Reference Terms
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Brain damage
Brain damage or brain injury is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells.
Brain damage may occur due to a wide range of conditions, illnesses, or injuries. Possible causes of widespread (diffuse) brain damage include prolonged hypoxia (shortage of oxygen), poisoning, infection, and neurological illness. Common causes of focal or localized brain damage are physical trauma (traumatic brain injury), stroke, aneurysm, or neurological illness. The extent and effect of brain injury is often assessed by the use of neurological examination, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological assessment. Brain injury does not necessarily result in long-term impairment or disability, although the location and extent of damage both have a significant effect on the likely outcome.
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Health & Medicine News
October 11, 2025
Oct. 11, 2025 — Men’s heavy drinking is fueling a hidden crisis affecting millions of women and children worldwide. The harms, from violence to financial instability, are especially severe where gender inequality is high. Experts warn that alcohol policies must ...
Oct. 11, 2025 — MIT and Harvard scientists have designed an advanced type of immune cell called a CAR-NK cell that can destroy cancer while avoiding attack from the body’s own immune defenses. This innovation could allow doctors to create “off-the-shelf” ...
Oct. 11, 2025 — Scientists identified two types of brain cells, neurons and microglia, that are altered in people with depression. Through genomic mapping of post-mortem brain tissue, they found major differences in gene activity affecting mood and inflammation. ...
Oct. 10, 2025 — A surprising link between Alzheimer’s and cancer reveals that amyloid beta, a harmful protein in the brain, actually empowers the immune system. It strengthens T-cells’ energy production, helping them fight cancer more effectively. By restoring ...
Oct. 10, 2025 — MIT scientists have found a way to make gene editing far safer and more accurate — a breakthrough that could reshape how we treat hundreds of genetic diseases. By fine-tuning the tiny molecular “tools” that rewrite DNA, they’ve created a new ...
Oct. 10, 2025 — China’s Guangdong Province is battling its worst-ever chikungunya outbreak, with thousands of infections spreading across major cities and nearby regions. Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, the disease underscores how climate change, urbanization, ...
Oct. 10, 2025 — Researchers have cracked the code behind how plants make mitraphylline, a rare cancer-fighting molecule. Their discovery of two critical enzymes explains how nature builds complex spiro-shaped compounds. The work paves the way for sustainable, ...
Oct. 10, 2025 — Scientists have pinpointed Y1 receptor neurons in the brain that can override chronic pain signals when survival instincts like hunger or fear take precedence. Acting like a neural switchboard, these cells balance pain with other biological needs. ...
Oct. 10, 2025 — Researchers discovered that stevioside, a compound from the Stevia plant, enhances the skin absorption of minoxidil, the main treatment for pattern baldness. In mice, a stevioside-infused patch boosted hair follicle activity and new hair growth. The ...
Oct. 9, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way the body can burn energy and stay warm. Deep inside fat tissue, they found a hidden system that helps the body use up calories, even without exercise. By studying mice, researchers discovered that brown ...
Oct. 9, 2025 — Drugs taken years—even decades—ago can leave lasting imprints on the gut microbiome, reshaping the community of microbes long after treatment stops. Scientists analyzing over 2,500 Estonian Biobank samples discovered that antibiotics aren’t ...
Oct. 8, 2025 — Scientists at Skoltech developed a new mathematical model of memory that explores how information is encoded and stored. Their analysis suggests that memory works best in a seven-dimensional conceptual space — equivalent to having seven senses. ...
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Oct. 8, 2025 — Researchers have designed a peptide that prevents the deadly misfolding of alpha-synuclein, the protein behind Parkinson’s and some dementias. In ...
Oct. 8, 2025 — A new pill called baxdrostat may offer hope for people whose blood pressure stays high even after taking standard medications. In a recent study, the drug lowered blood pressure and also seemed to ...
Oct. 8, 2025 — New research shows green tea may help the body burn fat and balance blood sugar. In a study with obese mice, it improved metabolism and muscle health without harming lean animals. Scientists say its ...
Oct. 7, 2025 — Ancient humans crossing the Bering Strait into the Americas carried more than tools and determination—they also carried a genetic legacy from Denisovans, an extinct human relative. A new study ...
Oct. 7, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that bacteria living inside tumors can produce a molecule that fights cancer and enhances chemotherapy. The molecule, called 2-methylisocitrate (2-MiCit), was found to make ...
Oct. 7, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that DMT, a natural compound found in plants and even the human brain, can dramatically reduce brain damage caused by stroke. The psychoactive molecule, long known for its ...
Oct. 7, 2025 — Researchers in Japan have pinpointed a biological cause of Long COVID brain fog using advanced PET brain imaging. They discovered widespread ...
Oct. 7, 2025 — Addiction often isn’t about chasing pleasure—it’s about escaping pain. Researchers at Scripps Research have discovered that a tiny brain region ...
Oct. 6, 2025 — Researchers have enhanced vinegar’s antibacterial properties by infusing it with cobalt-based carbon nanoparticles. This nano-boosted solution kills harmful bacteria from both inside and outside ...
Oct. 6, 2025 — A major study from Tübingen found that prediabetic individuals who normalized their blood sugar through healthy habits — even without shedding pounds — cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by 71%. ...