pain, particularly nerve pain, according to a review of multiple clinical trials. The improvement was small and short-lived, while side effects were more common. Products with little or no THC, including CBD-only formulations, showed no clear benefit. Researchers say more long-term studies are needed.

Tiny lab-grown brains are offering an unprecedented look at how schizophrenia and bipolar disorder disrupt neural activity. Researchers found distinct electrical firing patterns that could identify these conditions with high accuracy. The discovery opens the door to more precise diagnoses and personalized drug testing. Instead of guessing medications, doctors may one day see what works before treating the patient.

A major new review has put hundreds of alternative autism treatments under the microscope—and most didn’t hold up. Scientists analyzed decades of research and found little reliable evidence that popular approaches like probiotics, acupuncture, or music therapy truly work. Alarmingly, safety was often ignored, with many treatments never properly evaluated for side effects. The researchers stress that looking at the full body of evidence matters far more than trusting a single hopeful study.

Scientists discovered that common food emulsifiers consumed by mother mice altered their offspring’s gut microbiome from the very first weeks of life. These changes interfered with normal immune system training, leading to long-term inflammation. As adults, the offspring were more vulnerable to gut disorders and obesity. The findings suggest that food additives may have hidden, lasting effects beyond those who consume them directly.

Tramadol, a popular opioid often seen as a “safer” painkiller, may not live up to its reputation. A large analysis of clinical trials found that while it does reduce chronic pain, the relief is modest—so small that many patients likely wouldn’t notice much real-world benefit. At the same time, tramadol was linked to a significantly higher risk of serious side effects, especially heart-related problems like chest pain and heart failure, along with common issues such as nausea, dizziness, and sleepiness.

A new study suggests that dementia may be driven in part by faulty blood flow in the brain. Researchers found that losing a key lipid causes blood vessels to become overactive, disrupting circulation and starving brain tissue. When the missing molecule was restored, normal blood flow returned. This discovery opens the door to new treatments aimed at fixing vascular problems in dementia.

Alzheimer’s has long been considered irreversible, but new research challenges that assumption. Scientists discovered that severe drops in the brain’s energy supply help drive the disease—and restoring that balance can reverse damage, even in advanced cases. In mouse models, treatment repaired brain pathology, restored cognitive function, and normalized Alzheimer’s biomarkers. The results offer fresh hope that recovery may be possible.

New research suggests Alzheimer’s may start far earlier than previously thought, driven by a hidden toxic protein in the brain. Scientists found that an experimental drug, NU-9, blocks this early damage in mice and reduces inflammation linked to disease progression. The treatment was given before symptoms appeared, targeting the disease at its earliest stage. Researchers say this approach could reshape how Alzheimer’s is prevented and treated.

A new study shows dopamine isn’t the brain’s movement “gas pedal” after all. Instead of setting speed or strength, it quietly enables movement in the background, much like oil in an engine. When scientists manipulated dopamine during movement, nothing changed—but restoring baseline dopamine levels made a big difference. The finding could reshape how Parkinson’s disease is treated.

Researchers have revealed that so-called “junk DNA” contains powerful switches that help control brain cells linked to Alzheimer’s disease. By experimentally testing nearly 1,000 DNA switches in human astrocytes, scientists identified around 150 that truly influence gene activity—many tied to known Alzheimer’s risk genes. The findings help explain why many disease-linked genetic changes sit outside genes themselves. The resulting dataset is now being used to train AI systems to predict gene control more accurately.

In a rare and historic achievement, Children’s Hospital Colorado successfully completed its first dual heart and liver transplant in a pediatric patient. The life-saving surgery was performed on 11-year-old Gracie Greenlaw, whose congenital heart condition eventually led to liver failure. Dozens of specialists worked together for years to prepare for a moment like this, executing a complex, 16-hour operation. Now months later, Gracie is home, in school, and thriving.

After injury, the visual system can recover by growing new neural connections rather than replacing lost cells. Researchers found that surviving eye cells formed extra branches that restored communication with the brain. These new pathways worked much like the originals. The repair process, however, was slower or incomplete in females, pointing to important biological differences in recovery.