Tag: podcast

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Could a New Way to Restore Lithium Deficiency in Alzheimer’s Really Work?

On By ModernMedia
Neurons in the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient, with plaques caused by tau proteins. Credit: NIH

It has been known that brain lithium (Li) levels are depleted in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, a precursor for Alzheimer’s disease. For years, there have been attempts to restore Li levels to prevent Alzheimer’s disease by administering lithium carbonate. But now, it has been shown that the Li from this compound has been sequestered and not actually restoring the endogenous Li levels. Now, scientists have tried using lithium oxide (LiO) salts instead – and the treatment appears to be effective in prevention and even reversal of a mouse model of Alzheimer’s.

Join our QuickNews podcast as the arguments for and against this lithium-based approach are unpacked and debated.

Categories : Metabolic DisordersTags :

Unmasking a New Diabetes Subtype in Sub-Saharan Africa

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Wes Dissy on Unsplash

In this month’s podcast, QuickNews looks at a new Lancet study, “Non-autoimmune, insulin-deficient diabetes in children and young adults in Africa.” In this study, researchers report that a significant subset of what has previously been classified as Type 1 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa may in fact be a distinct, novel form of the disease.

The individuals in this subset did not exhibit the typical autoimmune markers (islet autoantibodies) usually found in classic Type 1 diabetes in other parts of the world. The researchers instead identified a novel, non-autoimmune, insulin-deficient subtype of diabetes that is also distinct from Type 2 diabetes.

Further evidence of this new subtype was found in Black individuals in the USA, albeit less frequently, but not in White individuals. The discovery throws a spotlight on the heterogeneity of diabetes diagnoses in sub-Saharan Africa, and points to the need to consider alternative causes and explore new prevention and treatment strategies for this distinct form of the disease.

Categories : Medical Research & TechnologyTags :

Podcast: Could Infrared Light Have Deeper Biological Effects than Believed?

On By ModernMedia
Light transmission through the hand from an 850nm LED source. Because the tissues are relatively
thin compared with the thorax it was possible to map the spectrum here against known biological absorbers.
The images clearly show that deoxygenated blood is a key absorber. Also, bone can not be seen and hence is
relatively transparent at these longer wavelengths. Source: Jeffery et al., Scientific Reports, 2025.

In this podcast, we explore how some infrared wavelengths of sunlight can penetrate the human body – even through clothing – and have a systemic positive impact on physiological functions. Sounds like something out of science fiction, but a recent article published in Scientific Reports has demonstrated this effect in humans.

In this study, exposing the torsos of human participants to 830–860nm infrared light was found to boost mitochondrial function and ATP production. There were notable improvements in vision, despite the eyes being shielded from the infrared light. If infrared light is indeed beneficial, what does this mean for our current way of life, indoors and illuminated by LED lights – which notably lack infrared light?

Categories : Pain ManagementTags :

Podcast: Paracetamol’s Newly Discovered Mechanism Could Unlock Powerful New Analgesics

On By ModernMedia
Credit: Pixabay CC0

Despite being used for decades as a pain reliever, paracetamol’s mechanism of action was never fully known. Now, new research from the University of Jerusalem points to an unexpected effect, one which may usher in a whole new era of analgesics.

In QuickNews’ first podcast, you can listen to a discussion on how a newly discovered mechanism of action for paracetamol helps it achieve its analgesic effect, and how this could be applied to the development of novel, highly specific pain relievers.