Research
Psychedelic compound psilocybin has potential in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette’s Syndrome, new research has found. The research, conducted on mic,e showed that psilocybin and psychedelic mushroom extract significantly reduced OCD-like behaviors and tic-like head-body twitches. The findings could pave the way for clinical trials and lead to new, effective treatments for OCD and [...]
An international study has found that genetic variations in human carbohydrate-active enzymes may affect how people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) respond to a carbohydrate-reduced diet. The research, which is published in Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology, shows that IBS patients with genetic defects in carbohydrate digestion had a better response to certain dietary interventions. This [...]
Nearly three quarters of new non-cancer pain opioid prescriptions were for patients with musculoskeletal conditions, despite limited evidence of the drug’s efficacy, according to the largest UK study of its kind. The new study, also the first of its kind in the UK, evaluated the specific clinical conditions that lead to the initiation of opioid [...]
A series of community made videos have proven to be an effective way to encourage Black people to donate blood, with research showing this arts-based approach could help to boost much needed blood supplies. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology worked with Action on Blood to create four short videos aimed at [...]
Researchers have revealed in the greatest detail yet the workings of molecules called ‘protein degraders’ which can be deployed to combat what have previously been regarded as ‘undruggable’ diseases, including cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Protein degrader molecules are heralding a revolution in drug discovery, with more than 50 drugs of this type currently being tested [...]
Skin pigmentation may act as a “sponge” for some medications, potentially influencing the speed with which active drugs reach their intended targets, a pair of scientists report in a perspective article published in the journal Human Genomics. The researchers argue that a sizable proportion of drugs and other compounds can bind to melanin pigments in the skin, leading [...]
A cross-disciplinary team will use pioneering technology to manufacture human stem cells outside the body, in the hope these cells could help tissue regeneration to repair broken bones, help with transplant therapies and help to develop new approaches to blood cancer treatment. The new project is made possible with £11m, awarded by the UKRI Engineering [...]
US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 for their pioneering discoveries around microRNA. MicroRNAs are an influential force in dictating how genes within organisms are controlled; and are currently the subject of clinical trials for potential heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease treatments. Instead of [...]
Psychiatric drugs are reported to be about 50 per cent more effective in clinical trials funded by the drug’s manufacturer than when trials of the same drug are sponsored by other groups, new research shows. While many studies have found more favourable results for drugs in clinical trials funded by their manufacturers, these studies normally [...]
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, Paxman is raising awareness of a critical and often overlooked side effect faced by many cancer patients: the risk of developing persistent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (PCIA) as a result of cancer treatment. The efficacy of scalp cooling in preventing PCIA has once again come to the forefront through a recent [...]
