Digital program reduces anxiety and depression in adults with chronic medical conditions

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260820/Digital-program-reduces-anxiety-and-depression-in-adults-with-chronic-medical-conditions.aspx A digital program combining guided movement, breathing and meditation exercises, and coping-skills training reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in adults with chronic medical conditions, according to a new study published August 20th in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Puneeta Tandon of the University of Alberta, Canada, and colleagues.

Wake-activated brain circuits reveal what drives the urge to sleep

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260820/Wake-activated-brain-circuits-reveal-what-drives-the-urge-to-sleep.aspx By mapping the brain during prolonged wakefulness, researchers pinpointed neuronal populations whose activity rises with time awake and tested how strongly they shape the pressure to sleep. In a recent study published in the journal Nature, researchers conducted comprehensive whole-brain activity mapping and targeted circuit manipulations in mice to elucidate the poorly understood neural mechanisms governing homeostatic sleep drive.

Multifunctional nanoplatform addresses three key barriers to effective TNBC immunotherapy

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260821/Multifunctional-nanoplatform-addresses-three-key-barriers-to-effective-TNBC-immunotherapy.aspx Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant subtypes of breast cancer, accounting for 15-20% of all cases. Unlike other breast cancers, TNBC lacks targetable receptors, leaving patients dependent largely on chemotherapy, with limited treatment options. Even immunotherapy - an approach that has transformed cancer treatment - benefits fewer than 20% of TNBC patients, largely because tumors contain large numbers of regulatory T cells (Tregs) that suppress the immune system and prevent it from effectively attacking cancer cells.

PCOS prevalence rises among pregnant women in China

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260821/PCOS-prevalence-rises-among-pregnant-women-in-China.aspx Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects approximately 6% to 20% of women of reproductive age globally and remains undiagnosed and poorly managed, especially during pregnancy, leading to significant healthcare costs. The economic burden of PCOS was estimated to be $8 billion annually in 2020, with $375 million attributed to pregnancy-related complications. The implementation of China's universal two-child policy has led to an increase in the proportion of advanced-age pregnant women, a greater use of assisted reproductive technologies, and a rise in multiple pregnancy rates, further exacerbating the health risks faced by women with PCOS. However, limited large-scale studies have investigated the prevalence and maternal-fetal outcomes in pregnant women with PCOS. In addition, the impact of China's evolving fertility policies on this population remains largely unclear.

Australian researchers uncover a promising new way to tackle triple-negative breast cancer

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260821/Australian-researchers-uncover-a-promising-new-way-to-tackle-triple-negative-breast-cancer.aspx Australian researchers have uncovered a promising new way to tackle one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, raising hopes for more effective treatments to stop the disease from spreading. The study, undertaken by Adelaide University and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, has identified a molecular switch that drives the spread of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) – the subtype responsible for some of the poorest outcomes because it lacks the hormone receptors that make many other breast cancers treatable with existing therapies that target these receptors.

Neurogenesis stalls in the brains of adults with major depressive disorder, study shows

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260821/Neurogenesis-stalls-in-the-brains-of-adults-with-major-depressive-disorder-study-shows.aspx Most of our brain's 100 billion neurons are created before we're born, but the trickle of neurons created in the adult brain hippocampus could be instrumental in preventing depression, suggest findings from a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Study provides a more nuanced picture of biological mechanisms linked to autism

How does autism manifest in the brain? Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital have investigated this question in a new study involving 60 adults. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260821/Study-provides-a-more-nuanced-picture-of-biological-mechanisms-linked-to-autism.aspx For the first time, they combined three advanced brain-scanning techniques, allowing them to examine the brain's dopamine system, energy use and communication between brain regions at the same time.