A new Genomic Press Interview with Prof. Dr. Paul Lucassen shares insights from his research spanning 30 years in which he explores how the adult brain continues to produce new neurons, and how this process, and other plasticity-related aspects like cognition, are modulated by (early life) stress, exercise, nutrition, and inflammation, revealing unexpected connections between early childhood experiences and later vulnerability to psychiatric disorders and dementia. His work offers hope that brain plasticity can maybe one day be harnessed for therapeutic and preventive approaches.

A sweeping review article published in Genomic Psychiatry examines whether current strategies for studying aging actually capture what scientists claim to measure. Dr. Dan Ehninger and Dr. Maryam Keshavarz from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn, Germany, analyze cross-species mortality data spanning humans, nonhuman primates, rodents, dogs, fish, fruit flies, and nematode worms to demonstrate that lifespan extension frequently reflects delayed onset of specific diseases rather than genuine slowing of biological aging. Their systematic evaluation of studies supporting the influential hallmarks of aging framework reveals that between 56 and 99 percent of phenotypes cited as evidence were examined only in aged animals, lacking the experimental designs needed to distinguish true aging effects from age-independent baseline shifts. The authors propose refined methodological approaches that could transform how researchers identify and validate interventions targeting the aging process itself.

As summer festivals and youth gatherings return in full swing, new research from Flinders University is revealing the hidden health risks that come with multi-day events, and how to avoid them. A comprehensive review led by public health experts to identify and understand the risks that occur at multi-day events reveals that infectious disease outbreaks and foodborne illnesses are the most common public health threats at youth-focused mass gatherings.

Gas and propane stoves emit substantial amounts of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to higher risks of asthma, heart and lung disease, and other conditions. A Stanford-led study finds switching from a gas to electric stove would cut nitrogen dioxide exposure across the U.S.by over one half, reducing the risk of asthma.