Birth Defects News

July 11, 2026

Top Headlines

Columbia Scientists Discover Surprising Link Between Serotonin and Heart Valve Disease

July 11, 2026 Scientists have uncovered evidence that serotonin, the chemical best known for regulating mood, may also speed the progression of a common heart valve disease in some people. The research suggests ...

Second Pregnancy Changes the Brain in Surprising New Ways

July 11, 2026 Researchers found that every pregnancy rewires the brain in its own way, with a second pregnancy bringing a different pattern of changes than the first. The discoveries could lead to better ways to recognize and treat maternal mental health ...

Scientists Discover the One Nutrient Beneficial Parasites Can't Live Without

July 10, 2026 A new study found that dietary fiber can determine whether beneficial intestinal worms help reduce inflammation or become essentially inactive. With plenty of fiber, the worms remained healthy and ...

Scientists Found 45 Chemicals in Pregnant Women and Many Were Linked to Birth Risks

July 6, 2026 A large study found that pregnant women are exposed to dozens of common chemicals, many of which were associated with earlier births and lower birth weights. Researchers also discovered that some ...

Drinking to Cope with Stress May Permanently Rewire Your Brain

July 3, 2026 Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also found signs of brain damage associated with early ...

Long-lived Families Reveal a Rare Genetic Clue to Healthy Aging

June 21, 2026 A study of long-lived families has identified rare genetic variants that may help people stay healthier for much longer as they age. One standout mutation appears to temper inflammation, potentially delaying disease and extending years of healthy ...

Ozempic and Wegovy Linked to Surprising Drop in Violent Behavior

June 17, 2026 A Rutgers study suggests GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy may weaken the link between impulsive tendencies and violent behavior. The surprising finding hints that these medications could affect how people act on impulses, though researchers ...

Doctors Thought This Kidney Drug Helped Some Patients. It May Help Millions More.

June 8, 2026 A trio of major studies found that finerenone may protect the kidneys and heart in far more people than previously thought. The drug significantly slowed kidney disease progression and reduced the ...

Scientists Discover the Master Clock That Controls Biological Growth and Development

June 4, 2026 A newly discovered genetic clock acts as the master timekeeper for development, orchestrating crucial bursts of gene activity throughout a worm’s growth. When the clock is disrupted, development ...

June 3, 2026 A massive study of more than 600,000 U.S. veterans suggests that popular GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide may do far more than help with diabetes and weight loss—they could also fight addiction ...

Scientists Reverse Anxiety by Fixing a Tiny Brain Circuit

June 3, 2026 A newly identified group of amygdala neurons appears to play a central role in anxiety and social behavior. Restoring normal activity in this tiny brain circuit reversed anxiety and social deficits in mice, revealing a promising new target for ...

Brain Scans Reveal Two Distinct Types of Autism

June 3, 2026 Scientists have uncovered evidence that autism may include at least two biologically distinct subtypes, each marked by a different pattern of brain communication. By combining brain scans from nearly 1,000 people with autism with insights from 20 ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:18pm EDT

Scientists Discover Gut Bacteria That May Help Protect Against Autism and ADHD

June 2, 2026 A major study suggests that some of the groundwork for brain development may be shaped before birth through a surprising partnership between a ...

This Common Amino Acid Helped Mice Survive Deadly Inflammation

June 1, 2026 A Salk Institute study found that a simple dietary amino acid, methionine, dramatically improved survival in mice facing severe infections and inflammatory conditions. Rather than directly targeting ...

Omega-3 Fish Oil Shows Promise Against Type 2 Diabetes

May 31, 2026 A new study suggests fish oil may help reduce insulin resistance even in people who aren't obese. In diabetic rats, omega-3 supplementation improved blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and inflammation ...

Hidden Driving Danger When Edible Cannabis and Alcohol Mix

May 29, 2026 Using cannabis edibles and alcohol together may make drivers far more impaired than either substance alone, according to new research from Johns Hopkins. Even more concerning, common field sobriety ...

Scientists Thought Brain Inflammation Was Driving Long COVID but the Scans Told a Different Story

May 28, 2026 A new brain imaging study has found no evidence of widespread brain inflammation in patients suffering from prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 ...

Scientists Create Supercharged Vitamin K That Helps the Brain Heal Itself

May 27, 2026 Scientists in Japan have created powerful new vitamin K-based compounds that may help the brain regenerate lost neurons — a breakthrough that could one day change how diseases like Alzheimer’s ...

Common Heart Drug Taken by Millions Found Useless — and Possibly Dangerous

May 25, 2026 A massive international study could upend 40 years of heart attack treatment. Researchers found that beta blockers—routinely prescribed after ...

AI Scans 400,000 Reddit Posts and Finds Hidden Ozempic Side Effects

May 24, 2026 By analyzing over 400,000 Reddit posts, researchers discovered that users of popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs frequently discussed unexpected symptoms like menstrual irregularities, chills, and hot ...

“Zombie Cells” Aren’t Always Bad and That Could Transform Anti-Aging Medicine

May 22, 2026 Scientists are uncovering a surprising truth about aging cells: some may damage the body, while others help protect it. The discovery is fueling a ...

May 21, 2026 A huge international review found that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and premature ...

This Simple Blood Test Might Detect Depression Before Symptoms Appear

May 4, 2026 A new study suggests depression may soon be detectable through a simple blood test—by tracking how certain immune cells age. Researchers found that accelerated aging in monocytes, a type of white ...

Alzheimer’s Drugs May Not Work and Could Raise Brain Risks

May 4, 2026 Drugs designed to clear amyloid beta from the brain—once seen as a promising path to slowing Alzheimer’s—may not actually help patients in any meaningful way, according to a major review of ...

Early Weight Gain Is Linked to Lifelong Health Consequences

Apr. 11, 2026 Putting on weight earlier in life may be more dangerous than previously thought. Researchers found that early adulthood obesity significantly raises the risk of premature death, especially from major ...

Binge Drinking Just Once a Month May Triple Your Risk of Liver Scarring

Apr. 4, 2026 Many people think that occasional binge drinking is harmless if they otherwise drink in moderation, but new research suggests that assumption may be dangerously wrong. A large U.S. study found that ...

Your Brain Could Help Solve Autism and Most People Don’t Know It

Apr. 8, 2026 A new survey reveals a striking disconnect in how Americans think about autism research. While nearly everyone agrees that studying the autistic brain is essential, most people are unaware that brain ...

Just a Few Minutes of Effort Could Lower Your Risk of 8 Major Diseases

Mar. 30, 2026 Just a few minutes of getting out of breath each day could dramatically cut your risk of major diseases—including heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. A large study of nearly 100,000 people found ...

New Cholesterol Guidelines Could Change When You Get Tested

Mar. 28, 2026 A major new U.S. cholesterol guideline is shifting the focus toward earlier, more personalized prevention of heart disease. It urges people to start screening sooner—sometimes even in ...

Scientists Just Discovered Bees and Hummingbirds Are Drinking Alcohol

Mar. 25, 2026 Flower nectar often contains small amounts of alcohol, meaning pollinators like hummingbirds are drinking it all day long. Despite consuming human-equivalent amounts, they show no signs of ...

Fathers Face Rising Depression Risk a Year After Baby Arrives

Mar. 24, 2026 New fathers appear to have fewer mental health diagnoses during pregnancy and the early months after birth. But that early stability does not last. About a year later, depression and stress-related ...

Weight Loss Drug Ozempic Linked to Lower Depression and Anxiety Risk

May 4, 2026 GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide—best known for treating diabetes and driving weight loss under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy—may also deliver a surprising mental health boost. In a massive ...

A Gene Mutation May Trap the Brain in the Wrong Reality in Schizophrenia Patients

Apr. 3, 2026 A newly identified gene mutation may help explain why schizophrenia patients struggle to update their understanding of reality. The mutation disrupts a brain circuit involved in flexible ...

Weight Loss Drug Ozempic Cuts Depression, Anxiety, and Addiction Risk

Mar. 22, 2026 GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Ozempic) may offer unexpected mental health benefits alongside weight loss. A large study found major drops in depression, anxiety, and psychiatric-related ...

Belly Fat Linked to Heart Failure Risk Even in People With Normal Weight

Mar. 19, 2026 Carrying extra fat around the waist may be more dangerous than the number on the scale suggests. Researchers found that belly fat was more strongly linked to heart failure risk than BMI, even in ...

Huge Study Finds No Evidence Cannabis Helps Anxiety, Depression, or PTSD

Mar. 20, 2026 The largest review of medicinal cannabis to date found it doesn’t effectively treat anxiety, depression, or PTSD—despite millions using it for those reasons. Researchers warn it could even make ...

Scientists Link Childhood Stress to Lifelong Digestive Issues

Mar. 17, 2026 Early life stress may set the stage for long-term digestive problems by disrupting the gut-brain connection. Studies in both mice and thousands of children found links to symptoms like pain, ...

Scientists Discover Gene That Helps the Brain Repair Itself

Apr. 15, 2026 A surprising discovery from high-altitude animals like yaks and Tibetan antelopes could reshape how we treat nerve damage in humans. Scientists found that a genetic mutation helping these animals ...

This Viagra Ingredient Just Did Something Remarkable for a Deadly Childhood Disease

Mar. 31, 2026 A surprising breakthrough suggests that a drug best known as Viagra could help treat a devastating childhood disease. Researchers found that sildenafil significantly improved symptoms in patients ...

New Drug Protects Liver After Intestinal Surgery and Boosts Nutrient Absorption

Mar. 18, 2026 A risky but often lifesaving surgery that removes damaged parts of the small intestine can leave patients facing a new threat: serious liver damage with no available treatment. Now, scientists have ...

Scientists Discover a Brain Signal That May Trigger Autism’s Domino Effect

Mar. 7, 2026 Researchers have uncovered a surprising molecular chain reaction in the brain that may play a role in some forms of autism. The study suggests that nitric oxide, a tiny signaling molecule normally ...

Boosting a Key Brain Protein Could Help Treat Rett Syndrome

Mar. 6, 2026 Researchers have discovered a new way to increase a key brain protein damaged in Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects thousands of children worldwide. Early studies in mice and ...