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Scientific American
07-07-2025
- Health
- Scientific American
Massive Study Flips Our Story of Addiction and the Brain
For decades, Americans have been told a simple story about addiction: taking drugs damages the brain—and the earlier in life children start using substances, the more likely they are to progress through a 'gateway' from milder ones such as marijuana to more dangerous drugs such as opioids. Indeed, those who start using at younger ages are much more likely to become addicted. But a recent study, part of an ongoing project to scan the brains of 10,000 kids as they move through childhood into adulthood, complicates the picture. It found that the brains of those who started experimenting with cannabis, cigarettes or alcohol before age 15 showed differences from those who did not— before the individuals took their first puff or sip. When paired with an independent trial of a successful prevention program tailored to at-risk kids, the findings suggest better ways to fend off substance use disorders before they start. 'This study is extremely helpful because it begins to outline the brain changes that are seen in teenagers who start to use drugs early,' says Ayana Jordan, an associate professor of psychiatry and population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who was not associated with the project. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. The findings are 'actually telling you that there are vulnerability factors and identifying them,' says Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, which funded the research. Published in December 2024 in JAMA Network Open, the new work is part of the ongoing NIDA-led Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development initiative, the largest-ever long-term U.S. study of child brain health and growth. (Like all current NIH projects, it is threatened by the budget cuts imposed by the Trump administration, though Volkow says sustaining it is a top priority for NIDA.) In the new study, children aged nine to 11 underwent regular brain scans for three years. In separate interviews, the participants and their parents also provided information on diet and substance use. Nearly a quarter of the children had used drugs including alcohol, cannabis and nicotine before the study began. Children who started using drugs during the study period had preexisting enlargements in many brain regions and had larger brains overall when the study began than those who did not use drugs, explains lead author Alex Miller, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine. These youth had many of the same brain differences as children who had begun drug use before the start of the study. In both groups, the outer portion of the brain, called the cortex, also had a larger surface area on average, with more folds and grooves. Having a bulkier and more heavily creased brain is generally linked to higher intelligence, though these factors are far from the only ones that matter. Bigger and groovier isn't always better: during adolescence, natural processes actually 'prune back' some brain areas—so whether size differences are positive depends on the life stage being studied and on the brain regions that should be large at that time. Other research has associated the some of the brain differences found in the study with certain personality traits: curiosity, or interest in exploring the environment, and a penchant for risk-taking. Like having a large brain, curiosity and interest in novelty (which are sometimes measured together as a personality trait called 'openness to experience') are associated with intelligence. But when curiosity is coupled with a strong drive to seek intense sensations and a willingness to take risks without considering the consequences, it's also linked to a higher likelihood of trying drugs. If these early brain differences aren't caused by drugs, where do they come from? They could reflect certain genetic variations or childhood exposure to adverse experiences—both of which have previously been associated with addiction risk. While it's still possible that substances could chemically interfere with brain development, contributing to the elevated risk for addiction among those who start drinking or taking other drugs early, the study suggests that there are other, preexisting factors at play. The brain differences here were only linked to early initiation of drug use —not necessarily to addiction itself. 'More data is needed to see if any of these brain changes are related to disease progression, severity of use or how the teens may respond to treatment,' Jordan says. Research already suggests that early differences can be targeted to improve prevention programs. In fact, a recent trial showed that substance use disorders can be prevented in kids with personality traits that put them at higher risk. Some of the personality traits targeted in this trial have previously been associated with the kinds of brain differences found in the new brain scan study. In the prevention trial, researchers compared Montreal-area schools in which teens received a personality-based intervention in seventh grade with those that did not. The program began by having kids take a validated personality test. Months later, with no reference to the test, teens who scored highest in the traits of impulsiveness, sensation-seeking, hopelessness or sensitivity to anxiety were invited to participate in two 90-minute workshops. These workshops taught cognitive skills aimed at maximizing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses typically associated with their specific most strongly outlying trait. Five years later, students at the schools that did use the program had 87 percent lower odds of developing substance use disorders. 'It's a 35 percent reduction in the annual growth of substance use disorders across time,' says Patricia Conrod, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal and lead author of the prevention trial. The results were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in January. Conrod emphasizes that 'risky' traits have pluses as well as minuses. For example, a tendency to seek new experiences can be critical for success in science, medicine and the arts. A willingness to take risks is useful in occupations ranging from firefighting to entrepreneurship. The trick is to help young people manage such predilections safely. In some children she has worked with, who start drugs as early as age 13, Conrod says that 'the drive to self-medicate is so strong; it's really striking. There really is this discomfort with their inner world.' As a result, providing ways to manage these feelings without misusing drugs—and without pathologizing those with outlying traits—can be a powerful way to support healthy development.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Newfound mechanism rewires cellular energy processing for drastic weight loss: Study
Washington: Mice genetically engineered to lack the ability to make the amino acid cysteine , and fed a cysteine-free diet , lost 30 per cent of their body weight in just one week, a new study shows. Published online May 21 in Nature, the work found that cysteine depletion disrupts the normal metabolic pathways mammalian cells use to convert food into energy, forcing the animals to rapidly burn fat stores in a futile attempt to meet energy demands. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine , the study reveals key details about how cells process fuels like carbohydrates and fats ( metabolism ), and how cysteine depletion affects tissues. Experiments showed that lowering cysteine levels caused a drop in levels of the small molecule called coenzyme A (CoA), which rendered inefficient mechanisms that convert carbohydrates and fats into energy. Despite CoA being involved in more than 100 intermediate metabolic reactions and serving as a partner (cofactor) for 4% of all enzymes in the body, scientists had previously been unable to study its function directly. This is because mice with defective CoA synthesis typically do not survive beyond three weeks of age. The current findings detail, for the first time, how CoA shapes metabolism in adult mice. "Our surprising findings reveal that low cysteine levels triggered rapid fat loss in our study mice by activating a network of interconnected biological pathways," said co-senior study author Evgeny Nudler, PhD, the Julie Wilson Anderson Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "While driving weight loss in the clinic remains a key future mission, we are most excited for the moment about the profound, fundamental aspects of metabolism revealed in this study," added Dr. Nudler. The current finding does not immediately suggest a new approach to weight loss, the authors caution, as cysteine is found in nearly all foods. Achieving a truly cysteine-free diet would require patients to consume a specially formulated solution that would be challenging for most. Moreover, because cysteine is involved in numerous cellular pathways, eliminating it -- such as through a drug that inhibits cysteine production -- could make organs more vulnerable to everyday toxins, including medications. That said, the study authors say it is worth considering that fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain much lower levels of cysteine and its precursor, the sulfur-containing amino acid methionine, than red meat. (ANI)
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Business Standard
09-06-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
New mechanism rewires cell energy processing for weight loss, shows study
Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the study reveals key details about how cells process fuels like carbohydrates and fats, and how cysteine depletion affects tissues ANI Mice genetically engineered to lack the ability to make the amino acid cysteine, and fed a cysteine-free diet, lost 30 per cent of their body weight in just one week, a new study shows. Published online May 21 in Nature, the work found that cysteine depletion disrupts the normal metabolic pathways mammalian cells use to convert food into energy, forcing the animals to rapidly burn fat stores in a futile attempt to meet energy demands. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the study reveals key details about how cells process fuels like carbohydrates and fats (metabolism), and how cysteine depletion affects tissues. Experiments showed that lowering cysteine levels caused a drop in levels of the small molecule called coenzyme A (CoA), which rendered inefficient mechanisms that convert carbohydrates and fats into energy. Despite CoA being involved in more than 100 intermediate metabolic reactions and serving as a partner (cofactor) for 4% of all enzymes in the body, scientists had previously been unable to study its function directly. This is because mice with defective CoA synthesis typically do not survive beyond three weeks of age. The current findings detail, for the first time, how CoA shapes metabolism in adult mice. "Our surprising findings reveal that low cysteine levels triggered rapid fat loss in our study mice by activating a network of interconnected biological pathways," said co-senior study author Evgeny Nudler, PhD, the Julie Wilson Anderson Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "While driving weight loss in the clinic remains a key future mission, we are most excited for the moment about the profound, fundamental aspects of metabolism revealed in this study," added Dr. Nudler. The current finding does not immediately suggest a new approach to weight loss, the authors caution, as cysteine is found in nearly all foods. Achieving a truly cysteine-free diet would require patients to consume a specially formulated solution that would be challenging for most. Moreover, because cysteine is involved in numerous cellular pathways, eliminating it -- such as through a drug that inhibits cysteine production -- could make organs more vulnerable to everyday toxins, including medications. That said, the study authors say it is worth considering that fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain much lower levels of cysteine and its precursor, the sulfur-containing amino acid methionine, than red meat.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Measles virus can stay in the air for up to 2 hours: Here's how to stay safe
The measles virus doesn't need direct contact to infect you—it can hang in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has coughed or sneezed. As summer travel ramps up, this highly contagious respiratory disease is riding the wings of global movement, making stops in airports, concerts, and tourist hotspots. According to a new advisory issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 'Travelers can catch measles in many travel settings, including travel hubs like airports and train stations, on public transportation like airplanes and trains, at tourist attractions, and at large, crowded events.' As of May 30, the U.S. has recorded 1,088 confirmed cases of measles across 32 states—its worst outbreak since 2020. The CDC also reported that 62 of those cases involved individuals traveling by air. How measles spreads—and why it's so dangerous Measles spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. But unlike many other viruses, it remains viable in the air and on surfaces for hours after exposure. Measles, a highly contagious viral disease, spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes, releasing tiny droplets containing the virus. These droplets can infect others who breathe them in or by touching surfaces contaminated with the droplets and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes. The CDC notes that people are contagious up to four days before and after the rash associated with measles appears. Early symptoms mimic the common cold: high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. The best protection: Get vaccinated The CDC recommends the MMR vaccine—measles, mumps, and rubella—for everyone, especially those planning to travel internationally. Infants between 6 to 11 months should get one dose at least two weeks before departure. Children should then receive two more doses: one between 12 and 15 months, and the second between ages 4 and 6. 'Children 12 months old and older, teenagers, and adults who are unsure of their immunity against measles should receive two doses of MMR vaccine at least 28 days apart before international travel,' the CDC emphasized in its advisory. Adults who were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 may have received a less effective version of the vaccine. 'If you fall into that age range and you are not sure what version of the vaccine you got,' said Adam Ratner, director of pediatric infectious diseases at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 'the CDC recommends another dose.' For those born before 1957, the assumption is that natural infection during childhood has conferred immunity. Air Travel: What's the real risk? Despite the airborne nature of measles, the actual risk on airplanes is lower than you might think. Experts explain that the act of traveling is not inherently risky, as airplanes have filters; however, this filter system is often turned off during boarding and deplaning. Most cases tied to travel don't occur mid-flight, but rather at destinations with active outbreaks. What about terminals and public spaces? Measles transmission isn't limited to the air or your airplane seat. According to a 2014 CDC report, four unvaccinated people contracted measles after brief exposures inside a U.S. airport terminal—not even in the international section. While the advisory should be taken with utmost seriousness, there is no need for panic. Exposed and unvaccinated? Here's what you can do If you're unvaccinated and believe you've been exposed to measles, timing is critical. The CDC advises getting the MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure to reduce symptom severity or prevent illness entirely. If vaccination isn't an option, a dose of immunoglobulin within six days may help. For travelers who can't receive the vaccine due to pregnancy, immune compromise, or recent vaccinations, the CDC suggests speaking with a clinician—and possibly postponing your trip. Measles cases have been confirmed this year in 32 states, including California, Florida, Texas, and New York. Globally, outbreaks in Mexico and Canada have contributed to the CDC's push for pre-travel vaccination to any international destination. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Politico
23-05-2025
- Health
- Politico
A Pregnant Woman Is Being Kept on Life Support
Good morning! Thanks for reading Women Rule. Hit our lines: ecordover@ and klong@ This week, we dive into a very difficult and sensitive story out of Georgia. A Georgia woman has been kept on life support for more than 90 days — a decision her family says was made without their consent — because she was nine weeks pregnant at the time doctors declared her brain dead. Adriana Smith's family says Emory University Hospital in Atlanta insists the state's fetal heartbeat law, part of the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act, legally requires them to keep her on life support until her fetus can be delivered. (The law bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which usually happens after six weeks during pregnancy.) In interviews, Smith's family has lambasted the hospital for leaving them out of the medical decision-making, called the situation a 'nightmare no one should have to endure.' They say they're also worried about the health of the fetus, who they say is experiencing health complications already. According to medical ethicists, Smith's case is unprecedented — and medically risky. It's highly unusual for a pregnant person to be kept on life support. And in those rare instances where it does happen, it's usually when the pregnancy is assumed to be viable — past the 20 week mark, according to Dr. Arthur Caplan, founding head of the division of medical ethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Smith's story has provoked controversy around the ethics of strict abortion laws. Abortion rights activists argue her case exemplifies some of the consequences of criminalizing reproductive care. In February, Smith, a 30-year-old registered nurse at Emory University Hospital, sought treatment at Northside Hospital for debilitating headaches. She was sent home with medication and without any testing, according to her mother, April Newkirk, who told the story to WXIA TV of Atlanta. The next morning, after her boyfriend found her gasping for air, she was rushed to one of the hospitals in the Emory University Hospital system. Shortly after she was admitted, doctors pronounced Smith, the mother of a 7-year-old boy, brain dead. In a statement to NBC News, Emory University Hospital defended its decision to keep Smith on life support. 'Emory Healthcare uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature, and legal guidance to support our providers as they make individualized treatment recommendations in compliance with Georgia's abortion laws and all other applicable laws,' the statement said. Women Rule reached out to Smith's family for comment, but they did not respond in time for publication. In the political arena, Smith's story is sparking fierce debate along partisan lines. Democratic lawmakers are condemning the decision to keep Smith on life support. Republicans are praising the hospital's life-saving efforts. 'These decisions need to be made by family and medical professionals, not politicians,' Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) wrote on X. 'That any law in Georgia could be interpreted to require a brain-dead woman's body to be artificially maintained as a fetal incubator is not only medically unsound — it is inhumane,' Democratic state Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes said. State Sen. Ed Setzler, a Republican who sponsored the LIFE Act, said in a statement: 'I'm thankful that the hospital recognizes the full value of the small human life living inside of this regrettably dying young mother.' Brain death is considered legal death in all 50 states, thanks to the Uniform Determination of Death Act, which has served as a model statute for more than 40 years. Caplan tells Women Rule that Smith's case defies medical ethics on several accounts, including a patient's right to refuse care and a family's right to refuse participation in a medical experiment. 'You don't have any right to force experimentation on somebody,' Caplan says. 'We don't understand whether the life support that we're using is sufficient to keep the baby adequately nourished, adequately temperature controlled, in an adequate environment to develop, at least without severe disability or just dying at birth.' Michelle Oberman, lawyer and legal scholar at the Santa Clara University School of Law focusing on the intersection of sex, pregnancy, motherhood and criminal law, says Smith's situation raises questions about the financial responsibilities for Smith's family. The costs for keeping Smith on life support — and caring for her fetus if it survives delivery could cost upwards of $800,000. The financial costs 'look to be devastating, and they look to be borne by a family that didn't want this at all. This is unwanted treatment. It's a battery for a dead person,' she tells Women Rule. Health insurance does not generally cover care after death if the patient is declared to be in a vegetative state with no potential for recovery. 'Dead bodies are not a property of the state to be used to maximize life,' Oberman says. Islam Parkes sent a letter to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr on May 16 demanding clarity on whether the LIFE Act requires continued life support in these situations. 'There is nothing in the LIFE Act that requires medical professionals to keep a woman on life support after brain death,' Carr's office responded in a statement. 'Removing life support is not an action 'with the purpose to terminate a pregnancy.'' Democratic Georgia lawmakers are pushing to repeal the abortion law. In the meantime, public hearings, debates and court challenges are likely. POLITICO Special Report Ex-Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Enters Georgia Governor Race in Test for Dems by Brakkton Booker for POLITICO: 'Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is launching her campaign to be governor of Georgia in a race that may provide an early sign of whether Democrats have momentum in a pivotal swing state. Bottoms, who served in the Biden administration after she surprised voters by forgoing a second term as mayor, says in a campaign video to be released Tuesday that the reelection of President Donald Trump is a driving force in her campaign.' California Senator Produces Drug Panel Taken Day After DUI Citation by Nicole Norman for POLITICO: 'State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes on Wednesday released the negative results of a urine test done the day after she was cited for driving under the influence came back clean, offering them up as proof that she had been wrongly accused. 'The accusation that I was driving under the influence is utterly false,' Cervantes said in a statement to POLITICO. 'I take this matter seriously and in the interest of transparency, I am releasing my hospital exam report and hospital lab results.'' Mace, Alleging Assault, Shares Nude Photo of Herself During House Hearing She Says Was Taken Without Her Consent by Amanda Friedman for POLITICO: 'Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) shared a photo of what she described as a 'naked silhouette' of herself that she said was taken without her consent while renewing allegations of sexual abuse against multiple men, including her ex-fiance, during a House subcommittee hearing Tuesday. The four men Mace has accused of crimes have repeatedly denied wrongdoing. The South Carolina Republican framed her testimony as part of a broader effort to advocate for stronger legal protections for victims of nonconsensual recording and sexual misconduct.' Number of the Week Read more here. MUST READS Chicago Police Dismissed a Recruit's Claims That a Colleague Sexually Assaulted Her. Then He Was Accused Again and Again by María Inés Zamudio and Dana Brozost-Kelleher, Invisible Institute for ProPublica: 'Alexus Byrd-Maxey had just finished her second month at the Chicago police academy, well on her way to fulfilling her childhood dream. The South Side native wanted to become a detective so she could bring closure to families who have lost loved ones to homicides by arresting those responsible. Byrd-Maxey, then 26, was proud of herself for making it this far: completing college classes, applying to the academy multiple times, passing a background check and physical tests. She was delighted to be part of the academy despite the sacrifices it required, including leaving her toddler son most mornings at 5 a.m. and having her mom spend thousands to buy her new uniforms and equipment.' The Palm Springs Fertility Clinic Bombing Cut Off Critical Power to Incubating Embryos. A Firefighter's Risky Plan Averted Tragedy by Elizabeth Wolfe and Norma Galeana for CNN: 'Through a fortuitous turn of events, the usually bustling American Reproductive Center was completely empty when a car exploded outside the clinic Saturday, blowing a gaping hole in the side of the building and severing the power supply of the lab where thousands of embryos and other specimens are stored. For miles around the blast zone, Coachella Valley families held the babies and toddlers conceived at ARC. Alongside hopeful would-be parents, they worried for the immediate fate of their remaining embryos in the clinic, and for the long-term safety of the reproductive center, which authorities believe was targeted in an act of domestic terrorism.' The Real Story Isn't Young Men Supposedly Voting Far Right. It's What Young Women Are Up To by Cas Mudde for The Guardian: ''The boys are alt-right.' This seems to be the new consensus on far-right politics propagated in numerous articles and podcasts. But the media's obsessive focus on the young men allegedly fueling the rise of the far right isn't just empirically flawed — it misses a much more significant shift in public opinion among young people. While many surveys show a large gender gap in support of far-right parties and policies, it is young women who stand out as the more politically interesting demographic, as they are turning in ever greater numbers towards the left.' Quote of the Week Read more here. on the move New Heights Communications has hired Manisha Sunil as a director. Sunil brings experience from her previous role as Director of Communications at Groundwork Collaborative, and is an alum of West End Strategy Team. Jessica Lovejoy is now chief of staff at GovAct. She most recently was senior vice president of campaigns at 50+1 Strategies. (h/t POLITICO Influence) Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions has added Whitney Folluo as director of media relations, Alyssa Jones as a communications manager and Shannon O'Hare as a government relations and policy manager. Folluo was most recently at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Jones was most recently with the Western Caucus Foundation and O'Hare was most recently at the Wilson Center. (h/t POLITICO Influence)
