Researchers measured levels of plastic in the blood supplying the heart. Levels were highest in heart attack patients, compared to other patients. Smokers and people exposed to polluted air also had higher levels. Sophia Antipolis, France – 15 July 2026. People who have suffered a serious heart attack had higher levels of micro and nanoplastics […]
2026
Could acupuncture to the ear help to relieve migraines?
Barcelona, Spain: Acupuncture to the ear may help to lessen pain from migraines and their impact on daily life, according to new research presented today (Friday) at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 [1]. A randomised clinical trial of the treatment, called auriculotherapy, found that migraines were less painful immediately after the […]
Damaged myelin generates abnormal rhythms in the sleeping brain
Discovery may help design treatments to improve sleep in patients with MS or Alzheimer’s disease Barcelona, Spain: Scientists have discovered how damage to the myelin sheath – the insulating layer around nerve fibres – affects brain activity during sleep. In research presented on Friday at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 [1], […]
Researchers uncover hormone link between gut and brain in anorexia nervosa
Barcelona, Spain: People with anorexia nervosa have unusually high levels of a hormone called LEAP2 in their blood when they are in the acute phase of the disorder, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 [1]. Patients with the highest levels of LEAP2 are more likely to relapse […]
Why does Parkinson’s disease affect more men than women? Study reveals differences in gene activity in the brain
Barcelona, Spain: New research presented on Wednesday at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 [1] has discovered some of the genetic changes in brain cells that may help to explain why more men than women develop Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively […]
Just one exposure to cocaine alters mouse brain cells for two weeks
Barcelona, Spain: Researchers studying the impact of cocaine in mice have found that just one exposure to the drug can create changes in brain cells that persist for at least two weeks. Their findings are being presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 [1]. Cocaine is a high addictive drug that […]
Speaking another language could slow ageing in the brain
Barcelona, Spain: People who speak more than one language seem to have younger brains, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 [1] Our brains are made up of billions of nerve cells which need to communicate with one another. As we age, the connectivity in our brains tends […]
Voice changes measured with a mobile phone can signal a flare up in asthma or COPD
Voice changes, that can be recorded and measured with a mobile phone app, can signal a flare up in symptoms for people with asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), according to a study published in ERJ Open Research [1]. A flare up of asthma or COPD, known as an exacerbation, means symptoms such as […]
New research helps understand how a long, healthy lifespan may be passed down across generations
Gothenburg, Sweden: Understanding why some people stay healthy without developing disease until late in life (have an increased healthspan*), whereas others become infirm at a much younger age has important implications for the health of today’s ageing population. Life expectancy has significantly increased in the last two centuries, but healthspan has not kept pace. Survival […]
Large-scale European study shows that prevention in patients with inherited cancer risks produces substantial cost benefits
Gothenburg, Sweden: Screening people with the rare, inherited cancer-causing condition Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) brings both medical and economic benefits to patients and healthcare systems, according to research presented to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics. The study, the first of its kind to look at these benefits Europe-wide, makes a convincing […]