This modified version of transcranial magnetic stimulation had a success rate of 78% vs 30%, and takes 5 days vs 6 weeks. | learn more
Scientists used fMRI to detect which parts of the brain were pathways for the placebo and nocebo effects. They found the brainstem active during both. | learn more
This article in Scientific American recounts the history of gene therapy, its promise, and its multiple failures. There is continued hope as researchers find new ways to minimize risks. A quote from one gene therapy company’s chief medical officer: “I […]
This paper was recently published in Nature Aging. “Here we review features of senescent cells and strategies for targeting them, including immunologic approaches, as well as key intracellular signaling pathways. Additionally, we survey current senolytic therapies in human trials.” | learn more
Senolytics are the class of drugs that target senescent cells (so-called “zombie cells”). While the basis for using these drugs to delay, prevent or reverse aging is still limited, there’s certainly a lot of excitement in the field. Also, there’s […]
“A small device implanted in the brain of a patient with severe, treatment-resistant depression was trained to issue electrical pulses to areas of the brain linked to the condition. The effects of the neurostimulation kicked in almost immediately, according to […]
The new President of the University of Chicago has been a pioneer in nanoscience. One interesting anecdote: he once commercialized tech from his lab and discovered the commercial company quickly outpaced lab research. “And so on and before you knew […]
“For context, there are research consortiums dedicated to breaking through the 500-Wh/kg density threshold in order to power next-generation electric vehicles, while today’s best-in-class lithium-ion batteries have energy densities of 250 to 300 Wh/kg.” | learn more
“The classic bitter taste of Brassica vegetables is commonly thought to be due to compounds called glucosinolates. When we chew a big mouthful of broccoli or cauliflower these molecules are converted into a chemical called isothiocyanate, which is responsible for […]
You know how different people tend to go to sleep at different times? That’s called a chronotype, and people tend to cluster in one of four chronotypes. Some of this is genetic, but genes couldn’t explain all the variation. This […]