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By starving tumors of glucose, researchers may have found an innovative way of selectively killing cancer cells while sparing healthy ones.A team of researchers at Ben-Gurion University has unveiled a novel approach to treating brain cancer by targeting the survival mechanisms of tumor cells under glucose starvation. Their findings, published May 14 in Nature Communications, suggest that accelerating the metabolic processes of tumor cells during glucose starvation could cause them to quickly exhaust their energy supplies and die. Research head Prof. Barak Rotblat, along with co-lead researcher Gabriel Leprivier of the Institute of Neuropathology at University Hospital Düsseldorf, discovered that...

A new study suggests that people who take a few common drugs may have a decreased risk of having a bleeding stroke due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. The results do not prove that these drugs reduce the risk of this type of aneurysm; they only show an association. Said Jos Peter Kanning, MSc, "Our current surgical treatments for brain aneurysms have a risk of permanent disability and death that often outweighs the potential benefits, so preventing rupture with a non-invasive drug would be very beneficial." Researchers looked at 4,879 people who had ruptured brain aneurysms, called aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages....

Researchers have identified mechanisms in the brain's hippocampal network that are rescued by ketones. These findings build on previous research showing that ketones can alleviate neurological and cognitive affects. As we age, our brain naturally becomes more insulin resistant. This creates a breakdown in communication between neurons, causing symptoms like changes in mood, cognitive decline, and eventually neurodegeneration. Nathan A. Smith, MS, Ph.D. and fellow researchers studied the mechanisms in the brain that break down when insulin resistance is suddenly present, like in trauma, but before symptoms manifest into chronic conditions, like diabetes or Alzheimer's. "Once neuronal function is lost,...

New research provides insights into how exercise may help to prevent or slow cognitive decline during aging. For the study, investigators assessed the expression of genes in individual cells in the brains of mice. The team found that exercise has a significant impact on gene expression in microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system that support brain function. Specifically, the group found that exercise reverts the gene expression patterns of aged microglia to patterns seen in young microglia. Treatments that depleted microglia revealed that these cells are required for the stimulatory effects of exercise on the formation of...

It has long been known that a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and most other neurodegenerative diseases, is the clumping together of insoluble protein aggregates in the brain. During normal disease-free aging, there is also an accumulation of insoluble proteins. Researchers have recently completed a systematic study in worms that paints an intricate picture of the connections between insoluble proteins in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Furthermore, the work demonstrated an intervention that could reverse the toxic effects of the aggregates by boosting mitochondrial health. "Our study shows how maintaining healthy mitochondria can combat protein clumping linked to both aging and Alzheimer's,"...

Exercise prompts muscles to release molecular cargo that boosts brain cell function and connection, but the process is not well understood. New research has found that the nerves that tell muscles to move also prompt them to release more of the brain-boosting factors. "The molecules released from the muscle go into the bloodstream and then to the brain." said Hyunjoon Kong. "As we get older, we lose these neurons from the muscle," he said. The researchers compared two muscle tissue models—one with neuron innervation and one without. They found that the innervated muscle produced more molecules that promote brain neuron...

A gray-haired older woman sat motionless with her gaze lowered. In the late stages of dementia, she no longer spoke to others or made eye contact.When Ayako Yonetani started playing the violin, the woman slowly lifted her head.“Her mouth moved, and her eyes brightened as if she heard my music and was trying to follow it,” recounted Ms. Yonetani, a concert artist and professor of violin and viola at the University of Central Florida School of Performing Arts.Those who spent time with the older woman were astonished. “They had never seen her react like this before,” she said. But this...

U.S. — Following the revelation that a deadly parasite was once removed from his skull, political experts were shocked to learn that the dead worm found in Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s brain was already polling higher than Joe Biden in 11 states. The latest poll results indicated a large portion of the electorate had abandoned Biden in favor of the deceased parasite that had previously been lodged in RFK Jr.'s brain, leaving the White House scrambling to formulate a strategy to combat the dead worm. "We weren't expecting to see numbers like these," said one high-ranking Biden campaign strategist under...

Prolonged use of certain progestogen hormone drugs is associated with an increased risk of developing a type of brain tumor known as an intracranial meningioma, finds a study. Progestogens are similar to the natural hormone progesterone. Meningiomas are mostly non-cancerous tumors in the layers of tissue (meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cord. Researchers set out to evaluate the real life risk of intracranial meningioma requiring surgery in women associated with use of several progestogens with different routes of administration. They used data from the French national health data system (SNDS) for 18,061 women (average age 58) who underwent...

Fiber is essential for the digestive system. It helps maintain a healthy weight and lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Getting the right amount of fiber, whether through food or drinks, is a great way to relieve constipation. In addition to all that, fiber supplements could improve brain function in older adults, according to a new study. The study followed individuals over the age of 60 for a 12-week period. Results found those who took prebiotic fiber supplements showed a "significant improvement in memory." The study evaluated the gut microbiome and its correlation with both cognitive...

One of the persistent myths about shooting bears in self-defense is a bear’s skull is nearly bulletproof. Bears skulls are not bulletproof. However, bear heads are big. It is easy to miss the brain or spine if you aim at the wrong spot or aim away from the brain because you are afraid the bullet will “bounce off.” This is exacerbated by trophy hunters’ hesitancy to shoot a bear in the head. A powerful shot to the brain cavity will fracture the skull, making measurement for the record books impossible.It is difficult to hit the brain of a bear if...

A study provides compelling evidence for clinical practice to direct efforts toward preventing white matter damage in individuals with hypertension in order to protect against cognitive decline and dementia. Gray matter is where the brain cells exist, whereas white matter constitutes the network of nerve fibers that provides the communication connection between different areas of gray matter. The study, led by Dr. Jing Du, found that compared with gray matter, white matter is more vulnerable to raised blood pressure. "Because gray matter has a greater amount of small blood vessels, and therefore a greater supply of blood compared to white...

Scientists are sounding the alarm over the spread of “zombie deer disease” amid fears it may evolve to infect humans. Late last year, experts confirmed Yellowstone National Park’s first case of the infection — officially known as chronic wasting disease — after a deer carcass found in the Wyoming area of the park tested positive for the highly contagious disease. Now, cases have been reported in deer, elk and moose in 33 states across the US, as well as in Canada, Norway and South Korea. The disease “damages portions of the brain and typically causes progressive loss of body condition,...

A new study suggests that high-intensity training (HIT), compared to conventional training, may improve walking ability in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). Possible secondary benefits may include improved aerobic capacity/efficiency and cognition. T. George Hornby, PT, Ph.D. and co-authors, evaluated the effects of HIT focused on stepping practice versus conventional training on walking in individuals with chronic TBI. HIT focused on maximizing stepping practice while trying to achieve higher cardiovascular intensities. The investigators observed greater increases in 6-minute walk test and peak treadmill speed during exercise testing following HIT vs. conventional training. "The present and previous results suggest...

You are not your brain, and brain death does not equal death. Protect yourself from a false “brain death” diagnosis by refusing to be a registered organ donor. But this is not enough. The 2006 update to the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) now mandates that if a person has no documented refusal to donate (and the family cannot be contacted) the coroner, medical examiner, or hospital administrator can donate your body or organs on your behalf. By documenting your refusal to donate in your advanced directive and electronic medical record and by carrying a “refusal to donate” wallet card,...

The foods we eat can go a long way in boosting our moods. Here are our favorite snacks for happiness, according to science. Achieving happiness is top of mind for many people, and we'll try just about anything to get it. Whether it's therapy, exercise or meditation, we all want to bring more peace and joy into our lives. When we think about what makes us happy, our diet isn't usually at the top of the list (unless your favorite fast-food joint brings joy to mind). The foods we eat actually play a major role in how we feel. Studies...

Yesterday the Expose published an article which highlighted just a few of the various diseases that were found to be potentially caused by parasites, including cancers. A recent review of nine published research papers by Doctor William Makis further supports the views in the article, but Dr Makis is more qualified to say “it is a reasonable hypothesis that COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Turbo Cancer patients could benefit significantly from anti-parasitic drugs.” One anti parasitic drug in particular, Fenbendazole, however, has not been sanctioned for human use by the FDA, but despite lacking “official” approval, it is cheap, safe and more...

For military veterans, many of the deepest wounds of war are invisible: Traumatic brain injuries resulting from head trauma or blast explosions. Now, researchers have discovered that the plant-based psychoactive drug ibogaine, when combined with magnesium to protect the heart, safely and effectively reduces PTSD, anxiety and depression and improves functioning in veterans with TBI. Ibogaine is found in the roots of the African shrub iboga. Since 1970, ibogaine has been designated as a Schedule I drug, preventing its use within the U.S. Before the treatment, researchers gauged the participants' levels of PTSD. Participants then traveled to a clinic in...

When they inactivated one specific region, the monkeys stopped making risky choices. No other areas had a similar effect, even areas that have been shown to play a role in monkey decision-making. The region researchers identified is part of the Brodmann area in the monkey frontal lobe, which has dozens of smaller parts that are associated with all sorts of brain activities including speech, hearing, and movement. Specifically, it was Brodmann area 6, which is involved in planning complex and coordinated movement. In people, the frontal lobe is involved in personality, planning, organizing, and goal-oriented behavior.

What does Paul mean by belly here? The stomach or appetite, as some translations read, represents our instinctual and base-level desires, our hungers, cravings, and lusts. For the ancients, the belly was the most animalistic part of all humans, and we tend to agree with them, even is subconsciously. After all, how often do you have a gut-feeling about something? Do you ever question whether or not you should just go with your gut? Have you ever felt the fluttering in your gut while in the throes of infatuation? Our gut is our primal nature, working beyond the confines of...