Tumor cells can lapse into a sleep-like state and thereby evade the destructive effect of cancer drugs. In some types of the disease, such as certain forms of lung cancer, this state is triggered by stress hormones in the body. Inside the cancer cells, glucocorticoid receptors recognize the hormones, and the cells respond by lapsing into a state in which they undergo barely any division. This renders many treatments ineffective.

Disturbed sleep is a common problem—and one that has many serious consequences beyond feeling tired the next day. Research has linked insomnia and poor sleep to early mortality and diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has shown that a one-time administration of a gene therapy expressing the metabolic factor FGF21 can prolong health span in old mice. The 27-month pharmacology study, published in Molecular Therapy, shows sustained beneficial effects across multiple endpoints associated with aging and health span.

College students have rapidly adopted generative AI, but critical questions remain about its use for mental health support. In a study co-led by investigators at Mass General Brigham, 18% of surveyed college students reported using artificial intelligence (AI) for mental health. Students with more severe mental health symptoms were more likely to do so. The findings are published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

A new study is the first to investigate the effects of prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on fatty liver in humans. The findings suggest the fiber supplement may reduce harmful metabolic byproducts in the gut and thereby improve liver health. Importantly, the composition of the gut microbiota before supplementation influences the benefits observed. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Eastern Finland and is published in npj Gut and Liver.