A new Genomic Psychiatry High-Priority Research Communication by Professor Yogesh Dwivedi and colleagues at the University of Alabama at Birmingham reports original, peer-reviewed findings demonstrating that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in stress-linked chromatin silencing during glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation. Using an in vitro neuronal model, the team identified 79 significantly altered lncRNAs (44 upregulated, 35 downregulated; p < 0.05) following GR overexpression, with several physically interacting with the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) via EZH2 and the histone mark H3K27me3. These lncRNAs inversely correlated with nearby gene expression (R = –0.21, p < 0.005), repressing genes essential for synaptic communication and neuronal signaling. The discovery offers a mechanistic link between chronic stress exposure and long-lasting gene repression, suggesting that lncRNAs could serve as molecular signatures or intervention targets in major depressive disorder.

A comprehensive review published in Brain Medicine demonstrates that disruptions in gut microbiota composition are closely linked to sleep disturbances across multiple disorders, including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorders, narcolepsy, and REM sleep behavior disorder. The gut microbiota influences sleep through metabolic pathways involving bile acids and short-chain fatty acids, neuronal pathways including the vagus nerve and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and immune system modulation. Alterations in the microbiota-gut-brain axis have been observed in sleep disorders and illnesses with comorbid sleep disturbances, including depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, and Parkinson's disease. Microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, show promising results in clinical trials for improving sleep quality, presenting a novel strategy for developing therapeutic approaches to address sleep disorders and enhance overall brain health.

A new survey from Orlando Health reveals that over one-third of men (38%) would rather endure stressful situations, such as watching their team lose a big game or being stuck in traffic, than discuss their prostate health. This widespread reluctance to address a common health issue often leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment for conditions like an enlarged prostate.

Researchers at Okayama University of Science have discovered that bitter taste receptors—the same type found on the human tongue—exist inside cancer cells and play a key role in multidrug resistance (MDR). These receptors sense anticancer drugs within the cell and activate molecular pumps that expel the drugs, preventing them from working effectively. This groundbreaking finding reveals a new biological function for taste receptors beyond the tongue and skin, where they normally serve as a defense system against harmful substances. The study, published in Scientific Reports (Nature Research), suggests that blocking these receptors could stop cancer cells from developing drug resistance. Because MDR is one of the biggest challenges in chemotherapy, this discovery opens a promising new path for improving cancer treatment. The research team believes that combining bitter taste receptor blockers with conventional anticancer drugs could enhance treatment outcomes and help advance chemotherapy into a new era of precision medicine.

Industrial dyes used in textiles, plastics, paper, and cosmetics make wastewater vividly colored and potentially toxic. Many of these dyes resist normal treatment, threatening aquatic life and human health. Now researchers have harnessed machine learning to predict how well biochar, a carbon-rich, low-cost material made from plant waste, can remove these stubborn pollutants from water.