EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 31-Dec-2025 14:11 ET (31-Dec-2025 19:11 GMT/UTC)

Long-read sequencing reveals structural variants underlying schizophrenia in the Chinese population

Science China Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Fudan University established the first cohort-scale long-read sequencing (LRS) resource for schizophrenia, comprising 141 Chinese cases (CN_SCZ), to systematically characterize structural variants (SVs) often missed by short-read sequencing. On average, 16,408 SVs were identified per sample. Schizophrenia-specific SVs were enriched in known genomic hotspots, such as 16p12.1, and showed a strong tendency for tandem repeat expansions. Using their in-house tool SVJudge, the team identified 358 potentially pathogenic SVs, including 197 predicted to disrupt transcription factor binding in brain regulatory networks. From these variants, 82 risk genes were prioritized—23 newly implicated—and found enriched in neurodevelopmental and synaptic pathways. These findings refine the genetic landscape of schizophrenia and offer new insights for future mechanistic and therapeutic research.

Journal: Science Bulletin

Adult acne affects up to one-third of 35-year-old Finnish women

University of Oulu, Finland
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Adult acne is more common than often assumed. According to research from the University of Oulu, around 31 per cent of 35-year-old Finnish women have acne on the face or back. Yet many do not recognise their symptoms and acne frequently remains untreated.

Journal: Acta Dermato Venereologica

Europe’s hidden HIV crisis: Half of all people living with HIV in Europe are diagnosed late, threatening to undermine the fight against AIDS

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
Reports and Proceedings

Europe is failing to test and treat HIV early, with over half (54%) of all diagnoses in 2024 being made too late for optimal treatment. New data released today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe warns that this critical testing failure, combined with a growing number of undiagnosed cases, is severely jeopardising the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

The world's smallest fully wireless neural implant achieved

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The human brain contains about 100 billion brain cells, and the chemical and electrical signals they exchange create most mental functions. Neural implant technology for precisely reading these signals is essential for the research and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. A research team from KAIST and international collaborators has successfully implemented a fully wireless, ultra-small implant, which was previously only a theoretical possibility, going beyond simple miniaturization and weight reduction of neural implants.

Journal: Nature Electronics
Funder: US National Institutes of Health, Nanyang Technological University, the Singapore National Research Foundation, the Singapore Ministry of Education, ASPIRE League Partnership Seed Fund

First quantitative assessment of fracture risk after nursing home admission among wheelchair users

University of Tsukuba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The transition to institutional care for individuals who rely on wheelchairs often necessitates a change in the type of wheelchair they use. This change may inadvertently increase the risk of falls and subsequent fractures. In a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Tsukuba, data from residents admitted to nursing homes were analyzed to investigate this issue. The study found that fractures occurred in five residents who had likely transitioned to a different wheelchair after admission, whereas no fractures were reported among those who were likely to have continued using the same type of wheelchair.

Journal: JMA Journal

Social support predicts longevity and improved quality of life among older adults

University of Eastern Finland
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Two recent studies from the University of Eastern Finland show that social support plays an important role in health and well-being in later life. Having access to adequate social support is associated with longevity among older adults, and with better quality of life among home care recipients.

Journal: Home Health Care Management & Practice

Individuals with diabetes are more likely to suffer complications after stent surgery

Karolinska Institutet
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of complications after stent implantation, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in Diabetes Care. The study, which includes over 160,000 patients, emphasises the importance of tailoring treatment strategies for this specific patient group.

Journal: Diabetes Care