Playing an instrument may keep our brains fit as a fiddle as we age

Publicly released: Wed 16 Jul 2025 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Biology

Chinese and Canadian researchers suggest long-term musical training might mitigate some age-related declines to our cognition. To work this out, the researchers scanned the brains of 25 older musicians, 25 older non-musicians, and 24 young... Read more about Playing an instrument may keep our brains fit as a fiddle as we age

Rethinking the role of genetic variant in late-onset Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases

Publicly released: Wed 16 Jul 2025 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature Medicine

A genetic variant known as APOE ε4 has, until now, been considered the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. A new study, published in Nature Medicine, reveals that APOE ε4 functions as a broad immune modulator,... Read more about Rethinking the role of genetic variant in late-onset Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases

New diabetes and weight loss drugs could be reducing the risk of dementia and stroke

Publicly released: Wed 16 Jul 2025 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Middle-aged and older people taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) such as Ozempic or Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and obesity could be less likely to develop dementia or have a stroke, according to international research.... Read more about New diabetes and weight loss drugs could be reducing the risk of dementia and stroke

Depression linked to ‘internal jet lag’

Publicly released: Wed 16 Jul 2025 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Journal of Biological Rhythms

23 percent of young people presenting to care for mood disorders in Sydney were found to have out-of-sync body clocks. The degree of circadian rhythm dysregulation was linked to severity of depression symptoms. A Sydney-based study of 69 young... Read more about Depression linked to ‘internal jet lag’

AI divide is hindering healthcare progress in the Global South

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 1539 AEST, 1739 NZST

Digital Health

While artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare in technologically advanced nations, it has yet to make a meaningful impact on health services in less developed countries of the Global South. Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing... Read more about AI divide is hindering healthcare progress in the Global South

Which supermarket depression treatments work?

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 1400 AEST, 1600 NZST

Frontiers in Pharmacology

International experts investigated the existing evidence for depression treatments you can find in your local supermarket, and found 64 different products that have been tested in 209 clinical trials, although the levels of evidence differed widely... Read more about Which supermarket depression treatments work?

EXPERT REACTION: Landmark Australian Climate Case ruling

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 1238 AEST, 1438 NZST

The Federal Court in Cairns will rule on a landmark case brought by two Torres Strait Islanders who have filed a lawsuit against the Australian Government for failing to protect the Torres Strait from climate change. The plaintiffs, Uncle Pabai and... Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Landmark Australian Climate Case ruling

Maternity costs are lower in private vs public maternity care

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 1154 AEST, 1354 NZST

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

There are significantly lower adverse health outcomes and costs in private obstetric-led care compared to standard public maternity care, according to new Australian research. The study compared health outcomes and costs for more than 860,000 births... Read more about Maternity costs are lower in private vs public maternity care

89% of the world's children received key childhood vaccine last year

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 1100 AEST, 1300 NZST

About 115 million children around the world received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine in 2024, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO says this is an increase of about 171,000... Read more about 89% of the world's children received key childhood vaccine last year

New route into cells could make gene therapies safer

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 1038 AEST, 1238 NZST

Cell

Scientists from the Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney have made a landmark discovery that could lead to safer and more effective gene therapies for a range of serious genetic disorders including Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Pompe... Read more about New route into cells could make gene therapies safer

Rethinking wildlife tourism: Ruling out ‘orangutan kickboxing’ a good start to limit harmful animal objectification

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0933 AEST, 1133 NZST

Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics

A new study has highlighted extreme examples – such as orangutan kickboxing for the entertainment of tourists – do little to educate or develop conservation motivation for myriad animal species around the world. A new study co-led by Griffith... Read more about Rethinking wildlife tourism: Ruling out ‘orangutan kickboxing’ a good start to limit harmful animal objectification

Children don't fill the void after the death of a spouse

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

Aging & Mental Health

Widowed parents who enjoy close relationships with their adult children still struggle with loneliness, according to German research. The study spanned 25 years and was based on interviews with more than 5,500 men and women, including those whose... Read more about Children don't fill the void after the death of a spouse

Aluminium in childhood vaccines not linked to autoimmune, allergic, or neurodevelopmental disorders

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

Annals of Internal Medicine

Childhood exposure to aluminium found in vaccines is not linked to an increased risk of autoimmune, allergic, or neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism, according to international researchers. The team used data from 1. 2 million... Read more about Aluminium in childhood vaccines not linked to autoimmune, allergic, or neurodevelopmental disorders

Diabetes patients on Ozempic-like drugs more likely to develop gastroesophageal reflux disease

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

Annals of Internal Medicine

Canadian and South Korean researchers say type-2 diabetes patients taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), the group of drugs that includes Ozempic and Wegovy, are more likely to develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)... Read more about Diabetes patients on Ozempic-like drugs more likely to develop gastroesophageal reflux disease

Vaping more effective at helping socially disadvantaged people quit smoking compared to nicotine gum or lozenges

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

Annals of Internal Medicine

Vapes containing nicotine are more effective quit-smoking aids than nicotine lozenges and gum for adults experiencing social disadvantage, who typically have a harder time quitting than their more advantaged peers, according to researchers from the... Read more about Vaping more effective at helping socially disadvantaged people quit smoking compared to nicotine gum or lozenges

New technique can dramatically improve laser linewidth

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0300 AEST, 0500 NZST

APL Photonics

Macquarie University researchers have demonstrated a technique to dramatically narrow the linewidth of a laser beam by a factor of over ten thousand – a discovery that could revolutionise quantum computing, atomic clocks and gravitational wave... Read more about New technique can dramatically improve laser linewidth

Scientists can tell what you'll buy by scanning your friends' brains

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0300 AEST, 0500 NZST

JNeurosci

Close friendships can lead to friends' brain activity and even their shopping habits becoming similar, according to Chinese scientists. They ran a series of experiments in which 175 participants of varying degrees of friendship were asked to... Read more about Scientists can tell what you'll buy by scanning your friends' brains

Whether you can enjoy healthy ageing depends on where you live

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature Medicine

International scientists analysed healthy ageing in 40 countries across four continents, including a total of more than 160,000 people, and found big differences between them. Whether we age healthily is affected by a lot of different factors... Read more about Whether you can enjoy healthy ageing depends on where you live

Scientists unlock ancient cellular wisdom of brain stem cells, offering hope for brain cancer and degenerative disease

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Science Advances

Researchers from QIMR Berghofer in collaborat ion with the Francis Crick Institute, have unlocked the secrets of how brain stem cells enter and exit a resting state called ‘quiescence’ - a process with roots stretching back to the dawn of life.... Read more about Scientists unlock ancient cellular wisdom of brain stem cells, offering hope for brain cancer and degenerative disease

Almost 4 in 10 Australians living with multiple chronic health conditions

Publicly released: Tue 15 Jul 2025 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Almost 4 in 10 Australians, or 9. 7 million people, were estimated to be living with two or more chronic health conditions in 2022, according to a new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The report found that having multiple chronic... Read more about Almost 4 in 10 Australians living with multiple chronic health conditions