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Heart-brain connection via vagus nerve to keep the heart young

The secret to a healthier and “younger” heart lies in the vagus nerve. A recent study published in Science Translational Medicine has shown that preserving bilateral cardiac vagal innervation is an anti-aging factor. In particular, the right cardiac vagus nerve emerges as a true guardian of cardiomyocyte health, helping to preserve the longevity of the heart independently of heart rate.

‘When the integrity of the connection to the vagus nerve is lost, the heart ages more rapidly,’ explains the senior author.

‘Even partial restoration of the connection between the right vagus nerve and the heart is sufficient to counteract the mechanisms of remodelling and preserve effective cardiac contractility,’ adds another author.

‘We have developed an implantable bioabsorbable nerve conduit designed to promote and guide the spontaneous regeneration of the thoracic vagus nerve at the cardiac level,’ explains a co-author.

Treated adult male minipigs displayed improved global circumferential, longitudinal, and radial strains and reduced diastolic dyssynchrony. Histological analysis revealed partial repair with about 20% viable vagal fascicles, restoration of myocardial parasympathetic fibers, normalization of oxidative stress and aging markers, and prevention of interstitial fibrosis.

Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne & Dr. Alexander Tal — Oral PCSK9 Therapy And The Future Of Heart Disease

Oral PCSK9 Therapy And The Future Of Heart Disease — Dr. Christie Ballantyne MD, Director, Center for Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention, Baylor College of Medicine & Dr. Alexander Tal, MD.

Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne, MD is a Cardiologist and is one of the nation’s foremost experts on lipids, atherosclerosis and heart disease prevention. He holds many leadership positions at Baylor College of Medicine (https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/chr… including director of the Center for Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention, co-director of the Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis Clinic, and chief of the Section of Cardiology.

With over 1,000 publications in the area of atherosclerosis, lipids, and inflammation, Dr. Ballantyne’s research on heart disease prevention has led him to become an established investigator for the American Heart Association and the recipient of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health with a core focus on in basic research of leukocyte–endothelial interactions, translational research in biomarkers, and clinical trials.

Dr. Ballantyne’s many accomplishments have included being elected as Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians. In 2012, he received the American College of Cardiology Distinguished Scientist Award (Basic Domain).

In 2014 and 2015, Thomson Reuters recognized Dr. Ballantyne as one of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.” Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science, named Dr. Ballantyne as a “Highly Cited Researcher” 2017–2022 in the top 1% of researchers most cited.

Continue reading “Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne & Dr. Alexander Tal — Oral PCSK9 Therapy And The Future Of Heart Disease” | >

Astronomers discover a region of space that defies everything we thought we knew

Deep in the early Universe, scientists have identified an extraordinary stellar nursery—a place where stars are forming at a breathtaking rate. In this region, activity is up to 180 times greater than in our own galaxy, offering a rare glimpse into how matter behaves in an environment far denser than anything we experience today.

The Milky Way may feel relatively calm now, but the young Universe was anything but. According to a study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, researchers have pinpointed an extremely hot and active zone dating back to the Universe’s earliest epochs, where conditions were far more intense than those around us today.

This area functions as a massive stellar nursery. Packed with dust and gas and flooded with radiation that generates heat, it creates the perfect conditions for particles to collide, stick together, and eventually form new stars.

One of the Most Common Diabetes Treatments May Be Making the Disease Worse, Study Warns

A new study suggests that one of the most common diabetes treatments may speed type 2 diabetes progression by causing insulin-producing cells to lose their functional identity. Sulphonylureas have been used to treat type 2 diabetes since the early 1950s and remain among the most frequently prescr

Semaglutide in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Semaglutide reduced HbA1c and body weight over 26 weeks in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and early glycemic abnormalities taking clozapine or olanzapine.

Question Can adjunctive semaglutide improve glycemic control and weight outcomes in individuals with early-stage prediabetes or diabetes and schizophrenia spectrum disorders who initiated clozapine or olanzapine within the past 5 years?

Findings In this randomized clinical trial including 73 participants, semaglutide was found to significantly reduce hemoglobin A1c level and body weight over a 26-week period. Approximately one-half of individuals treated with semaglutide achieved low-risk hemoglobin A1c levels, compared with the placebo group.

Meaning This study found that semaglutide can mitigate the early metabolic burden associated with second-generation antipsychotic use in schizophrenia and may support the prevention of long-term cardiometabolic complications when initiated during the early stages of metabolic dysregulation.

Researchers Discover Molecular Difference in Autistic Brains

A study co-led by Richard Carson and colleagues at the Yale School of Medicine has identified a measurable molecular difference in the brains of autistic adults – finding reduced availability of a key glutamate receptor involved in brain signaling balance.

Published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, the research offers new insight into the biological mechanisms of autism and could inform future diagnostic tools and targeted supports.

👉 Read the full story.

Brains of autistic individuals have fewer of a specific kind of glutamate receptor, supporting an idea that autism is driven by a signaling imbalance.

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