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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 8-Jun-2026 02:16 ET (8-Jun-2026 06:16 GMT/UTC)

Exploring the bidirectional skin-brain axis: Mental health, dermatology-related quality of life, and the role of probiotics

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This study explores the bidirectional skin–brain axis in 305 Brazilian adults, revealing strong correlations between anxiety, depression, and stress. Women exhibited significantly higher psychological symptom scores than men. Although dermatology-related quality of life showed weak correlations with mental health, nearly half of participants reported skin disorders and over half were at risk for a mental health condition. Probiotic intake showed no significant association with mental health outcomes, likely due to low consumption levels. Stress and depression independently predicted anxiety. The findings underscore the greater psychological burden on women and highlight the need for longitudinal, culturally tailored research on gut–skin–brain interactions.

Journal: Journal of Dermatologic Science and Cosmetic Technology

Preconception radiation exposure alters offspring mitochondrial DNA in an organ-specific manner

Hokkaido University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

It did not take long after the discovery of X-rays in the 1890s for scientists to begin exploring the harmful effects of radiation on living organisms. Yet even after more than a century of research, new insights continue to emerge about how radiation affects the body. In a recent study, researchers at Hokkaido University uncovered a previously unrecognized effect of radiation that leads to changes in the mitochondria of the offspring. The study was published in March 2026 in the journal Redox Biology.

Journal: Redox Biology

“Can we hear lost voices again?” Restoring ‘my voice’ by reading light and reviving with AI

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

POSTECH Professor Sung-Min Park’s team develops technology to reconstruct speech through movements of neck muscles.

Journal: Cyborg and Bionic Systems

New research challenges four-decades old obesity theory as to why and how body composition varies in young children before BMI continuously increases from age 6 years – ‘the adiposity rebound’

European Association for the Study of Obesity
Peer-Reviewed Publication

*Note – this is an early press release from the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May. Please credit the congress when using this research*

In new research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) and published in The Journal of Nutrition, a 42-year old theory as to why children’s body mass index (BMI) decreases post-infancy before then rising continuously from age six years –‘the adiposity rebound’ is refuted using new analyses – rather than decreasing body fat, the real reason is proposed as increasing muscle mass. The study is by Professor Andrew Agbaje, physician and associate professor of clinical epidemiology and child health at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

Journal: Journal of Nutrition
Meeting: European Congress on Obesity 2026 (ECO2026)

Illinois Tech-led BioCAT wins NIH renewal to continue operating fiber diffraction beamline at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source

Illinois Institute of Technology
Business Announcement

The Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (BioCAT)—led by Illinois Institute of Technology faculty Thomas Irving, Professor of Biology; Weikang Ma, Professor of Biology; and Jesse Hopkins, Professor of Physics—has received the first installment of $2.6 million of a renewal award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health to continue operating the BioCAT beamline at Sector 18-ID at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory for the next five years.

MIT study reveals a new role for cell membranes

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

MIT chemists have found that changing the composition of the cell membrane can alter the function of EGFR, a cell receptor that promotes proliferation and is often overactive in cancer cells.

Journal: eLife
Funder: MIT’s Department of Chemistry

IOF honors Professor Thierry Chevalley with President’s Award

International Osteoporosis Foundation
Grant and Award Announcement

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has presented the prestigious IOF President’s Award to Dr Thierry Chevalley, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland. The IOF President’s Award recognises individuals who have made a significant and longstanding contribution to advancing the work of the Foundation and its mission to improve bone, muscle and joint health worldwide.

MIT study shows youth may increase vulnerability to a carcinogen found in contaminated water and some drugs

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

According to a study from MIT, NDMA, a carcinogen that has been found in some drugs and drinking water contaminated by chemical plants, may have a much more severe impact on children than adults.

Journal: Nature Communications
Funder: National Institutes of Environmental and Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Research Program, NIEHS Core Center Grant, National Institutes of Health Training Grant, Anonymous Fund for Climate Action

Unwelcome guests: Nematodes of zoonotic and animal health importance in native and invasive carnivores of Hungary

Hun-Ren Ökológiai Kutatóközpont
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The spread of non-native carnivores such as raccoons (Procyon lotor) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) across Europe is becoming an increasing ecological and public health concern. Besides their ecological effects, these invasive carnivores are also gaining attention as potential reservoirs of pathogens of both veterinary and zoonotic importance. Wild carnivores commonly host parasitic nematodes, microscopic worms that can infect internal organs, and several of these parasites pose risks to animal and human health. Some species can cause serious diseases, such as heartworm disease in dogs or eye infections in humans, making their spread a growing concern. To better understand the role of invasive species in parasite transmission, the authors examined 371 individuals from six wild carnivore species in Hungary, red foxes, badgers, golden jackals, raccoons, raccoon dogs, and beech martens. Using molecular methods and a nationwide collaboration with hunters who voluntarily collected blood and tissue samples, several parasitic nematodes were identified.

Journal: Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases
Funder: Funds from the Hungary’s National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Sustainable Development and Technologies National Programme of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Tamara Szentiványi was supported by the AXA Research Fund and by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences