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Optic nerve
The optic nerve is the nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. The optic nerve is composed of retinal ganglion cell axons and support cells. It leaves the orbit (eye) via the optic canal, running postero-medially towards the optic chiasm where there is a partial decussation (crossing) of fibers from the temporal visual fields of both eyes. Most of the axons of the optic nerve terminate in the lateral geniculate nucleus from where information is relayed to the visual cortex. The optic nerve contains 1.2 million nerve fibers. This number is low compared to the roughly 130 million receptors in the retina, and implies that substantial pre-processing takes place in the retina before the signals are sent to the brain through the optic nerve.
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Health & Medicine News
November 8, 2025
Nov. 8, 2025 — Researchers have identified special immune cells in the brain that help slow Alzheimer’s. These microglia work to reduce inflammation and block the spread of harmful proteins. They appear to protect memory and brain health, offering a promising ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — Aalto University scientists have created a laser-based treatment that uses gentle heat to stop the progression of dry macular degeneration. The approach stimulates the eye’s natural cleanup and repair systems to protect against ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — A decade-long review by George Mason University researchers reveals growing evidence that neonicotinoid insecticides—the world’s most widely used class of pesticides—may harm male reproductive health. The findings, based on 21 animal studies, ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — New research suggests the COVID-19 vaccine could help children with eczema stay healthier overall. Vaccinated kids had lower rates of infections and allergies, including asthma and rhinitis, compared with unvaccinated peers. Experts believe the ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Researchers found that the body’s natural recycling system, the lysosome, plays a vital role in removing the protein that drives premature aging. When this system breaks down, aging speeds up. By reactivating it, scientists were able to help cells ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — A Stanford-led team has replaced toxic pre-transplant chemotherapy with a targeted antibody, allowing children with Fanconi anemia to receive stem cell transplants safely. The antibody, briquilimab, removes diseased stem cells without radiation, ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos causes widespread brain abnormalities and poorer motor skills in children. Even after a residential ban, ongoing agricultural use continues to endanger developing ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Scientists have pinpointed a “Big Bang” moment in bowel cancer—when cells first evade the immune system. This early immune escape locks in how the cancer will behave as it grows. The discovery could help predict which patients respond to ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Rockefeller scientists uncovered how hair follicle stem cells can switch from growing hair to repairing skin when nutrients run low. The key lies in serine, an amino acid that activates a stress signal telling cells to conserve energy. When both ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Almost 20% of packaged foods and beverages in the US contain synthetic dyes, often paired with excessive sugar to attract children. These additives have been linked to behavioral issues, yet remain widespread among major brands like Mars and ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — An extract from a desert berry used in traditional Chinese medicine restored insulin function and stabilized metabolism in diabetic mice. The findings hint at a powerful natural alternative for holistic diabetes ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Miniature antibodies from camels and llamas can slip into the brain more easily than conventional drugs, offering a new way to treat disorders like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Researchers say these “nanobodies” could reshape the future of ...
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updated 12:56 pm ET
Nov. 6, 2025 — Scientists have discovered a surprising benefit of the acne drug doxycycline: it may lower the risk of schizophrenia. Teens prescribed the antibiotic were about one-third less likely to develop the ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — A newly identified disorder, MINA syndrome, results from a mutation in the NAMPT protein that deprives motor neurons of energy, leading to severe movement problems. The discovery not only deepens ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide 25 mg achieved up to 16.6% weight loss in a landmark study, rivaling injectable Wegovy. The pill also improved cardiovascular risk factors and physical activity ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Weill Cornell researchers uncovered how free radicals from astrocyte mitochondria can fuel dementia. Using new compounds that target these radicals at their source, they slowed brain inflammation and ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Researchers have created a bioinspired gel that can regenerate tooth enamel by mimicking natural growth processes. The fluoride-free material forms a mineral-rich layer that restores enamel’s ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — A Northwestern team transformed a common chemotherapy drug into a powerful, targeted cancer therapy using spherical nucleic acids. The redesign dramatically boosted drug absorption and cancer-killing ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Virginia Tech researchers have shown that memory loss in aging may be reversible. Using CRISPR tools, they corrected molecular disruptions in the hippocampus and amygdala, restoring memory in older ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Meditation is widely praised for its mental health benefits, but new research shows that it can also produce unexpected side effects for some people—from anxiety and dissociation to functional ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Most U.S. adults don’t realize alcohol raises cancer risk, and drinkers themselves are the least aware. Scientists say targeting these misbeliefs could significantly reduce alcohol-related cancer ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Researchers discovered how rabies virus exerts massive control over host cells with very few genes. A key viral protein changes shape and binds RNA, allowing it to infiltrate different cellular ...