Health and Medical Research News

Breaking the Pain Cycle: Understanding Increased Sensitivity to Pain in Opioid Use Disorder

Breaking the Pain Cycle: Understanding Increased Sensitivity to Pain in Opioid Use Disorder

What Did the Research Discover? This study looked at whether people with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) experience increased pain sensitivity and if this is linked to opioid use. Researchers analyzed 39 studies involving over 1,300 people with OUD and 700 people without OUD. The main focus was on how patients responded to cold pain, measured using a cold...

Magnetic Seizure Therapy: A Promising Treatment for Major Depression

Magnetic Seizure Therapy: A Promising Treatment for Major Depression

What did the research discover? Researchers studied two different treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD): Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). They wanted to see which one worked better for treating depression and which had fewer effects on memory and thinking skills. The study gathered data from 10 different studies, including...

New Medications for Postpartum Depression: Safer Options for Older Mothers

New Medications for Postpartum Depression: Safer Options for Older Mothers

What Did the Research Discover? Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mood disorder that affects many new parents after childbirth. It can cause extreme sadness, hopelessness, and difficulty caring for the baby. Current treatments, such as antidepressants, can take weeks to work and may have side effects. In August 2023, the FDA approved zuranolone, the first...

Gene Therapy Unlocks New Treatment for Inherited Blindness

Gene Therapy Unlocks New Treatment for Inherited Blindness

What did the research discover? Scientists have been studying how changes in genes can lead to problems with vision. These changes affect two important parts of the eye: the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors, which help us see. When these parts do not work correctly, they disrupt the way our eyes process images. Right now, there are no approved...

Revolutionary Eye Drops May Offer Future Non-Surgical Treatment for Cataracts

Revolutionary Eye Drops May Offer Future Non-Surgical Treatment for Cataracts

What Did the Research Discover? Cataracts are a leading cause of vision loss worldwide, affecting millions of people. As people age, the risk of developing cataracts increases, and while surgery is effective, it is expensive and not always available in all areas. Because of this, researchers are looking for medications that could help prevent or treat cataracts...

Progress with Artificial Retina Implants in Patients with Macular Degeneration

Progress with Artificial Retina Implants in Patients with Macular Degeneration

What Did the Research Discover? Researchers studied how vision works and what happens when certain parts of the eye stop functioning properly. They focused on the retina, the thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that helps us see by turning light into signals sent to the brain. The study explained how the retina has two types of photoreceptors: cones, which...