Category Health/Medical

Persistent pain often has no clear cause. However, studies show measurable differences in the structure and activity of the brains of those affected. This might explain why they experience chronic pain...

A simple yeast-based food supplement may help restore the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, according to new research in mice. Scientists found that yeast beta-glucan reprogrammed early immune cells in the bone marrow, leading to stronger, longer-lasting cancer-fighting responses against colorectal, skin, and breast cancer cells.

In experiments with obese laboratory mice, the researchers found that adding the supplement to the animals’ diets changed the way immune cells developed and produced stronger cancer-fighting responses.

Obesity can interfere with immune function, making it more difficult for the body to re...

NASA scientists found that microbes brought by astronauts could survive in cold, shadowed niches around the Moon’s South Pole, potentially complicating future searches for pristine lunar chemistry. Some refuges may be no larger than a footprint, while one hardy fungus could even withstand limited exposure to sunlight.

NASA scientists say some microbes carried into space by human explorers may be able to survive in sheltered, shadowed areas near the Moon’s South Pole.

The findings, published on Aug...

Brain cells that produce the protective coating around nerve fibers can become dysfunctional with age and may actively contribute to cognitive decline, according to new research.

A study found that people with more severe cognitive decline had changes to nerve fibers and myelin—the protective coating around nerve fibers that helps messages travel efficiently through the brain. The study is published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Experiments in mice showed that disrupting oligodendrocytes—the cells that produce myelin—also altered the coating and impaired cognitive performance.

Experts say the findings overturn the longstanding view that these cells are always supportive of healthy brain function and could pave the way for new treatment...