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Brain damage that veterans suffered from flying shrapnel has provided a major clue that could lead to better treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says. Veterans who suffered shrapnel damage connected to their amygdala, the fear center of the brain, were less likely to develop PTSD, researchers reported Sept. 24 in the journal Nature Neuroscience. The results suggest that PTSD could be treated by using electrical pulses to disrupt brain networks linked to the amygdala, they added. “This is a very real brain disease, and we can localize it to certain brain circuits,” said corresponding author Dr. Shan Siddiqi, a psychiatrist in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics. “Unfortunately, people sometimes assume PTSD has to do with how mentally strong or weak a person is, but it has nothing to do with moral character.” Researchers previously have uncovered brain networks to successfully treat depression and addiction using neurostimulation, and have been trying to locate the network associated with PTSD. For this study, the research team examined 193 patients from the Vietnam Head Injury Study who’d suffered brain injuries from shrapnel penetrating their skulls. “Some of these veterans who got shrapnel in their head went on to develop PTSD, but many of them did not,” said study co-author Dr. Michael Fox, director of the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics.… read on > read on >

In a finding that suggests Ozempic and Wegovy have powers that extend beyond weight loss, a new study finds the medications might also lower people’s risk of opioid overdose. People with type 2 diabetes prescribed semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) had a significantly lower risk of an opioid OD than patients taking any of eight other diabetic medications, researchers found. The results show “semaglutide as a possible new treatment for combating this terrible [opioid] epidemic,” said lead researcher Rong Xu, a biomedical informatics professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. For the study, researchers analyzed six years of medical data for nearly 33,000 patients with opioid use disorder who also had type 2 diabetes. The data found that those prescribed semaglutide were less likely to suffer from an opioid overdose. The new study was published Sept. 25 in the journal JAMA Network Open. If this effect is confirmed in clinical trials, semaglutide could provide a new means of protecting people suffering from opioid addiction, Xu said in a university news release. About 107,500 people died from drug ODs in 2023 in the United States, mainly from opioids, researchers said in background notes. About 72% of drug ODs involve opioids. Only about a quarter of people with opioid addiction are taking effective medicines to prevent overdoses, and half discontinue treatment within six months, researchers said. “Not everyone… read on > read on >

In a move that could mean more Americans in crisis get help and get it quickly, federal officials announced Tuesday that major cellphone carriers now have the technology to direct 988 callers to local mental health services based on their location instead of their area code. “The goal of 988 is to help people in a mental health or substance use crisis get 24/7 access to compassionate, nonjudgmental help,” Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, leader of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), said in a statement, CNN reported. “Connecting callers to local centers that can share information about their community’s services and resources helps to elevate that quality of care.” Verizon and T-Mobile started rolling out the “georouting” technology last week, CNN reported. Once fully implemented, the change will cover about half of all wireless calls to the 988 lifeline. AT&T also plans to begin the process within the next couple months. Next month, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on a rule that would require all wireless carriers to use georouting for 988 calls. If the final rule is adopted, nationwide providers will have 30 days to begin implementing the technology, while smaller providers will have two years to do so, CNN reported. “In times of crisis, every minute matters — especially when seeking help for yourself or a loved one in need of… read on > read on >

During a tense hearing before a Senate committee on Tuesday, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen faced tough questions over the company’s high prices for its blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. While testifying before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Jørgensen shifted the blame for those prices to pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), explaining that Ozempic and Wegovy would likely no longer be offered by PBMs if they had a lower list price, NBC News reported. A “high list price,” he explained, “is more likely to lead to more access to patients,” because PBMs can get larger rebates with higher-priced drugs. Still, Committee Chair Sen. Bernie Sanders did get Jørgensen to agree to meet with PBMs to discuss lowering the cost of Ozempic and Wegovy, NBC News reported. Sanders noted that he had received commitments in writing from “all the major PBMs” — UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Rx, CVS Health’s Caremark and Cigna’s Express Scripts — that if Novo Nordisk substantially reduced the list price, they wouldn’t take Ozempic and Wegovy off their formulary lists. PBMs work with insurance companies to negotiate discounts or rebates on drugs in return for coverage. PBMs have been criticized for pushing patients to higher-priced drugs, NBC News reported. For months, Sanders has railed against how much Novo Nordisk charges Americans for both Ozempic (used to treat type 2 diabetes) and… read on > read on >

Millions of Americans are caring for veterans, putting their finances and their mental health on the line to help those who have served the country. More than 14 million Americans now provide daily care to wounded, sick or injured military service members or veterans, a new study finds. And data show that care is taking its toll. More than 40% of caregivers for younger veterans 60 or under meet criteria for probable depression, researchers found. Further, one-third thought they need mental health care but don’t receive it, mainly because they don’t have the time, results show. Caregivers also reported spending more than $8,500 out-of-pocket each year helping veterans, researchers found, and their care made them forego $4,000 a year in additional income. Those costs could be why one-third of military or veteran caregivers report incomes below 130% of the federal poverty line, researchers said. “Military and veteran caregivers are family members who do this out of love and obligation, but they are also friends and neighbors who are taking on these duties out of caring and kindness,” said lead researcher Rajeev Ramchand, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization. “Care recipients benefit from the work these caregivers do, and caregivers benefit as well. But caregiving is not without its costs, both financial and emotional,” Ramchand added in a RAND news release.… read on > read on >

Only 1 in every 4 U.S. adults struggling with schizophrenia receive “minimally adequate treatment,” new data shows. Many of these patients also struggle with other mental health issues, such as substance abuse or depression, and they are further challenged by social and economic hardship, according to the new report. The data comes from the U.S. Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study, which surveyed almost 4,800 adults aged 18 to 65 between 2020 and 2022. The study is sponsored by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA). A total of 114 of those surveyed had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, according to researchers led by Natalie Bareis. She’s an assistant professor of clinical behavioral medicine at Columbia University in New York City. Bareis’ team found that, besides being diagnosed with schizophrenia, more than half (52%) of these patients also had depression, while 17% had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Suicidal thoughts ad attempts were much more common among these patients, as well. Nearly a quarter (23%) also had alcohol use disorder and 20% also used cannabis. Health care coverage was available to nearly all of the 114 patients with schizophrenia, and 70% had received some form of mental health treatment over the prior year. However, adequate levels of treatment were rare. For example, just 30% of patients were taking an antipsychotic… read on > read on >

A raw diet pet food company is recalling cartons of frozen beef and chicken dog food that could be tainted with salmonella or listeria germs. Answers Pet Food announced the recall this week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that two of its dog foods tested positive for salmonella, a third tested positive for listeria, and a fourth tested positive for both. The FDA performed the tests after receiving three consumer complaints of illness in dogs that ate the products, the agency said in a safety warning issued Monday. There have been no reports of human illness. The recalled dog food products all come in half-gallon cartons weighing four pounds. They include: Answers Detailed Beef Formula for Dogs, best by date of May 6, 2026. Answers Straight Beef Formula for Dogs, best by date of Jan. 31, 2026. Answers Straight Chicken Formula for Dogs, best by dates of Jan. 2, 2026 and March 11, 2026. These products are sold online and in retail locations nationwide. Answers Pet Food is located in Fleetwood, Pa. The best by date can be found on a sticker on the carton. If a person no longer has the packaging or can’t read the sticker, they should throw the food away. If consumers have any of these pet food products, they should throw it away in a secure container,… read on > read on >

A non-drug nasal spray could theoretically help stop the spread of respiratory viruses like the flu and COVID-19 better than wearing a mask, a new study suggests. The spray uses ingredients that are medically inactive to trap germs in the nose before they can infect a person, researchers said. “We developed a drug-free formulation using these compounds to block germs in three ways,” said co-senior study author Nitin Joshi, an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The nasal spray “forms a gel-like matrix that traps respiratory droplets, immobilizes the germs, and effectively neutralizes them, preventing infection,” Joshi explained in a hospital news release. Researchers call their discovery Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray (PCANS). Most viruses enter the human body through the nose. Vaccines can help the immune system fend off an immune attack, but they can’t stop the attack at its source, researchers noted. “The COVID pandemic showed us what respiratory pathogens can do to humanity in a very short time. That threat hasn’t gone away,” said co-senior study author Jeffrey Karp, distinguished chair in anesthesiology at Brigham and Women’s. “Not only do we have the flu to deal with seasonally, but we now have COVID, too.” Using a 3D-printed replica of the human nose, researchers showed that the spray captured twice as many droplets as would be trapped by… read on > read on >

Green Bay Packers legend and NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre announced Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Favre, 54, made the announcement while testifying to Congress on his potential misuse of taxpayer funds. The former quarterback has been presenting testimony in Washington to the House Ways and Means Committee, following accusations that he used political connections to funnel public money to himself and his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi. As reported by NBC News, Favre told assembled lawmakers that, “Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.” Frequent head injuries could be a risk factor for Parkinson’s. One study published last year found that people with a history of playing football were 61% more likely to be diagnosed with the brain illness. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson’s is an incurable, degenerative brain disease with symptoms developing over a period of years. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, but they can include tremor, slowness and other difficulties in walking and limb stiffness. Cognitive impairments, sleep issues, depression, apathy, anxiety, constipation, falling upon standing and other issues can also arise. Medicines such as dopamine-replacing drugs can… read on > read on >

Over 40 percent of U.S. adults are now obese, with rates roughly the same for men and women, new government data shows. Obesity rates fluctuated with age and fell as levels of education increased, said the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The only good news: The rate of adult obesity did not change between 2013 and 2023, said a team led by Samuel Emmerich, an epidemiologist at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 or above. For example, a person 5-foot 10-inches tall with a weight of 210 pounds has BMI of 30. So does a 5-foot-6 person weighing 185 lbs. Rates of severe obesity have risen among U.S. adults, however. In 2013, 7.7% of adults were severely obese, but that number jumped to 9.7% 10 years later. According to the CDC, severe obesity begins at a BMI of 40, equivalent to a 5-foot-10-inch person weighing 280 lbs. The peak time for obesity was middle age: 46.4% of adults ages 40 to 59 were obese, compared to 35.5% of those aged 20 to 39 and 38.9% of those over the age of 60, the report found. Similar trends were seen among people with severe obesity. While 44.6% of adults with only a high school degree were obese, that number fell to 31.6%… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Brain Injury & PTSD: Veterans’ Study Suggests Area of Damage Is Key

Could Ozempic Help Prevent Opioid Overdoses?

988 Mental Health Crisis Calls Now Link to Caller Location, Not Area Code

Novo Nordisk CEO Grilled by Congress Over Price of Ozempic

14.3 Million Americans Are Caring for Ill or Disabled Veteran

Most People With Schizophrenia Aren’t Getting Treated

Answers Company Recalls Raw Dog Food Due to Salmonella, Listeria Threat

Experimental Nasal Spray Might Ward Off Multiple Viruses

NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre Has Parkinson’s Disease

Four in Every 10 U.S. Adults Is Now Obese; Severe Obesity Rising