A paper published in BMJ Open, led by researchers from the University of Birmingham, highlights how few studies conducted into athlete help-seeking for mental health have looked into support provided by semi-formal sources such as coaches, with the majority of research conducted on formal sources.

Modupe O. Coker of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and a collaborative team of researchers identified changes over time in the oral microbiome of children living with HIV, offering insights into how early immune challenges shape not only oral but also systemic health. “Mouth microbes are central to health,” says Coker. “But bacteria in the mouth don’t stay in the mouth—they extend to the rest of the body, influencing system health and vice versa.”